Therapy ~ EMDR ~
Consulting
Ask Anna
Q: Do you have a Mission
Statement?
Q: Who are your typical
clients?
Q: What kind of therapy
do you do?
Q: What do you charge
and do you take
any insurance?
Q: Do you take walk-ins?
Q: Do you make house
calls?
Q: Do you take crisis calls? What about meetings?
Q: What if I just want to be happy!
Q: How did I get to be addicted or mentally
ill?
Q: Is my problem that I just don't
have enough will power?
Q: Do I have to spend
the rest of my
life in therapy?
Q: Why does it take so long to see
results!?
Q: What if I fail? What if I need
something more?
Q: What if I'm not ready for therapy?
Q: I'm afraid that I'll die if I
don't ...
Q: I'm afraid I'll die if I'm alone.
Q: What does recovery mean?
Q: What is EMDR?
Q: What is Somatic
Consciousness?
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Q: Do you have a Mission Statement?
A: To help individuals, couples and
families live more self-esteeming and self-healing lives by improving
wellness of the mind, body and spirit.
My Values
Statement is that I believe every person has a right to opportunities
for health, to heal past trauma, define realistic goals, and change
hurtful patterns of behavior. My goal is to remain encouraging,
respectful and realistically flexible, while utilizing an eclectic
range of treatment methodologies such as psychoeducation and
“carefrontational” support of experiential learning. Success is created
from a collaborative exploration of goals, setting priorities, diligent
effort and continued patience.
Who are your typical
clients?
A: Each person, couple or family who
comes to see me is different! Of course, there are some similar issues
that bring clients to my door specifically. Although I do treat
individuals for general depression, anxiety, grief and addictions, the
majority of my practice is devoted to sexual and relationship concerns,
intimacy disorders and healthy dating and sexuality. My clients have
ranged from 18 to 80+ and come individually, as half of a partnership,
or part of a family.
Q: What kind of
therapy do you do?
A: Licensed as a Clinical Social Worker
and Independent Substance Abuse Counselor, and having earned
specialized certification as a Sex Addiction Therapist, I am
professionally considered a "psychotherapist" and use different
ecclectic and EMDR therapy methods, aimed at the whole person. For
instance, psychiatrists might use medication as their principal method
of treatment, while I tend to look at all aspects of a
person's unique experiences and how everything fits together. For
example, if you go to a physician's office for the flu, you might
receive "the prescribed" medication or shot, and general advice, and
your doctor will also take in to consideration your own individual
medcial history, allergies and unique needs. When you come in to my
office we'll explore what fits for you based on what is generally
prescribed as effective treatment, and also take in to consideration
your own unique psychological, biomedical, social and emotional history
and individual needs and wants.
Q: What do you charge
and
do
you
take
any insurance?
A: My hourly fee is $150 and I will
work with individuals who have extenuating financial
circumstances if they are willing to work on a spending plan and
evaluate their priorities for a time (are you willing to spend your
money on therapy versus expensive coffee, manicures or travel for
awhile?). Also,
although I can provide you with a receipt if you ask that you
would submit to your own insurance company for out-of-network
provider reimbursement, I do not file insurance directly and do not
accept copays. I
am also happy to coordinate with psychiatrists, physicians, teachers,
attorneys or other professionals who are part of your support or
treatment system. One of the primary reasons I don't take insurance is
because I
believe
that our client-therapist relationship can be compromised when either
of us is wondering what information will find its way in to the Medical
Information Database (such as your mental health diagnosis, assessments
and evaluations on your progress and overall functioning, history of
substance use or medication use, and communication about the number of
session you attend with insurance case managers who authorize
benefits). If you do decide to submit your sessions for reimbursement
then please check with your insurance provider about what rights to
confidentiality you may have given away.
Q: Do you take walk-ins?
A: Because I don't publically advertise
or market my services, and don't have a "sign out front" of my
building, all clients are referred by other professionals and word of
mouth. When I get a phone call or email in the morning asking me for a
same-day appointment I can sometimes squeeze a new client in that
evening, or the following day.
