Counseling Intern, Under Supervision of Rosemary D. Behrens, PhD, LPC-S
I offer in-person, virtual, and walk-and-talk sessions to suit your needs.
Services
In addition to traditional talk-therapy, I am also training in the following modalities. These services can be offered in-office and virtually, in most cases. Please ask me about each to find out more if you are interested in one or more of these being part of your treatment.
EMDR Therapy
In the late 1980’s, Francine Shapiro found EMDR. She noticed that when she thought about something that was bothering her, and moved her eyes from side to side, she felt better. The methodology has been built upon throughout the years, but the basic model remains intact.
Life events are stored as memories. Sometimes unpleasant memories aren’t fully processed, leading to current symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Using bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements that occur naturally in REM sleep), the whole body works together to neutralize the overactive emotional response. When the whole body comes together in this way, it isn’t necessary to verbally reprocess and rehash your difficult life experiences. The brain does all the work. Once processing is complete, what is left is a more balanced and accurate memory that allows for a positive self-image and reduction in symptoms.
Although it may seem unusual, it has been proven time and again to be effective. EMDR is heavily researched and well respected as a powerful treatment modality.
Sandtray Therapy
Sandtray therapy is a form of expressive therapy. It was developed by Margaret Lowenfeld, Dora Kalff, Goesta Harding, Charlotte Buhler, Hedda Bolgar, Lisolotte Fischer, and Ruth Bowyer.
This type of therapy is often used with children, but it can be applied to adults and teens as well. Sandtray therapy can be applied in session with couples, families, and groups, though it is more frequently used with individual sessions.
Sandtray therapy allows a person to construct their own microcosm using miniature toys and colored sand. The scene created acts as a reflection of the person’s own life and allows them the opportunity to resolve conflicts, remove obstacles, and gain acceptance of self.
Reiki Therapy
More and more mental health professionals are seeking ways to empower clients with tools to manage their emotional and physical discomfort. Anxiety and emotional discomfort may provide information regarding behavioral and life changes that would be more healthful. Reiki allows clients to ground and be fully present in their bodies, as well as listen to what the body, mind, and soul are disclosing.
Reiki provides a tool that integrates grounding exercises with talk therapy. For example, I like to use a Reiki tool that allows clients to imagine whatever they want to rid themselves of as a shape by employing all of their senses. Once they have completely created their image, I ask them if they really want to release themselves from this (anxiety, resentment, depression, anger, etc.). They affirm this out loud. I then ask if they are willing to make the necessary changes to release their manifestation. Again, they affirm this out loud.
These preparations for the actual Reiki healing resonate with cognitive behavior therapy and expressive therapies. Clients employ their senses in creating an image that captures their sensory experience of their perceived angst. They are then asked to affirm their desire for change and their desire to make the changes necessary to affect change. Following this setup, I prepare myself and energetically help clients excise the imagined object from their being. This is one of my favorite tools because it has led to great success with clients who just seem stuck and need additional clearing.