Psychological Services for Adults

When is Psychotherapy or Counseling Appropriate?

 If you feel anxious, depressed, stressed, or confused; if you feel dissatisfied with your relationships with friends, family, work associates, your marriage, your career, or yourself; if you suffer from trauma, chronic pain, a stress disorder, a sexual dysfunction, an addiction, eating disorder, or serious illness; if you are or were emotionally, physically, or sexually abused; if you are experiencing existential or certain spiritual challenges; if you are having difficulty overcoming the pain of losing a loved one, or of deep disappointment; if your physician or friends have suggested therapy or counseling; if you are undergoing a crisis, are in pain, or simply feel your life could be happier or more peaceful, you are not alone.

 I, and the staff at Integrative Health Services, have helped others and we can be of help to you – whether you are in need of therapy or can just use some help solving a problem.

 Helping individuals and families make it through crises is important, but I believe that people are entitled to more than just getting through a difficult time. By giving my clients support and teaching them skills, I help them not only to resolve crises, but to move towards more positive, healthful, and satisfying relationships and experiences in all aspects of their lives – physically, mentally, and emotionally.

 Psychotherapy is a very personal process and experience. Oftentimes people are embarrassed about being “in therapy,” but the truth is that it is a sign of health and strength to reach out and seek help and pursue self improvement when it is needed or desired. It is even O.K. if you just simply find it more helpful or more pleasant to have someone assist you, rather than trying to solve all of your life’s difficulties on your own.

 Whereas a healthy level of independence and self-dependence is good, as the Talmud teaches a person cannot get himself out of jail, and when we feel locked up inside, it is good to have help from the outside, of someone who cares and is capable of helping you to open the inner and outer doors of freedom, health, wholeness, and inner peace.

 Counseling & Psychotherapy – What are some of the differences?

 Choosing to experience a course of high quality counseling and/or psychotherapy can have a deep, lasting, meaningful, healing, empowering, loving, spiritual, emotional, mind-opening, wonderful effect on and in your life. One could say that participating in the process of psychotherapy can provide the experience of delving into and fulfilling a number of very important and meaningful Mitzvot. It is a Journey into your self and into life. It is a study of Truth and a practice of Relationship. It helps you to be more aware and appreciative of life itself.

 Counseling refers to a process where the therapist is more of an advisor, teacher, and guide for the client. Usually the client does not present difficulties that are related to what is called psychopathology or serious emotional and psychological difficulties. The Counselor and Client usually talk about basic life issues and concerns. Intervention tends to be brief.

 Psychotherapy refers to a process which is more in depth than counseling. It is often a longer course of treatment than counseling, but can also be brief. The Therapist helps the Client with deeper internal issues and/or difficulties which interfere with healthy day to day functioning. Treatment of psychopathologies such as anxiety disorder, defensiveness, fear of intimacy, acute or chronic depression, manic depressive states, phobias, excessive anger, addictive behavior, etc.

 Psychotherapy often addresses issues of childhood and other experiences which have caused the patterns to develop that interfere with the Client’s happiness and healthy functioning. Treatment helps the Client to let go of old inappropriate and destructive patterns, and learns how to use new strategies which are more effective and satisfying.

 The ‘psychotherapeutic relationship’ is a very important one. It is one where trust and confidence are built. A working alliance is created. Wonderful experiences of growth and healing can happen which can literally change the life of the client from a self-destructive frustrating existence to a self-loving, self respecting, healthy, productive, fulfilling, enjoyable, and joyous life.