Specializations for Everyone...

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Have You Heard of INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOTHERAPY with a Family of Origin perspective?: Bowen Family Systems Theory is the foundation for family of origin therapy. The initial focus of therapy is to identify and explore the areas where improvements can be made. This approach helps you learn about how the family in which you "grew up" significantly contributed to your psychological blueprint and to the areas of improvement you wish to make. You will learn to "define self", to take a stand and to become more of an individual in your relationships with emotionally important others. You will also learn how to "differentiate and distinguish" between your "emotional and intellectual mind" to assist you in making thoughtful, wise, and mindful life choices. This approach is designed to help you make cognitive, emotional and behavioral changes that will improve your life and your relationship with your partner, parents, children, siblings, friends, and at work. This is an "action oriented" therapy where emotional strength and cognitive control will be gained.
There's Also COUPLES/PARTNERS PSYCHOTHERAPY with a Family of Origin perspective.: If you and your partner are seeking couples therapy, you can meet together or separate as the situation warrants. This approach helps the two of you identify patterns of feeling, thinking and interaction that are being repeated from your family of origins. These patterns can be both functional and dysfunctional. Each of you will decide what to change as it relates to dysfunctional feelings, thoughts and behaviors. You will learn about important relationship dynamics such as emotional closeness/distance and separateness/togetherness. The two of you will be encouraged to examine and make changes related to these dynamics, your communication style, and your conflict/problem-solving process. In therapy, you will learn to successfully communicate about physical and emotional intimacy and about positive and negative thoughts and emotions. You will also learn to empathize with each other in ways that promote healthy, rewarding and long lasting relationships.
What about Treatment for DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, ANGER and STRESS?: At the beginning of therapy the sources generating depression, anxiety, anger and stress must be identified so appropriate goals and interventions can be identified. You will learn these emotions are rooted in a region deep within your brain and can be triggered by either genetics and/or life situations (relationships, work, etc.) You will be educated about how medicines may be an important part of your treatment and how a referral, for a medication assessment, to an appropriate health care provider can be arranged. Current research indicates that talk therapy and medication therapy are both important aspects in the treatment of these symptoms.

Therefore, collaboration with your healthcare provider regarding progress of both therapies is extremely important aspect of your care and will be a part of your treatment plan. You will learn how to reduce symptoms related to depression, anxiety, anger and stress. You will also learn to identify and eliminate negative thinking and patterns of behavior that reinforces the presence of your symptoms. Sometimes, as you will learn, negative influences have originated from your family of origin in terms of how your family perceived the world and their relationships. To deal with all of these situations you will discover ways to differentiate and interrupt negative, irrational fears and thoughts and substitute them with positive, rational and objective statements. You will also learn how to apply and implement these "new strategies" to the problem areas. You will learn and will be encouraged to practice new ways to think, relax and behave. Learning, application and implementation are a great formula for success!
Are your concerns about TRADITIONAL PARENTING and FAMILY PROBLEMS?: Being a parent and having a family is rewarding and a special life experience. We all want to do our best as parents and have our family life and children’s lives be rich and rewarding. To reach these goals, we will face challenges that may require professional consultation and guidance such as: establishing age appropriate expectations and administering logical consequences; learning and maintaining appropriate emotional and physical boundaries; strengthening communication and conflict resolution skills; understanding the dynamics of families, including our own family of origin experience which influences our own parental thinking and interactions; how to interact with teachers and other important adults involved in our children’s lives and how to watch for problems related to bullying, ADHD and substance use/abuse. We all want our children to be well adjusted and functioning optimally.
Are You Wondering About The COMING OUT PROCESS?: "Coming Out" and identifying oneself as a LGBT person can occur at any age or stage of life. Some people come out during their teen years and most come out during young adulthood. However, others come out later in life, perhaps they were married and had children or perhaps after the death of a spouse. The process of coming out is often a rollercoaster of emotions and thoughts that are confusing and exciting. In a safe, supportive and understanding setting, you or your loved one will be able to address this process and learn effective strategies for managing and working through negative thoughts and feelings about being a LGBT individual. You will identify safe and self-affirming ways to interact with family, friends and work situations where there may be homophobia, anger, prejudice, and possible rejection. During this time, you may be more vulnerable to making unwise choices, such as abusing substances or exposing yourself to sexually transmitted disease. You will learn wiser and safer ways to experience the newfound joy and freedom. Sometimes during this process, you may begin to remember experiences of bullying, humiliation and trauma before you came out. Again, therapy helps to understand what is happening and how to handle this information in healthy ways.
Do You have Questions about ADJUSTING TO and LIVING WITH HIV?: Learning that you are HIV positive, for most, is a frightening and self-effacing experience. You may worry about how this will affect your health, employment, existing and future relationships, family, employment, and your finances. You may experience denial, guilt, anger, fear, embarrassment and shame. You may isolate yourself socially and even engage in self-destructive thoughts and behaviors. These are expected reactions but they can also be devastating to your emotional and physical health. Being able to connect to others living and managing HIV, is often important and receiving great medical care is essential; therefore, referrals to community agencies and healthcare providers are made as an adjunct to your psychotherapy. Therapy can be extremely important and valuable to you in your journey to process these thoughts and emotions and adjust to your life as an HIV + person.
Do You have Questions about NON-TRADITIONAL PARENTING, FAMILY OR FAMILY BUILDING CHALLENGES?: Being a parent and having a family is a universal desire and trait. It can and does happen to many, either straight or LGBT. You may be a straight parent whose child is gay or questioning if he/she is gay, or you may be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender and have children from a marriage to a woman or a man. You may be a divorced LGBT parent who has children and you and your children and perhaps ex-spouse need assistance adjusting to and coping with divorce and the LGBT issues. Families and parenting are DIVERSE. Along with diversity, challenges and problems may develop for the parents, children or the entire family. If that is the case, therapy may be a way for you to explore thoughts, feelings and fears as they relate to becoming a parent.

You may have realized that you and/or you and your partner may want to become parents and have a rich family life. If that is the case, therapy may be a way for you to explore, and gain clarity about thoughts, feelings, fears for becoming a parent. The process of therapy may help you to make a decision about becoming a parent. If you have decided you want to become a parent, you may need support through this process as you may experience negativity and opposition from your family, friends or society who are against or misinformed about parents who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. If you are already a parent, therapy can be a helpful way for you to work through the "normal" and "unique" challenges of being a parent by learning how to communicate and set healthy limits and consequences for your children. Also, therapy can help a mother, father, or child to cope with segments of society that harbor negative or prejudicial feelings toward LGBT parents that may be hurtful and harmful to you and your children. Therapy can also assist your efforts as a parent to be an advocate for your children and for your family. Therapy can give you the tools and confidence to have parenthood be rewarding, to improve your ability to raise your child to help you appreciate the joy of child rearing.