To be healthy – in both mind and body – solid research reveals three necessary elements:
1. A perception of personal control,
2. A perceived support system, and
3. The ability to down-regulate the stress response.
Believe it or not, those three elements are essentially a reflection of what’s going on in brain neural networks and chemistry. And, except for injury, what goes on in the brain is due to genes and learning. In other words, our labels and diagnoses of low self esteem, anxiety, depression, ADHD, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder and most other problems seen in counseling offices are manifestations of genes and learning on brain neural networks and chemistry.
Fortunately, brains learn – which explains the success of Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT), a form of counseling that focuses on correcting distortions of thinking and behavior, that manifest as the labels and diagnoses listed above.
CBT is the basic orientation of my individual counseling – teaching and training to reduce an individual’s distortions of thinking and ineffective behavior patterns and, instead, increasing that individual’s perception of personal control, the strength of their support system, and the ability to experience inner calm.
For example, for those with a diagnosis of anxiety or depression,
as a cognitive-behavioral therapist, I will help you identify the probable sources of your depression and/or anxiety and, then, guide you toward new understanding and strategies designed to relieve the psychological pain that both unhealthy conditions generate.
For adults having difficulty balancing life's demands, expressed as being chronically
late, disorganized, forgetful, and overwhelmed by responsibilities, you may have ADD/ADHD. Attention deficit disorder affects many adults, and its wide variety of frustrating symptoms can interfere with everything from your relationships to your career. About 4.5% of American adults experience the often de-moralizing consequences of ADD/ADHD. In fact, according to the National Comorbidity Survey-Replication study,
ADD/ADHD is one of the most common conditions in adulthood!
Therapy and coaching often help. So does medication, which can reduce ADD problems with time, impulse control, short temper, procrastination, stopping when you should, getting organized and following through on commitments.
While CBT is the foundational method for my counseling, generally, I use several other approaches with individuals, as needed. Some of those methods are: therapeutic acting, meditation, role playing, communication skills training, and
early recollections from Adlerian Therapy.
To learn more about how I could help you, contact me at 240-277-4427 or [email protected]