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There are a variety of benefits that can come from mental health therapy, and they tend to be individualized. Our Licensed Mental Health Therapists are here to provide levels of support, teach certain skills, and help patients discover new coping strategies for things like anxiety, depression, stress, attachment healing, and recovering from trauma. You don’t need to have some kind of ‘major disorder’ to find usefulness from a therapist. In fact, if you’re simply looking for personal growth in any aspect of your life, you can typically find the skills and resources through therapy to help with family problems, marital issues, and more. Essentially, a therapist offers a different way of looking at things – perhaps a perspective you haven’t yet considered, which makes it easier to point you in the right direction, and find the solutions you’re looking for in life.

Of course, therapists can’t just ‘fix’ everything on their own. It’s about using those resources you learn in your everyday life that can really turn things around. Still unsure about what therapy could do for you? Let’s take a look a few examples of some common benefits:

– Grasping a deeper understanding of who you are
– Identifying your goals and dreams
– Obtaining the right skills for bettering your life’s relationships
– Learning resources to calm/re-wire your nervous system, and process stuck trauma memories.
– Managing problem areas in your personal life, like anger, stress, anxiety, depression, etc.
– Creating new patterns of behavior for yourself
– Changing your problem-solving perspective
– Boosting your self-esteem and confidence

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, which is an evidence based psychotherapy approach designed to help individuals process and overcome traumatic experiences. It is a structured protocol that includes recalling traumatic or distressing memories while simultaneously adding in bilateral stimulation, such as tracking dots on a screen (for telehealth EMDR Therapy), bilateral tapping, or alternating tones in headphones. This allows an individual to stimulate the brain’s information processing system and reduce the intensity of the traumatic memory. EMDR Therapy has been shown to be an effective treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and attachment wound healing.

In an effort to provide the public with skilled practitioners of EMDR, the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) developed a certification process. To achieve the designation of EMDRIA Certified Therapist, a licensed mental health clinician must go beyond the basic EMDR Institute Level I and Level II training required to be able to offer EMDR Therapy, and demonstrate clinical proficiency in their EMDR skills.

To earn the designation of EMDRIA Certified EMDR Therapist, a therapist must provide written documentation to support that they have completed an EMDRIA approved Level I & II training program in EMDR, have conducted a minimum of fifty clinical sessions in which EMDR was utilized, have received twenty hours of consultation by an EMDRIA Approved Consultant, and received three letters of recommendation from EMDR therapists who are familiar with the therapists EMDR skill, knowledge and ethical practice.

In addition, to maintain Certification, a therapist must complete at least twelve hours of continuing education in EMDR every two years.

The first therapy session can vary depending on the therapist and the individual’s needs, but generally, it involves a comprehensive assessment process. The therapist may ask about the individual’s background, including their family and personal history, education, trauma experiences, and legal or vocational history.

The therapist will about your current symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, or other mental health concerns. This is important to develop an understanding of the individual’s unique experiences and the impact of the symptoms in your daily life.

Further, you and your therapist will likely discuss goals for therapy. These goals can be short-term or long-term and may involve improving coping skills, addressing specific symptoms, or achieving a more significant life change.

Depending on your needs, your therapist may also provide education about mental health and trauma as well as strategies to manage symptoms. Your mental health therapist may also conduct specific assessments, such as questionnaires for EMDR Therapy, diagnosis history, trauma checklists, and attachment style (when appropriate.)

Overall, the first therapy session is an opportunity for the individual and therapist to get to know each other and establish a foundation for future therapy sessions. The therapist will work collaboratively with the individual to develop a treatment plan that is tailored to their unique needs and goals.

Just like the reasons for therapy are different for everyone, most people can expect different experiences. The good news is that therapy is completely individually-focused, which is why everyone can get something different out of it. Generally, your life, your history, and any relevant insights will be important to the specific discussions, but in a very personal and individualized manner. Sometimes therapy can be focused on a specific need, in which case it’s a ‘short term’ solution, while in other cases, many people go to therapy regularly, each week, to simply look for more personal growth.

In EMDR, it is typical to meet weekly and consistently address current day triggers/symptoms that come up related to one’s trauma history or distressing events in life. In every EMDR session, you will know the treatment plan and which phase you are in. I will keep track of ALL the technical parts of EMDR, your only responsibility is to observe and notice your body while we do this work!

Currently, I am in network with the following plans: UnitedHealthcare, Oxford Health Plans, Aetna, UMR, Oscar, UHC Student Resources, AllSavers UHC, Harvard Pilgrim, Meritain, and Nippon. If you would like to verify your benefits, shoot me an email and I will have your co-pay information and verification availability within 24-48 hours. If you do not see your insurance listed, I can offer a superbill to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.

Yes, help is available at your time and place.

Providing the same treatment as in person therapy sessions, yes even EMDR. Telehealth Video Therapy Sessions are HIPAA compliant, the simple & secure teletherapy solution. Communicate as often as you want and whenever you feel it’s needed. Start your video sessions today, no download required and all services are conducted via a HIPAA compliant platform.

Reasons tele-health may be a good fit for you:

Transportation: including access, costs for transit and/or parking, vehicle dependability
Convenience: available when you are available—even during lunch hour
Caregiver Responsibilities: including childcare, partner care, and eldercare
Accessibility: including physical limitations, mental health limitations
Work/Life Balance: asking for time off work can be a challenge
Comfort: therapy is delivered in the comfort of your home – when and where you need it
Weather: weather is either unpredictable — who wants to commute
Privacy: no waiting room encounters
Safety: ideal for victims of intimate partner violence or other safety concerns

While medication has been shown to help with many different diagnoses, it has also been proven that time and time again, it often isn’t enough. Medication often treats the symptoms of a problem, without getting to the root of solving it, which is where therapy comes in. The decision to take psychotropic medications or not, is a highly personal one, and your personal wishes will be honored. If in the course of treatment, you decided you might benefit from medications, I will refer you out to a trusted provider.

People are turning more and more to holistic and natural alternatives to modern medicine to treat mental, physical and spiritual issues. I fully support alternative options as such essential oils, chiropractic and massage care, yoga, diet/exercise and nutrition options, and other means you might explore to improve your well being. I can refer you to professional holistic providers in the area for further consultation, if requested.