Q: Do you make house
calls?
A: It depends on location and
circumstance and is based on a case-by-case basis. For instance, if you
are in a domestic violence situation
then meeting you in the privacy of my office, comfort of your home or
office, or other agreed upon location can be a way to support your
safety. If you're homebound, have difficulty getting out of your home,
or have acute anxiety, then you can still have access to
psychotherapy without having to rely on others for transportation.
Q: Do you take crisis
calls?
How
about
meetings?
A: Some established cleints have set up
regularly scheduled phone
contact and are charged for that time. It's important for clients to
have an additional support network outside of therapy sessions. In case of an
emotional crisis or life-threatening emergency please dial 911.
If you have visited the office
you've probably already picked up the Staying Connected with Meetings
sheet.
Q: What if I just want to be happy!
A: That's a good goal! And it's
not impossible to be
relatively happy or content "most" of the time.
Happiness is more an "extra" result rather than a concrete destination.
Life and therapy are journies, and require a comittment to stay the
course, because both are rocky and you will likely fall down at times.
What is enough for you may differ from what is enough for someone else
because each person has their own level of "comfort" and "satisfaction"
level. Expecting to be happy all the time and not experiencing times of
pain, loneliness or sadness is usually unreasonable! So the question is
really about how you are willing to learn to deal with the bumps,
bruises and tragedy in your life. If you do things that bring you joy
and satisfaction then you're likely
to feel happier with yourself and life in general. If you do things
that keep you stuck in helplessness (like self-sabatoging patterns of
thought and behavior, or staying in a victim role) then you'll probably end up feeling
less happy (pain, sad, angry, resentful, hopeless). A positive attitude
helps, as well as a support system and doing something to promote
healthy change.
Here are some
really nice "Guidelines for Sane Living,"
by James Angel that I've minimally adapted.
Q: Why do I keep making the same mistakes?
A: Sometimes we get stuck repeating
harmful patterns (habits) when we haven't explored past losses and
figured out the connections of our past to the present. The unresolved
grief (anger, pain, etc.) then keeps us in negative beliefs about
ourselves and the world ("I'm not enough" and "The world's not safe").
Healing involves challenging your beliefs (and expectations) and then
learning new skills (indluding positive self-affirmations) to move you
toward creating the life you want (instead of repeating the life you've
had).
Q: How did I get to be addicted or
mentally ill?
A: Most clinicians believe that
becoming dependent on a chemical or behavior, or even sometimes
experiencing mood swings (depression, anxiety), is a result of a
combination of social, psychological or mental, and physical or genetic
factors that interact with the personality of an indiviudual. Think
about growning up as a mix of nature, nurture and habit. Trauma or
less-than nurturing experiences also impact how we learn to cope with
uncomfortable feelings. If you
continue to "use" a pattern of behavior in spite of direct or indirect
adverse consequences, then I'd urge you to seek help.
Mental illness
is described by the NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) as "medical
conditions
that disrupt a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to
others, and daily functioning. Just as diabetes is a disorder of the
pancreas, mental illnesses are medical conditions that often result in
a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of
life." Although there is misinformation and stigma about mental
illness, we all probably know someone who as suffered or experienced
bouts with major depression, anxiety, trauma and obsessions. These all
can be part of the spectrum of mental illness.
Q: Is my problem that I just don't
have enough will power?
A: According to the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA), has indicated that addiction is a
brain disease that
responds well to treatment. Research is continually providing a new and
better understanding of how alcohol, tobacco, other chemical substances
(drugs), and recognition now that gambling (and potentially similar)
behaviors affect the brain. Some people just need help to "get
started" toward defining dreams, write out an action plan and
encourage them stay on track. For others, the chronic disease of
addiction is much more difficult to treat and frequent slips and
relapses occur. Of course nobody can make you choose
health and even the best therapists cannot "force" you to change your
thoughts and behaviors, especially if there is mental illness,
cognitive damage, or personality disorders. And
because change is a complex process and
progresses in Stages, being minimally motivated to take the first step or
be willing to consider the possibility of change is important and up to
you. HBO produced an informative Addiction Series special and has a
website about addiction basics (www.hbo.com/addiction).
