Counseling

Counseling helps you address specific issues, problems, or goals you would like to work on.

Try counseling if you believe addressing the specific issue, problem or goal will:

enhance your quality of life;

help you feel better;

help you to function without impairment;

decrease or eliminate symptoms you are experiencing as a result of the issue.

You will learn problem solving and specific techniques for coping with or avoiding problem areas. Counseling is typically more short-term than therapy.

For example, when you visit your doctor with a chief complaint (specific issue) the doctor will address the chief complaint (problem solve). Lets say you get a headache (the symptom) every time you eat pork. The doctor may tell you to take some Tylenol, rest , drink plenty of water, as well as avoid foods high in sodium as these foods tend to raise your blood pressure resulting in a headache. Problem solved! You just learned specific techniques for coping with or avoiding the problem area.

Now in counseling lets say the issue is you recently divorced and is now experiencing overwhelming sadness and anger. The goal will be to help you process the divorce using a modality found on my Approach section such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Trauma-Focused-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to get you back feeling well, thinking well and doing well.

Life Events

Life Events are events you have experienced, witnessed or heard about from childhood to adulthood. Some life events are called traumas. A trauma is an upsetting confusing event. Some individuals experience symptoms as a result of the trauma. Some life events include but limited to the following:

• sexual abuse
• physical abuse
• domestic violence
• absentee parent(s) during childhood
• divorce
• victim of bullying or victim of a crime
• death of a loved one
• serious car accident or injury
• serious, or scary medical procedure/diagnosis
• war
• natural disaster

Contact Counseling With Carolyn if any life event you have experienced resulted in behavioral, emotional or physical symptoms. Symptoms include but not limited to somatic complaints: headaches, stomachaches. Overwhelming thoughts: intrusive thoughts, negative self talk. Overwhelming feelings: anger, sadness, guilt, shame, worry, scared. Behaviors: impulsivity, inability to concentrate, sleep disturbances; high risk behaviors such as drugs/excessive drinking, and self-injurious behaviors.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is more long-term than counseling and focuses on a broader range of issues. Psychotherapy explores your patterns of thinking and behavior to understand the way you interact with the world.

Therapy can help you understand the patterns in your behavior that may interfere with reaching personal goals. It can also help you explore and identify the underlying reason for these patterns such as unresolved conflict from childhood or trauma during a part of your life.

Gaining insight can help you begin to work on resolving conflict and changing your patterns of unhealthy thinking and behavior. This change will give you the opportunity to have more satisfying relationships, and better regulate your thinking and emotional responses to stressful situations.

If you desire to work on enhancing yourself and your interactions with others, therapy can help you:

learn more about yourself, strengths and needs;

explore, identify and process life events that are affecting you;

heal and find coping skills to manage or resolve symptoms to feel better.

Also, if you have depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or an anxiety disorder, psychotherapy can address how the mental illness affects your daily life.

The goal is to help you understand the illness and manage its symptoms.

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Some Reasons Individuals Seek Therapy

• Adjustment
• Alcohol / Other Drugs
• Anxiety / Stress
• Eating Concerns / Self-Esteem / Body Image
• Grief and Loss
• Gender Identity
• Relationship Conflicts
• Suicidality
• ADHD
• Anger Management
• Behavioral Issues
• Bipolar Disorder
• Borderline Personality
• Codependency
• Coping Skills
• Depression
• Divorce
• Domestic Abuse/Violence
• Emotional Disturbance
• Family Conflict
• Obsessive-Compulsive (OCD)
• Oppositional Defiance
• Peer Relationships
• Relationship Issues
• Self Esteem
• Self-Harming
• Self-Injurious Behaviors
• Sexual Abuse
• Spirituality
• Sexuality (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual)
• Teen Violence
• Testing and Evaluation
• Women's Issues

How Often Will I attend Therapy? 

CWC will address topics above within scope of expertise/training.