My Services
01.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT is a short-term, problem-focused form of behavioral treatment that helps people see the difference between beliefs, thoughts, and feelings, and free them from unhelpful patterns of behavior.
CBT is grounded in the belief that it is a person’s perception of events – rather than the events themselves – that determines how he or she will feel and act in response.
CBT can help with:
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Depression
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Anxiety
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Panic attacks
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Phobias
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Obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD)
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Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
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Substance dependency
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Persistent pain
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Disordered eating
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Sexual issues
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Anger management issues
Most people with clearly defined behavioral and emotional concerns tend to reap the benefits of CBT. If any of the above issues resonate with you, I encourage you to try cognitive behavioral therapy.
With CBT, you’ll be able to adjust the thoughts that directly influence your emotions and behavior. This adjustment process is referred to as cognitive reconstructing, which happens through different CBT techniques.
Some CBT techniques are:
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Journalling
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Challenging beliefs
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Relaxation
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Meditation
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Mindfulness
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Social, physical and thinking exercises
Cognitive behavioral therapy is much more than sitting and talking about whatever comes to mind during a session. CBT sessions are structured to ensure that the therapist and the person in treatment are focused on the different goals of each session, which in turn ensures that each and every session is productive.
If you or someone you know would benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy, please contact me today. I would be happy to speak with you about how I may be able to help.
02.
Is anxiety taking over your life? Does it feel like you can’t control it no matter how hard you try? Have you already tried therapy but found it ineffective?
If this sounds like you, I’m confident I can help. My practice offers the most effective forms of treatment, to get the relief from anxiety that you deserve.
When it comes to treating anxiety disorders, research shows that therapy is usually the most effective option. That’s because anxiety therapy – as opposed to anxiety medication – treats more than just symptoms to the problem.
Often, these are the symptoms of anxiety:
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Nervousness, restlessness or being tense
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Feelings of danger, panic or dread
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Rapid breathing or hyperventilation
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Increased or heavy sweating
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Trembling or muscle twitching
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Weakness or lethargy
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Difficulty focusing or thinking clearly about anything other than the thing you’re worried about
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Insomnia
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Obsessions about certain ideas, a sign of obsessive-compulsive disorder
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Anxiety surrounding a particular life event or experience that has occurred in the past, a sign of post-traumatic stress disorder
Therapy can help to uncover the underlying causes of your worries and fears, learn how to relax, look at situations in a new, less frightening way, and develop better coping mechanisms and problem-solving skills.
If you suffer from an anxiety disorder, I invite you to contact me today for a free consultation.
03.
For new moms, it can be upsetting and frightening to have feelings about motherhood that don’t seem “right.”
For some women, a morning run, a healthy diet and receiving help and support from family and friends are sufficient enough to get through the initial adjustment period. For others, talking to a therapist who specializes in dealing with new motherhood issues can be comforting, relieving and enlightening.
Therapists who have extensive education and training in post-partum disorders understand that hormone changes, personal and family history, and social support are all vital factors in understanding and alleviating postpartum symptoms.
Common postpartum symptoms include:
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Feeling overwhelmed and wondering if you should have become a mother in the first place
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Feeling guilty due to high self-expectations
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Not feeling “bonded” with the baby
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Your thoughts are racing and you can’t quiet your mind
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Feeling empty and numb as if you’re just going through the motions
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Lack of focus and concentration
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Being afraid that if you reach out for help, others will judge your inabilities
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Thoughts of running away or leaving your baby behind
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Being constantly in a state of worry
If one or more of the above symptoms resonates with you, I invite you to contact me today for a free consultation. Together, we’ll find the underlying issues that make you feel disconnected from your baby and create a strategy for moving forward. Contact me today to see how I can help.
04.
Most people will experience trauma in their lifetime whether it’s a car accident, abuse or neglect, the sudden death of a loved one, a violent criminal act, exposure to the violence of war, or a natural disaster.
While many people can recover from trauma over time with the love and support of family and friends and bounce back with resiliency, others may discover effects of lasting trauma, which can cause a person to live with deep emotional pain, fear, confusion, or posttraumatic stress far after the event has passed.
In these circumstances, the support, guidance, and assistance of a therapist is fundamental to healing from trauma.
Trauma Symptoms
According to the four types of symptoms listed in the DSM-5
Avoidance Symptoms
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Avoiding specific locations, sights, situations, and sounds that serve as reminders of the event
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Anxiety, depression, numbness, or guilt
Re-experiencing Symptoms
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Intrusive thoughts, nightmares or flashbacks
Hyperarousal Symptoms
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Anger, irritability, and hypervigilance
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Aggressive, reckless behavior, including self-harm
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Sleep disturbances
Negative Mood and Cognition Symptoms
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Loss of interest in activities that were once considered enjoyable
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Difficulty remembering details of the distressing event
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Change in habits or behavior since the trauma
Research has proven psychotherapy to be the most effective form of treatment for trauma. Most commonly, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) are used in treating trauma.