Q: Do I have to spend the rest of my life in therapy?
A: Sometimes longer-term
support is useful for more serious or chronic issues. The October 1,
2008 issue of the Journal of the
American Medical Association
published a study that revealed individuals receiving psychodynamic
psychotherapy lasting a minimum of a year, or 50 sessions, experienced
96% better overall outcomes than shorter-term psychotherapy.Typically,
individuals that benefit from longer therapy are interested in more insight-oriented
exploration of connections between the past and present (in hopes to
stop repeating harmful habits). Also, if there is a
characterological
disorder,
Dual Diagnoses, need to change long-term habits, addressing
addictions and life changes, longer term therapy is more effective than
short-term or "brief therapy" that has gained popularity. Some people come to therapy or
personal enhancement coaching for specific reasons and for a limited
amount of time (6-week psychoeducation to get back on track, or a
4-month group for
instance). Some
people come
several times a year whenever they want a "boost" or to check-in (or
enroll in a 4-month group) after their initial "improvement" therapy.
Some
people want help in re-focusing and come back after being gone for
awhile. I see clients weekly, every other
week,
once a month, or every few months for 50 minutes to three hours as
needed. Some clients come in to see me once or twice a year for Weekend
Intensives and stay in contact through email and phone calls.
Q: Why does it take so long
to
see
results!?
A: Actually,
some
concerns
can
be
managed quickly in a few sessions if there aren't other
issues involved. EMDR used in conjunction with psycotherapy can
sometimes be useful in 6 to 12 sessions depending on the nature of the
concern. As
a culture, though, we have come to expect time to compress in to
unrealistic
"right now" immediacy. We want the Quick Fix the Cure Pill and the
Therapy Miracle Hour. Think about how impatient
you may have felt when
the traffic light takes 30 seconds to change or the computer takes a
minute to boot up or the checkout line takes five minutes. As
individuals, we have become impatient, anxious and always needing to be
"doing" something or receiving the benefits of what we're doing
"now", rather
than being able to focus on the future benefits, or long-range goals,
or being more patient with our process and less focused on immediate
gratification. We also are impatient with others, wanting them to
change quickly. This translates to wanting recovery NOW, and becoming
frustrated with how slow the results may take at times. I've heard many
times from clients that they wanted to work the steps in 12 weeks
and be cured. Recovery, healing and treatment/therapy just don't
usually work that way. Sometimes individuals can experience some
emotional relief just by stopping doing the things that increase
anxiety, depression and chaos. More often, individuals will take one
step forward and two steps
back. And of course, it's easy to become disappointed and cynical of
the
recovery or therapy process. One key to overcoming this negativity is
to continue
writing a gratitute list and to focus on the total progress made over
time.
Q: What if I fail?
What
if
I
need something more?
A: Most people "fail" when they
challenge themselves to do something in their lives. Think about tests
in school, taking a driving test, learning to play a sport. Most people
have "failed" something. The key is to keep going and not give up.
Sometimes we're afraid of success, too. It's helpful to focus on the
benefits for accomplishing a goal. Think, "What are the long-term
benefits if I succeed?" And yes, this will require you to keep going
and getting up when you fall down. A person cannot
really fail "at" therapy because it is a constant learning process.
Sometimes though, more intensive work might be necesary to prepare for
out-patient therapy. Workshops, Weekend or Week Intensives, Sober
Living Houses or Intensive Out-Patient work are all additional and
commonly used resources. If any of these might be useful we can discuss
and explore these options together.
Q: What if I'm not ready
for
therapy?
A: Everyone processes at their own
pace. Sometimes slowly and sometimes quickly. There's no judgment
about the speed at which a client is expected to go. Defenses were
critical coping tools in the past and can't be miraculously zapped
away. In therapy
you'll receive some suggestions about how to replace old methods of
coping and support as you practice the new tools. It is, however, up to
you to follow-through with treatment recommendations. I've had clients
leave because they weren't ready to change themselves yet, and then
come back when they are. That's okay.
