What is EMDR?

The mind can often heal itself naturally, in the same way as the body does. Much of this natural coping mechanism occurs during sleep, particularly during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Francine Shapiro developed Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) in 1987, utilizing this natural process in order to successfully treat Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Since then, EMDR has been used to effectively treat a wide range of mental health problems. In addition to its use for the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, EMDR has been successfully used to treat: anxiety and panic attacks, grief and loss, depression, PTSD, addictions, anger, pain, including phantom limb pain phobias, performance anxiety, sleep problems, feelings of worthlessness/low self-esteem.

For further information check out these websites, www.emdria.org or
www.emdr.com.

What is Play Therapy?

Play Therapy is a developmentally appropriate treatment modality for children ages 3-8 years of age. In play therapy, “play is the language and toys are the words.” Children experience a safe, non-judgmental environment where they are free to express their thoughts and emotions through play. This is different than playing at home, as the child is not disrupted by siblings, parents, or other daily life events during their therapeutic play time. The therapist will observe themes in the child’s play that reveal what they may be processing. The therapist also tracks the child’s behavior and reflects the emotions being played out back to the child, helping them identify what it is they may be feeling. Play therapy also involves crafts, therapeutic games, and talk. Play therapists work closely with parents implement skills at home to help achieve counseling goals. Each of our play therapists are trained in EMDR and Child-Parent-Relationship Therapy, and often integrate both into the child’s treatment.

What is Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI)?

Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) is a set of principles and tools to help parents, caregivers etc. working with children who have experienced adversity, early harm, toxic stress and/or trauma reach their highest potential. Children who have experienced these things often have difficulty trusting the loving adults in their lives which often shows up as perplexing behaviors. These children often have changes in their bodies, brains, behaviors and belief systems so that typically successful parenting strategies don’t work with them. TBRI meets the individual child’s unique needs however, any child benefits from a nurturing, trusting relationship with a safe adult.

How long will I be in therapy?

Every individual brings a unique and nuanced experience to their therapeutic journey. It is common that once a client gets started with therapy and they begin to come into increased emotional awareness, the treatment plan expands, changes, and encompasses more goals than originally planned. While there is a place for solution-focused therapy for particular presenting issues, we recommend planning for 2-5 years for therapy when processing trauma, family of origin issues, codependency, and interpersonal problems. The client’s age, life experiences, and frequency of sessions can effect the length of treatment.

Can I use insurance to pay for therapy?

We are a private-pay only facility, but often provide superbills for clients who choose to file out-of-network with their insurance. Contact your provider to confirm if this can be an option for you.