SERVICES
Individual Counseling
There are times in our lives when we all need a little direction. Individual therapy is conducted one-on-one for 50 minutes to an hour. It is a time to work on both past and present issues, guided and encouraged. An individual session should be validating but challenging at the same time. Modalities used include CBT, DBT, and interpersonal therapy. We will talk about issues that keep you stuff and problem solve for future situations. I hope to make you feel comfortable and unconditionally accepted while at the same time teaching you (or allowing you to find) new ways of interacting in the world. At times, individual therapy is most effective when someone else of significance is included in the process (parent(s), caregivers, siblings, etc.) and at times we may invite them into a session or sessions.
Group Counseling
At times in treatment, it can be advantageous to be around others who have struggled in similar (or different) ways as yourself. Run on an as-needed basis, groups typically consist of 8-12 members and are places where clients can both support and challenge one another. Group therapy can be a powerful place of change and growth, as members form bonds with each other than may eclipse even the growth from individual therapy. Group members will discuss pre-determined topics or process issues of the existing in the complicated world that we live in. Each member is encouraged to not only share what they are going through but also to offer feedback and support to fellow group members. Groups are not, however, the place where specific negative behaviors are discussed as these are more appropriate topics for individual therapy. Group participation is allowed only after an initial meeting or phone call with me to determine suitability for the group.
Trauma Therapy
Trauma is defined as any event (singular or ongoing) that has made you feel unsafe or called into question your sense of being and surviving in the world. One person’s trauma is not necessarily another person’s trauma and the effects of small traumatic events can be cumulative over time. The type of trauma therapy that I do is called Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and is a nationally certified evidenced-based treatment for children and adolescents who have suffered trauma. The stages of this treatment involve psychoeducation, relaxation, affect regulation skills, cognitive processing skills, telling the trauma narrative, in vivo mastery of trauma triggers, conjoint family/client sessions, and enhancing safety or planning for the future. Typically this type of therapy is time-limited in nature, but it can be adjusted to the needs of the individual client. The goal of trauma treatment is not to take away what has happened, nor to forget it, but rather to create a satisfying life despite it. The trauma will always be there, but the intense reactions to it and the fear of further trauma need not be.
Speaking
As a member of the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) I did numerous talks about eating disorders (prevention, treatment, etc.) for both live audiences, and TV/radio. I have also spoken at other parent education events on a variety of mental health topics and presented at annual counseling conferences. By request, I am available to provide educational services about mental health issues to communities, schools, radio and television. Specialities include: eating disorders, self-harm, trauma, and general life-skills.
Consultation
Having worked in schools, I understand the frustration that teachers and administrators sometimes face when dealing with students. Should the need arise, I am happy to consult on how to deal with mental health issues in a school setting or elsewhere. This service is also particularly applicable to physician offices or other health care settings because these are usually the first place that concerns surface.
Teaching
Based on the skills taught in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), I created and implemented an educational life-skills, wellness course for students and taught it for a number of semesters. The goal is to teach children and adolescents how to deal with their emotions and interpersonal relationships in a healthy way. This is very much a preventative model of “treatment” and the hope is that it will give tools to individuals that might otherwise have used maladaptive behavior to cope. I am available to teach this course on a contract basis or can assist with schools who may want to implement similar things. This course can also be run as a group therapy process, again depending on need. The skills taught and topics discussed are relevant to everyone, not just those struggling with mental health. Particular mental health topics may be addressed in a general way but individuals are not asked to share personal information in the same way that they might in group therapy.