Proud to announce Choices 10 year anniversary!
Counseling Services and Treatments
Counseling/Therapy with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a common type of talk therapy. You work with a mental health counselor in a structured way, attending a limited number of sessions (9-12 sessions on average).
CBT helps you become aware of inaccurate or negative thinking so you can view challenging situations more clearly and respond to them in a more effective way.
CBT can be a very helpful tool either alone or in combination with other therapies in treating mental health disorders, such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or an anxiety disorder. But not everyone who benefits from CBT has a mental health condition.
CBT can be an effective tool to help anyone learn how to better manage stressful life situations.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a directive form of counseling that focuses on the role that thoughts play in our emotions and behavior. This involves education about mental health, problem solving and a variety of other interventions.
"The universe is guided from within"
Helena Blavatsky
All of Choices clinicians are extensively trained in Cognitive Behavioral Techniques. CBT will help you dissect your thinking process to identify mental mistakes and outline some clear and effective ways to improve your life. Our goal is for you to GET BETTER rather than just feel better.
Adam Kleinman was trained by leading CBT researcher, author, therapist and the head of the National Association of Cognitive Behavioral Therapists, Dr. Aldo Pucci, Psy, D. and will provide clinical oversight throughout your treatment.
Trauma Therapy Treatment
What is trauma therapy?
Trauma-Focused Therapy is a specific approach to therapy that recognizes and emphasizes understanding how the traumatic experience impacts an individuals mental, behavioral, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being.
What are the 3 types of trauma?
There are three main types of trauma: Acute, Chronic, or Complex.
Acute trauma results from a single incident. Chronic trauma is repeated and prolonged such as domestic violence or abuse. Complex trauma is exposure to varied and multiple traumatic events, often of an invasive, interpersonal nature.
Choices therapists will blend a variety of techniques to reduce the power post traumatic symptoms have in your life. Therapy for trauma focuses on reducing the frequency, intensity and duration of trauma symptoms.
You want to work with a counselor who uses evidence based interventions with a proven track record of success. Choices is that place.
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a short-term goal-focused evidence-based therapeutic approach, which incorporates positive psychology principles and practices, and which helps clients change by constructing solutions rather than focusing on problems.
What are the three rules of Solution-Focused Therapy? The principles of SFBT can be summarized as “listen, select, and build.” More specifically: The focus is on building solutions rather than solving concerns.
The therapist assumes you already possess solution-building abilities and listens intently to try to identify cues in your discussion to support this.
Existential Therapy
Existential therapy focuses on the anxiety that occurs when a client confronts the conflict inherent in life.
The role of the therapist is to help the client focus on personal responsibility for making decisions, and the therapist may integrate some humanistic approaches and techniques.
What are existential therapy techniques?
Many existential therapists also make use of basic skills like empathic reflection, Socratic questioning, and active listening. Some may also draw on a wide range of techniques derived from other therapies such as psychoanalysis, cognitive-behavioral therapy, person-centered, somatic, and Gestalt therapy.
What are the 4 components of existential theory?
This is known as 'existential anxiety' and is a normal outcome of facing the four ultimate concerns in life: death, freedom, isolation and meaninglessness. Once existential anxiety is recognized, it can be dealt with constructively.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness teaches individuals to cultivate a greater awareness of the present moment. By increasing their mindfulness, participants aim to reduce their overall arousal and emotional reactivity and gain a deeper sense of calm and relaxation.
All of choices counselors practice some degree of mindfulness therapy in sessions. The benefits to understanding and being able to maintain in the present moment are endless.
Humanistic Psychology Approach
Humanistic psychology is a perspective that emphasizes looking at the whole individual and stresses concepts such as free will, self-efficacy, and self-actualization.
Rather than concentrating on dysfunction, humanistic psychology strives to help people fulfill their potential and maximize their well-being.
What does humanistic psychology focus on?
Humanistic psychology stresses the inherent value of human beings and focuses on their ability and willingness to maintain dignity while growing in self-respect and competence.
The flash technique
Memory Reconsolidation
The flash technique is a revolutionary new intervention that promotes healing from traumatic situations. This technique utilizes a variety of different interventions working within the EMDR framework to process traumatic situations below the level of awareness.
In 1958 the United States banned the use of subliminal messaging in music, advertising and movies. Why was subliminal messaging removed? Because it works. Flash utilizes the same principles as subliminal messaging but with a twist. It uses this principle to install positive images instead of negative. This can speed up the EMDR standard protocol process and help get you better quickly.
The flash technique will utilize a series of blinks and bilateral stimulation to work on installing a positive and engaging image. The flash technique can be utilized with eyes open or closed. You will come up with a traumatic memory and then flash positive memories to reduce the level of trauma and distress associated with the initial image.
Container interventions are also utilized to put the disturbing image in a book or other "container". This will help you contain and learn to compartmentalize your traumatic situation so you can stay present and stabilized in your day to day life.
Whether it be a car wreck, a robbery or other traumatic situation flash can help. Flash can be an integral part of the EMDR standard protocol process.
