Services
This list is not meant to be an exhaustive one. It is simply the issues that I have the most experience working with. I have provided a brief introduction to the topics.
Parenting Skills Marriage Counseling
Depression Anxiety
Post Abortion Syndrome Spirituality
Substance Abuse Grief Counseling
Adolescent Issues Relationships
Parenting skills & training
I use Russell A. Barkley’s Defiant Children program as a framework. The parent-training steps are highly structured following this general sequence:
Step 1: Why Children Misbehave
Step 2: Pay Attention!
Step 3: Increasing Compliance and Independent Play
Step 4: When Praise is not Enough: Poker Chips and Points
Step 5: Time Out! and other Disciplinary Methods
Step 6: Extending Time Out to Other Misbehaviors
Step 7: Anticipating Problems: Managing Children in Public Places
Step 8: Improving School Behavior from Home
Step 9: Handling Future Behavior Problems
Step 10: Booster Step and Follow-Up Meetings
Keep in mind that I will not try to force all children and parents into the program. Some things work, and some don’t. We will modify as we go. Also we will do quite a bit of set-up before really diving into the “steps”. I have found that this work has helped with oppositional behavior, conduct issues, and adhd problems.
Depression
As with most of the therapy done in my practice, I teach clients about “self-talk”, “thought stoppage”, “irrational thinking”, etc. To do this I teach the “a-b-c” method of thinking. Albert Ellis, Aaron Beck and others developed this.
a stands for the activating event.
b stands for the belief (or self-talk) about a.
c stands for the consequence (emotional or physical) because of b.
People tend to think that activating events “cause” their problems. But in reality it is the thoughts or “beliefs” about these events that lead to the distress (consequence). Through therapy I teach the specifics of this method and how to apply it to various different problems.
Post abortion syndrome
I am part of Rachel’s Vineyard teams (out of KY & TN) that run weekend retreats for those suffering from post-abortion trauma. These retreats are done in group settings, very similar to group therapy, but not run by therapists. I am there simply for support and if someone needs additional help. I also am involved in some of the group work.
These retreats are spiritual in nature and help start the healing process. For more info on the KY Rachel’s Vineyard go to the website:
HopeAfterAbortionKY.
For the retreats in TN go to their website: HopeAfterAbortionTN.
You do not have to be Catholic to benefit from the retreat.
For individual help, I use the following Victims of Choice guide. It is non-denominational.
Session one: the Pre-pregnant Woman
Session two: The Pregnancy
Session Three: The Abortion Decision
Session Four: The Abortion
Session Five: Accommodation
Session Six: Hurts
Session Seven: Anger
Session Eight: Forgiveness
Session Nine: The Child
Session Ten: Going on with God & Life
Anxiety
As with the depression section, I teach ways to deal with negative thinking. There are some “thinking errors” that most people use. But the person with anxiety, or stress problems, uses them more than others. “I must do this…” or “I should do that” are examples. The first is one is affectionately called “musterbation”. The second is referred to as “shoulding”. So I may say “Stop musterbating” or “Stop shoulding on yourself”.
The A-B-C method is taught for anxiety & Stress. As with the depression, it is the thoughts that lead to the negative feelings, not the situation around us. Also relaxation techniques are taught as well as other stress reduction methods.
Grief
Grief is a natural and normal way to cope and deal with the loss of a loved one. It is also common for people to grieve over other important losses (job, house, etc.) Usually in therapy, I will address feelings and thoughts related to the loss and the stages in which people will normally go through: Denial; Anger; Bargaining; Depression; Acceptance.
Substance Abuse & Other Addictions
I will only briefly touch on this topic. It is a major issue that must be dealt with as soon as it is recognized. Substance abuse is unique. It can look like any other disorder in the entire DSM (diagnostic book used by clinicians). There are different means of treating those addicted to drugs. The Twelve Step method has been shown to be effective. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy has also been shown to bring out positive outcomes. I use both. The treatment method I prefer is the Matrix Model (which will be discussed in therapy). This integrates the Twelve Steps with Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy.
It is helpful to note that not everyone is ready to change. Some are at different points in the journey toward change.
Stages of Change:
Precontemplation: This person is in complete denial and does not see any need for changing, even though loved ones do.
Contemplation: This person is just beginning to notice there may be a problem, but is not yet willing to go for help.
Preparation: This person begins to look for help in changing.
Action: Here the person actively attempts change (therapy, Twelve Step Meetings, Etc.)
Maintenance: This person has completed the major components of the Action stage & is now working toward long-lasting results (continuing with treatment recommendations; still going to meetings, etc.)
Spirituality
A lot of people have had negative experiences with organized religion. These people tend to generalize religion itself instead of laying blame on the particular individual responsible for the wrongdoing. Secondly, some people have grown up with an aversion to god in general, for various reasons. What I attempt to do is facilitate spiritual growth. Spirituality is vital, not only for happiness, but for a well-adjusted existence. People are not meant to live so far from god. I attempt to address feelings and thoughts related to God or religion.
Some people have gone to "mental health professionals" only to lose their faith! The idea here is to strengthen your faith in god. Multiple studies show how beneficial it is to have faith (the more active the better). Yes, it took a "study" for some to realize that!
A key point should be made: today, people long for God, but want God in their own way. They want a fast-food religion & spirituality. Growth toward God can occur in an instant, but usually it is gradual. People should be prepared for this gradual growth. It is hoped that people learn to pray better, to be in conversation with God.
Marriage Counseling
Today, the world is blatantly anti marriage. There are “attacks” all over the place, in the form of temptations, for example. Selfishness and self-centeredness are at the root of a lot of the problems (pornography, drugs, etc.) People get married for whatever reason, but a lot of times they separate for similar reasons: they quit. I believe that marriages are worth saving and worth working through. Commitment is a term that is not taken seriously. Through therapy, couples learn about each other in a different way. They learn to listen differently, speak differently, feel differently, and think differently about each other and their marriage. Couples are asked to come up with “Mission Statements” for their marriage. Couples learn about the inherent sex differences. Couples learn about the role of parenthood in their marriage. Finally couples learn key components to successful marriages. Gary Smalley’s work is used extensively during therapy. Many times, couples come to therapy because one of the spouses has hurt the other: emotionally or physically. Often times, there has been an affair. One of the starting points is to define the problem, and then work on a definition to the solution. This way, both spouses are on the same page and working toward the same goal. Forgiveness is a major component of marriage counseling.
|