If you or someone you know matches the trauma symptoms listed above, I am confident that I can help and invite you to contact me today for a free consultation.
05.
Do you feel like your relationship is at a standstill? Are you and your partner stuck in the same argument loop every night? Do you feel like you and your partner are drifting away? Do you desire more intimacy between you and your partner?
All things can be improved, changed and bettered, with just a little support, no matter how big or small. With couples therapy, you’ll learn how to communicate your feelings and needs, and get what you want out of your relationship.
Some issues that bring couples to therapy are:
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Addiction/Partner Addiction Support
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Balance (Work/Life/Family)
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Blended Families
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Chronic Illness
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Divorce
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Extended Family
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Infidelity/Cheating
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Intimacy
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Mental Illness
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Pre-Marital/Readiness
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Pornography
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Sex
In my couple’s therapy sessions, I help people develop the necessary skills needed to maintain sustaining love.
If any of the above relate to your and your partner in your relationship, contact me today for a free consultation. I would love to speak about how I may be able to help reconnect and rekindle your love for one another.
06.
Our family affects who we are and who we become, both for the better and for worse. We learn our vocabulary, our habits, our customs and rituals, and how to view and observe the world around us.
Anyone seeking healthier, closer family relationships can benefit from family therapy.
Common reasons for seeking family therapy include:
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Divorce
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Parent-child conflict
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Problems between siblings
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Domestic violence
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The unexpected or traumatic loss of a family member
Family therapy is necessary to address family issues and heal a family’s wounds. If any of the above scenarios resonate with your family, consider seeking family therapy. Family therapy can be beneficial on many different levels.
Some positive family therapy outcomes are:
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Strategies to develop and maintain boundaries
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Fostered sense of cohesion and communication among family members
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Promotes problem-solving through an understanding of family patterns and dynamics
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Builds empathy and understanding.
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Reduces family conflict
Studies show that family therapy is particularly important for families with members who struggle with substance abuse, eating disorders and other behavioral issues. When the whole family grows, each member is better off.
If you’re interested in learning about how I can help pull your family back together, contact me today for a free consultation.
07.
Play therapy makes a difference. Play is an enjoyable, fun activity that elevates our spirits and brightens our outlook on life. Play relieves feelings of stress and boredom and, most importantly, helps us express ourselves.
What is Play Therapy?
Play therapy refers to a large number of treatment methods, all applying the therapeutic benefits of play. Play therapy helps children to address and resolve their own problems and builds on the natural way that children learn about themselves and their relationships in the world around them.
APT defines play therapy as the “systematic use of a theoretical model to establish an interpersonal process wherein trained play therapists use the therapeutic powers of play to help clients prevent or resolve psychosocial difficulties and achieve optimal growth and development.”
What does Play Therapy help?
Play therapy helps children:
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Become more responsible for their behaviors and develop more successful strategies
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Develop new and creative solutions to problems
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Develop respect and acceptance of self and others
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Learn to experience and express emotion
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Cultivate empathy and respect for thoughts and feelings of others
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Learn new social skills and relational skills with family
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Develop self-efficacy and a better assuredness about their abilities
Play therapy aims to help a child’s growth and development. The practice of play therapy requires extensive, specialized education, training and experience. With my knowledge and background, I am confident that you and I can set your child up for success.
If you’re interested in learning more about play therapy and how it can help your child grow, contact me today for a free consultation.
08.
Are you feeling hopeless, isolated and not your usual self?
Do these thoughts often enter your mind?
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I am worthless and can’t do anything about it.
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I feel guilty for just wanting to eat, sleep and be alone.
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I hate who I am these days.
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I can’t stop crying, which makes me want to stay away from others.
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I feel gut-wrenching pain, but no one understands.
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My life and the world around me are dark. I hate it, but I can’t change it.
If you have had any variation of these thoughts and don’t feel like your usual self, chances are you may be suffering from depression.
I want you to know that you are not alone and there are people who can help. Many of my clients find relief in realizing that their struggle does not own them and that there are many options available to once again have hope for their lives.
I understand the social stigmas that come with label of being depressed, and thus aim to help clients sort out their environmental, biological and circumstantial factors while offering support and care through a very dark time in their lives.
If you are hoping to finally lighten this load and feel like yourself again, contact me today for a free consultation.