Therapeutic Issues
Psychotherapy can be an extremely effective way to enhance one's emotional well being and to heal issues from one's past. Individuals may seek counseling or psychotherapy for a variety of different reasons. They may feel that an emotional problem has gone on for too long, or that they need help in breaking old patterns of behavior. Often, it is a current life crisis that an individual is experiencing that may bring them into therapy.
Relationships / Couple Therapy: Many individuals and couples have difficulty with intimacy. They may have problems around communication, conflict resolution, trust, or handling their anger in a healthy way. If an individual or couple is co-dependent, they may find it difficult to set healthy boundaries in their relationships, or to say "No!" to their partners. Some individuals find themselves in unhealthy relationships that they are unable to end. Psychotherapy can help individuals and couples become healthier in their relationships by improving their communication skills and helping to identify and address their issues around trust and intimacy.
Self-Esteem: Self-esteem is not just a catch word of the nineties. It is the foundation on which we build the rest of our lives. When we have positive self-esteem, we have a solid foundation to build on. When we suffer from low self-esteem, it becomes much more difficult to lead a fulfilling life and to reach our goals and our dreams. Low self-esteem can adversely affects our choice of career or educational goals, along with our choice of friends or partners. In a supportive and emotionally safe therapeutic environment, clients can be helped to change their core beliefs about themselves and to develop self-acceptance and self-love.
Depression / Anxiety: The textbook definition of depression is "anger turned inwards". When an individual feels angry at a situation or person in their life, but powerless to change things, their anger is turned inwards and becomes depression. Feelings of hopelessness, frequent tears, loss of appetite or sleep, lethargy, and difficulty functioning are all symptoms of depression. In addition, the individual may feel anxious, preoccupied, or confused. Depression can be triggered by a sense of loss (old or new), or by a current life event. Psychotherapy, (often in combination with the appropriate medication), can be very effective in treating the underlying issues that are causing anxiety and depression in one's life.
Childhood Trauma: Adults who experienced emotional, physical or sexual abuse as children, frequently suffer from post traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD). These individuals are often bothered by traumatic memories, flashbacks, and nightmares. They may experience high levels of fear or anxiety. Memories of early abuse are frequently repressed until adulthood, when they begin to emerge. Therapy can help individuals uncover and work through these memories, which are both painful and traumatic.
Adult Children of Alcoholics: Growing up with parental alcoholism or abuse can leave an individual with multiple issues around intimacy and trust. Individuals from these backgrounds are also at higher risk to develop addictions such as chemical dependency, workaholism or relationship addiction. They have an increased tendency to choose partners who are alcoholic, workaholic, or affected by another compulsive behavior. Author of the book, Adult Children of Alcoholics, much of my work focuses on helping individuals who grew up in alcoholic or other dysfunctional families heal from the pain of their pasts in therapy.
Addictions: Chemical Dependency is the umbrella disease that includes Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, and Cross Addiction. Alcoholism and substance abuse are both progressive and potentially fatal diseases. Chemical dependency causes serious problems that affect the individual financially, professionally, and legally. Over time, this disease can destroy the addict's relationships and physical and emotional health. All addictions consist of a psychological component: an obsession with the substance of choice, and denial that there is a problem. Addiction also consists of a behavioral component, which is the compulsion to use, despite the negative consequences and crisis that result from the addict's using. The good news is that alcoholism and substance abuse are both very treatable diseases. Treatment and therapy often needs to involve family members who are enablers, as well as the addict.
Compulsive Overeating: Therapy can help individuals who are compulsive overeaters, who suffer from an obsession with food and a compulsion to eat despite the resulting negative effects on their physical and emotional health. Compulsive overeating is one of three major eating disorders, the other two being anorexia and bulimia. Compulsive overeaters are addicted to food in the same way that alcoholics are addicted to alcohol. It is their substance of choice. Like an alcoholic, their addiction to food as a way of self-medicating to relieve stress, loneliness, emptiness or boredom, can make their lives unmanageable and result in major health problems.
Alternative Life Styles / Trans-Gender Issues: Gay, lesbian, and trans-gender individuals have many of the same issues as heterosexuals do, concerning low self-esteem, relationship issues, and depression.. However, they are also burdened with those issues which are unique to individuals whose life style and sexual orientation do not conform to "societal norms". The need to be secretive, to conceal one's sexual identity from family, friends and co-workers, the fear of ostracism along with feelings of guilt and shame, can contribute to feelings of low self-esteem and depression. They often need therapy to help with these issues.
Grief and Loss: Loss is a major reason for seeking out help. Major losses in the present may trigger memories of early childhood losses. Major losses may include the loss of one's partner or parent, one's job or one's health. Individuals often need a safe place such as therapy provides, to grieve their losses so that they can move on with their lives.
INSURANCE INFORMATION
1) Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield 5) Cigna / Multiplan
2) United Behavioral Heath / UBH 6) Humana Choice Care
3) Optum / United Health Care 7) Rocky Mountain Healthcare
4) Value Options / Aetna /Beacon Health 8) Kaiser