Q: I'm afraid
that I'll die if I
don't ... .
A: That's a normal reaction when you're
dependent on anything to take away uncomfortable
feelings.
Most people really need to learn how to be okay with themselves,
intimate with
another person, and have
healthy touch experiences. For sex addicts, whether alone or in a
partnership, I suggest a temporary period of
celibacy, which always brings up anxiety. To which I say, "Well, if you
can't say no, then you can't say yes!"
Q: I'm afraid I'll die if I'm alone.
A: When you're left by someone (through
separation, divorce or death), you'll absolutely have feelings of
sadness
(pain and loneliness) or fear about being "abandoned." Some of the
feelings are normal grief reactions to loss or expected loss.
You
may also feel anger and fear. You will not die from the uncomfortable
feelings. It will be important, however, to process your grieving
instead of stuffing or avoiding, or jumping in to harmful behaviors
(chemicals or sex or a relationship) to numb the discomfort. For
some people they experience significant emotional discomfort when alone
and might want to look at what has become known as "love
addiction" (relationship dependence).
Q: What does recovery
mean?
A: The PROCESS of recovery can be
thought of as learning to live a life of balance without resorting to
escape from discomfort through harmful or less-than nurturing
behaviors. It involves time and
hard work; especially on the front end. It's not unusual to experience
a lot of ups and downs in the first two to five years. Withdrawal is
acute and
post-acute. A period of time must be spent "sober" from using one's
"drug of choice." This helps the brain's neurochemisty balance out and
for the brain/body to "detox" so to speak. Unfortunately, there are
many ways of medicating feelings and avoiding what's real. Most people
are capable of switching addictions and unhealthy ways of coping (I
won't drink, but I'll ...). Part of recovery also involves
looking at the relational-emotional issues that may have contributed to
"needing" the drug or behavior. And of course, healing and managing the
damage that's been done to oneself and others takes energy, time and
sometimes expense.
Q: What is EMDR?
A: EMDR is an acronym for Eye Movement
Desensitization and Reprocessing. It is a tool that some therapists use
in conjunction with traditional psycotherapy. EMDR is an integrative
approach that has been used to relieve symptoms of post-traumatic
stress, anxiety, depression, anger, and has also been used with
individuals suffering from phobias, panic disorders, pain control and
addictions.
Q: What is Somatic
Consciousness?
A: Somatization generally refers to
when a person's psychological discomfort is expressed in the body as a
physical complaint (two common examples are: I'm stressed at work and I
get a headache, I'm afraid of talking in front of an audience and
get diarrhea, or I'm feeling butterflies in my stomach as I think about
..."). Somatic is a Greek word that means
relating to the body and consciousness is really about being aware.
Thus, "Somatic Consciousness" is just a fancy term to describe how you
can become more mindful and present in your body, to your visceral
sensations and feelings. When you learn to be yourself, to be genuine
and really IN the moment, you can observe and
participate in the process
without becoming emotionally overwhelmed.
Q: What do you do for fun?
A: I enjoy hiking, biking, taking
leisurly walks, bowling, playing tennis, watching movies, eating good
food, relaxing at home, reading, writing and visiting with friends and
family. I have written books of poetry and prose titled "Forever in
Freefall" ©1992, and "Living on the lLedge" ©1997. I also
wrote the lyrics and some music for my first CD titled "God is Calling
You" ©1997. And one of my "fun" accomplishments was being honored
with the title of Sierra Vista Junior Miss in 1981.
Email
Anna
2400 E.
Arizona Biltmore Circle | Bldg.
4,
Ste.
2430
Phoenix, AZ 85016
Serving: Phoenix,
Scottsdale, Cave Creek, Mesa, Tempe, Chandler, Glendale, Surprise,
Avondale, Goodyear
In the
case of
a LIFE-THREATENING
emergency ALWAYS call 911 first.
