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Counseling Services

Although we specialize in using Medications to help achieve emotional health we also provide individual, couple and group counseling. We provide these services for a variety of issues:

• Feeling down or “the blues”
• Feeling anxious or “panicky”
• Having a lot of highs and lows like an emotional roller coaster, and
• Substance related problems

Our approach is Strength-based— meaning we want to help you build on your strengths to solve the problem. We can guide you to maximizing your strengths, both inner and outer. Often in very stressful situations we develop “tunnel vision” and may become so overwhelmed that we forget the strengths we have. We want to help you reclaim your strengths and put them to good use so you can develop confidence in yourself and overcome the challenges facing you.

There are many approaches that help us accomplish this goal and we use a combination of approaches that will best fit your situation. Some examples are:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: CBT focuses on learning how our thoughts and distorted thinking influence emotions and then contribute to how we behave. The process here is in learning to pay attention to and identify common thinking errors. Once identified we take steps to examine if the thinking is accurate or based on these errors. We can then make a plan to correct our thinking. Homework is a big part of this kind of therapy.

• Mindfulness-Awareness Meditation: This is a skill process that teaches people how to train their mind to focus and stay present. This involves practicing putting your attention on one focal point, such as the breath, and learning to acknowledge distractions (like thoughts or feelings), then to bring your attention back to your focus. Some side effects of this process are relaxation, better concentration and developing an intimate understanding of how your mind works.

• Guided Imagery: GI is a process that has been studied and used with ever more benefit since the 1970’s. It involves listening to a sound track in which the guide takes you and your mind on an imaginary journey. The music and images used are specific to provoke different states of mind such as relaxation, acceptance and comfort.

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In addition to these strategies we have some specific strategies to help people with substance abuse or dependence regains control of their lives. These include:

• 12 Step: This is a process of looking at and understanding the process of addiction. This is accomplished by “working” or doing exercises in a 12 step pattern. Each step builds upon the step before it. This is the process that Alcoholics Anonymous uses and has been very helpful for many people.

• Rational Recovery: RR uses a cognitive (thought) centered approach to understanding addiction. It helps you to identify the “beast” or “liar in your head” that is to say the faulty thinking that keeps people in the same cycle of habits that goes along with addiction. It also helps you learn to break these habits by making contingency plans.

• Wellbriety: This is a variation of the 12 step model. This model focuses on the cultural values many Native American Tribes have in common. It also continues on to include not just the individual recovery but recovery of the family and community. It is also a useful model in learning how to live life in balance.

• Motivational Interviewing: MI is really a technique that focuses on the goals of the individual and helps them to motivate themselves for change. This model explains the different stages we all go through when trying to change any behavior in our lives. It began as a tool to help people recover from addictions but is being expanded now to help all people make changes in their lives.

If you have any questions about these services or would like more information please contact us.