EMDR Therapy
Is Your Therapist Trauma Certified?
There may be many therapists out there, but few are Certified Trauma Therapists. Your average counselor has only minimal training with trauma therapy. All of Choices therapists have a strong understanding of the role trauma plays in mental health challenges.
Many psychological issues are caused by negative and traumatizing events in the past. This does not mean that you meet the criteria for PTSD, it only means that it is highly likely that some bad things happened to you (they happen to everyone) and had an effect on you.
As the clinical director, Adam Kleinman will ensure that you receive top care from all Choices clinicians.
EMDR is a specialized and complicated technique for therapists to learn.
"I was skeptical about EMDR at first, but after experiencing EMDR both personally and professionally I have seen the results and they are undeniable. "
Adam Kleinman, LCSW
What is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR) is a groundbreaking method that safely and effectively helps you resolve and permanently get over traumatic memories. First, you will learn how to visualize the traumatic image and attach meaning to it. Then you will work through the process.
It is done in a gradual manner until your traumatic memories are reprocessed and given new meaning.
You will list your traumas and rate them from 0-10. Then your therapist will systematically work through each and reduce it to as low a number as possible. For example, you may have had a car wreck that is an 8 on the trauma scale. Your therapist will work with you to reduce it to as close to 0 as it can get. When the memory is processed it will have less power over you and free up your mind to deal with other pursuits.
Choices has fully Certified and extensively trained EMDR therapists. Feel free to contact us for more information.
More than 20 Randomized Studies show EMDR effective
EMDR is an evidence-based practice that has been shown to have an 80 percent success rate with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
EMDR stimulates our brain's natural ability to process life events so that we can let go of the emotional distress connected to our past.
EMDR is now accepted as a treatment of choice by numerous mental health departments and trauma organizations. More than twenty randomized studies support EMDR therapy as an effective and efficient treatment of trauma.
Attachment Based Therapy
How Attachment Work Helps
Attachment work utilizes the relationship with others as the central theme. Starting with your parents, you gradually learned how to relate to people. If the relationship with your parents was negative and traumatizing, you are likely experiencing symptoms from that.
"The parent-child connection is the most powerful mental health intervention known to mankind"
Bessel van der Kolk
This can affect all relationships, friendships, marriages and any situation in which you interact with other people. Think of attachment along a spectrum, the closer to secure attachment you get, the more rewarding and healthy your relationships will become.
Types of attachment styles are: dismissive-avoidant, anxious-ambivalent, disorganized and secure. The goal of attachment work is to attain a secure attachment. In session, your counselor may explain the different types of attachment styles in depth.
"Play is the work of childhood" Jean Piaget
You will see instant benefits in the way you view yourself in relation to others. When a secure attachment is achieved people are able to trust, develop relationships and also have confidence in themselves.
Online Counseling and Therapist services-Johnstown and Altoona, PA
A new way to do therapy
Choices provides online counseling to Johnstown, Altoona and surrounding areas. At Choices, you receive online teletherapy services for depression, anxiety, trauma and a variety of mental health challenges.
"Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice"
Steve Jobs
Choices utilizes a blending of approaches from EMDR to Cognitive Behavioral Techniques. Online services are safe, effective and efficient.
Online therapy is evidence based
Emerging research indicates that online therapy is as good as or even better in some cases than traditional in office therapy. Online therapy is convenient, effective and safe.
All of Choices therapists offer the option for online or in person sessions.
Geographical divide is no problem
Sessions are provided online so you can receive treatment from the safety and comfort of your own home. You do not need to drive to sessions nor be in the location that you're receiving the services.
Online counseling at Choices quickly lays out the goals and steers you towards success.
Successful treatment with long lasting results
What is online therapy?
One of the newest and most widely accepted terms for referring to health care delivered via technology such as zoom or other conferencing software. Teletherapy is being used inter-professionally to describe therapy services offered via the Internet and other telecommunication technologies.
Teletherapy is mental health counseling over the phone or online. More therapists are incorporating this form of virtual mental health support into their practice. Teletherapy is convenient for both the client and the therapist.
Choices provides online therapist/telehealth services for Johnstown and Altoona, PA. This was extremely successful throughout the coronavirus pandemic and helped numerous people cope with the anxiety and stress associated with COVID-19. So successful, in fact, that Choices continues to offer this service.
Online teletherapy also opened up therapy resources to the entire state of Pennsylvania. While many clients have decided to come back in in person, teletherapy will still be an option at choices clinical counseling.
Convenience and safety
Online sessions are offered to provide safe and effective therapy when you really need it. You will simply login from your phone, laptop or desktop to receive your session in your home. Your virtual session will be just like sitting in the office without the driving and traffic.
Guidelines for online counseling
- Login from a quiet, safe and secure location in your home or office
- You must have a fair internet connection
- A desktop computer or laptop is ideal but a phone screen will work too
- ZOOM Health is a secure and HIPPA compliant service
- Approved by all insurances