Trauma Treatment
Trauma treatment needs to be handled carefully, or a person can be re-traumatized again and again. This has been happening to a person I am treating in family therapy, by their personal counselor. The old models of healing trauma can cause more trauma because, in an approach named Gestalt therapy, a patient is asked to relive the situation from as many angles as possible. Regression is a...Learn More
Music Therapy
Years ago, I learned the value of music in therapy when I was working at an independent living facility. This placement was for young adults with learning disabilities, and when I realized I wasn’t able to make any progress with them, I opted to have some fun singing karaoke. So, I set up the machine, began to sing, and one by one, all of the clients showed up, sang, and had the time of...Learn More
How to Fix Other People
I am sure that you know someone in need of help. 20% of the people in this country suffer from severe mental or substance-related problems–that’s one in five! It makes you think twice about getting behind the wheel of your vehicle. So how do we fix them? This is always a fun topic when teaching interns. Well, cutting to the chase, the answer is–we can’t. The truth is–the only person we can...Learn More
How to Take the Ultimate Care of Yourself
With the current atmosphere in this country, it is obvious that mental health is not prioritized. For years statistically, 20% of the people in this country suffer from mental health conditions that warrant serious treatment, however, in the last year, we’ve seen our numbers rise at an alarming rate. When we are experiencing more stress, the familiar issues have a way of intensifying. To...Learn More
Have You Avoided Therapy for Years?
Years ago I saw a billboard that said “We cater to dental chickens.” Did chickens have teeth? I was confused. I asked a friend, who laughed at me. Of course, this was in my substance use years, but as my mind cleared, all I did was laugh at myself. I was going to title this article, “Catering to Therapy Chickens,” but knowing my state of mind back then I decided to play it straight. If...Learn More
Year End Summary
I got pretty emotional today while I watched a duo exercise in our Intensive Outpatient Program. A duo is basically two participants pairing up and one acts like the counselor and the other acts like the client. After the exercise is over they switch roles. This is how we practiced in graduate school, this is how we conduct business at Basic Steps Mental Health. Why I became emotional was...Learn More
A Typical Couple’s Intake
The following is a dramatization – no real persons were depicted or harmed “I don’t know why we are going here. We can handle things on our own,” says the husband as the wife drives them into the parking lot. “I’ve tried, you haven’t, and things are not changing. We need help and that’s why we’re here,” the wife replies as she parks the car and opens her door. “Now, I’m going in...Learn More
A Heart Felt Thank You
12 years ago I moved up to this area to open up a residential treatment facility unlike any other. No, not another 12-step facility, mine was using clinical psychology with a smattering of spirituality which had incredible success at the first Mental Health Urgent Care Center in the country. The residential facility had a pretty good run for a number of years but seeing the limitations of...Learn More
Special Memory #5
The most humbling experience I have ever had in my career was with an 18-year-old woman who attended my residential treatment program and we just did not connect. It happens, not every person is going to get along with me. She was there, not of her own choice but her family insisted that she clean herself up and was forced to be there. From the start, whatever I did always went clunk. I had...Learn More