Counseling Services and Treatments

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy 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.

My form of CBT is Rational Living Therapy. Using this technique, I will help you dissect your thinking process to identify mental mistakes and outline some clear and effective ways to improve you life. My goal is for you to GET BETTER rather than just feel better. I was trained by leading CBT researcher, author, therapist and the head of the National Association of Cognitive Behavioral Therapists Dr. Aldo Pucci, Psy, D.

Choices provides treatment for trauma using EMDR and CBT.

Trauma Treatment

At Choices I will blend a variety of techniques to reduce the power of post traumatic symptoms. Therapy for trauma focuses on reducing the frequency, intensity and duration of trauma symptoms. You want a counselor that uses evidence based interventions with a proven track record of success. Choices is that place.

Marriage Counseling

Couples and Marriage Counseling reduces conflict in families that stem from a variety of interpersonal issues that can cause divorce. I use therapeutic methods to increase positive communication and reduce negative interactions. I provide an objective third party perspective and this gives me the ability to quickly problem solve and save your marriage or family from decline.

EMDR

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy for Trauma and Depression

Is your Therapist Trauma Certified?

There are many therapists out there, but few Certified Trauma Therapists. Your average counselor has only minimal training with trauma therapy. I took the time and worked until I received full certification in trauma therapy. 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 this had an effect on you. EMDR is a specialized and complicated technique to learn for therapists. I was skeptical about EMDR at first, but after experiencing EMDR both personally and professionally I have seen the results and they are undeniable. I pledge to continue advancing my training in EMDR and any technique that can help me to better serve my clients.

EMDR Description

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy) is a groundbreaking method that uses Bilateral Stimulation and Dual Attention Stimuli using a variety of methods from Eye Movements to Thera-tappers to safely and effectively reprocess traumatic memories. After learning how to visualize the traumatic image and attach meaning to it you will work through the process. It is done in a gradual manner until your traumatic memories are metabolized and absorbed in an adaptive and positive way. We will list your traumas and rate them from 0-10, then I will systematically work through each memory reducing them to as low a number as possible. For example, you may have had a car wreck that is an 8 on the trauma scale. I will work with you to reduce it to as close to 0 as possible. When the memory is processed (metabolized) it will have less power over you and free up your mind to deal with other pursuits. I am fully Certified and extensively trained in this approach. Feel free to contact me for more information.

80% Success Rate

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.

More than 20 Randomized Studies show EMDR effective

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 is a group of interventions and theories that utilize the relationship with others as their 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.

Types of attachment styles are dismissive-avoidant, anxious-ambivalent and secure. The goal of attachment work is to attain a secure attachment. In session, I explain all of these in depth. 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. Think of attachment along a spectrum, the closer to secure attachment you get the more rewarding and healthy your relationships will become.

Attachment Based Therapy for Depression, Trauma and Anxiety.

How SSRI's work

I personally believe that medications should be used as a last resort. Overall, they are prescribed too readily and in too high a dose. However, there are many cases where medications may be helpful. For instance, a low dose of an anti-depressant can be a bridge to rejoin life and return to functioning. It will simply give you some breathing room to work on things in counseling. If we decide as a team that medications may help I will refer you to a qualified psychiatrist or PCP.