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How long is a therapy
session?
Psychotherapy sessions are
from 45 to 50 minutes.
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How frequently will I
attend therapy sessions?
Therapy sessions are usually
once weekly. However, in some cases we may meet twice weekly depending on need.
Sometimes, after therapy has been ongoing for awhile and progress dictates,
frequency may decrease to once every other week or less.
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What is the fee for
service?
My fee is set at $150 per
session.
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Will my insurance cover
any of the cost of therapy?
If your insurance covers
mental health services, in some instances my standard fee will be waived and
your insurance company will pay for part or most of the cost and you will be
responsible for a deductible, if any, and a copay. Copays are usually very
affordable.
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What is EMDR
therapy?
EMDR is a cutting-edge type
of therapy. For information on EMDR, please click on the articles section of
this website and then click on the article titled "Eye Movement Desensitization
and Reprocessing (EMDR)."
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Why choose a
Certified EMDR practitioner?
The training in EMDR
consists of Level I which is a 14-hour training and Level II which is an
additional 14-hour training. Therefore, most therapists providing EMDR therapy
have received either 14 or 28 hours of training. This is a minimal level of
training. Most of these therapists have never had any supervision and limited
experience in conducting EMDR.
In an effort to provide the public with
skilled practitioners of EMDR, the EMDR International Association developed a
certification process which consists of, in addition to the basic training, a
minimum of 50 EMDR sessions with a minimum of 25 different clients and at least
20 hours of consultation with an EMDRIA-approved consultant. Additionally,
there is a requirement of 12 hours of continuing education in advanced
techniques of EMDR every 2 years.
Certified EMDR Therapists are
deeply invested in keeping pace with the rapidly evolving body of knowledge and
new techniques in EMDR. In addition, they tend to utilize EMDR regularly and
thus have more real time experience. When selecting an EMDR therapist, you can
be confident in the skill level and experience of a Certified EMDR
therapist.
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What is Psychodynamic
psychotherapy?
Psychodynamic psychotherapy
assumes that behavioral and emotional problems in the present are caused by
early psychodynamics of one's past. When these connections are made and the
past dysfunctions are processed and separated from, the behavioral and
emotional manifestations that exist in the present change. The goal of
psychodynamic psychotherapy is to experience "truth." This "truth" is
encountered through the breakdown of defenses. The client learns to be honest
with him or herself and becomes a more authentic person. The more one lives in
their "truth," the more their symptoms will dissolve.
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What is Cognitive
psychotherapy?
Cognitive therapy is based
on the idea that how we think, how we feel, and how we behave all interact
together. Specifically, our thoughts determine our feelings and our behavior.
Therefore, negative thoughts can cause distress and result in problems.
Cognitive therapy involves recognizing unhelpful or destructive patterns of
thinking and behaving and modifying or replacing these thought patterns with
more realistic or helpful ones.
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What is Peak Performance
work?
Peak Performance work is
generally used by athletes, artists and business executives. It involves
identifying blocking beliefs, eliminating them and instilling more productive,
performance-enhancing beliefs. Visualizations are also used to improve
performance, usually in the context of EMDR therapy.
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What is Biofeedback?
Biofeedback is a technique
which involves measuring a client's bodily processes such as blood pressure,
heart rate, skin temperature, galvanic skin response (sweating), and muscle
tension and conveying information to the client in real time in order to raise
his or her awareness and conscious control of these physical activities. By
providing access to the physiological information about which the client is
generally unaware, biofeedback allows users to gain control over the physical
processes previously considered automatic. With this awareness, you can learn
to relax yourself in high-tension situations.
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What are the phases of
psychotherapy?
There are generally three
phases of the therapy process: assessment, resolution, and
growth/self-actualization. Many people enter therapy as a response to a
personal or professional crisis, e.g., loss of a loved one through death or
divorce, depression, anxiety, life stress, inability to cope, etc., or the
feeling of being "stuck" in life. Upon entering therapy, the problem is
assessed, a history is taken, an impression is formed, a treatment plan is
developed, and therapy begins.
Most people feel better, more hopeful,
after several sessions as a sense of taking control of their lives takes hold.
The therapy process continues until a point is reached that they feel back on
track. The behavioral and emotional symptoms that were present upon entering
therapy are alleviated. They are back to their pre-crisis state of functioning.
Some people elect to terminate therapy at this point. However, for those who
elect to continue, the growth/self-actualization phase begins. In this phase,
the focus is on personal transformation. Here, the possibility of making your
dreams materialize becomes evident. Self-esteem can rise to new heights, you
can experience a sense of mastery and achieve your personal and career goals as
a result. This phase of therapy is what makes the process exciting.
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How do I work with my
clients?
My work combines
psychodynamic and cognitive therapies with EMDR therapy. I operate from the
belief that thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that get in the way of current
optimal functioning are based in the past and in order to change them, the past
must be dealt with, i.e., processed and placed in a healthy perspective.
Dysfunctional thought patterns can be changed to more empowering, positive
beliefs. Dysfunctional behaviors and feelings can also be changed to enhance
your life experience. Living in "truth" can be exciting. Learning to listen to
and trust your instincts are a byproduct of this work. My mission is to
promote, inspire, and support your healing and self-actualization; my goal is
your personal transformation.
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