My Methods

I use many different methods and modalities to support individuals to reach their goals, based on their personal philosophies and beliefs. These methods may include Cognitive Behavior Therapy; Acceptance and Commitment Therapy; Exposure Therapy; Solution Focused Therapy; Conflict Resolution; Parent Education including SPACE and Positive Discipline; Mindfulness; and Goal Setting. Together we design a program that work towards the client’s goals.

Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, is an approach I have found to provide very successful outcomes with children, teens and adults. CBT involves helping individuals to examine and understand their belief system and how those beliefs may be getting in their way of living the life they want. This therapy can be used to help identify current situations that have caused challenging perceptions, feelings and behaviors. By becoming aware of triggers, thoughts and behaviors and reframing thinking and actions, clients are able to change those perceptions and produce new outcomes about themselves and others. This work can support huge shifts with  anxiety and depression.

Mindfulness can also be used to help practice being present in the here and now. Learning about the brain science behind mindfulness can help clients to understand how a consistent practice can literally change the structure of their brain and proactively help to calm down the nervous system. These changes to the nervous system, our brain's neural pathways and brain structure lead to the ability to practice self regulation much more successfully. This can be the difference in creating that moment where we can choose to respond instead of react.

SPACE Program, Lebowitz & Omer ©

SPACE stands for Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions and is a parent-based treatment program for children and adolescents with anxiety, OCD, and related issues. Parents who participate in SPACE will learn skills and tools to help their child overcome anxiety, OCD or related challenges.The treatment focuses on changes that parents can make to their own behavior instead of focusing on trying to make their child change. The two main changes that parents learn to make in SPACE treatment are to respond more supportively to their anxious child, and to reduce the accommodations they have been making to the child's symptoms. To read more about SPACE and how it works visit https://www.spacetreatment.net/about-space

Positive Discipline - Positive Discipline (PD) is a philosophy based on the Adlerian theory that being a connected part of a community creates a sense of belonging and significance which is a basic human need.  PD was designed to teach children to become responsible, respectful and resourceful members of their community. Adults and children practice mutual respect and encouragement. This means that children are not punished for making mistakes but encouraged to learn from them and expected to fix them. PD also teaches communication, self regulation and problem solving skills.

1. What is it: What is Positive Discipline? 
2. Based on the human need for a Sense of Belonging and Significance, Mutual Respect, and Connection
3. Principles include: Need for Belonging (Make sure the message of love gets through); Connection before Correction; Need for Significance (Responsibility, Capability); Examining the Belief behind behavior; Dignity and Respect; Being Kind and Setting Firm Boundaries (at the same time); Mistakes are opportunities to learn; Focus on Solutions (first and then logical consequences); Encouragement not praise; Modeling what you want to teach (controlling your own behavior); Doing "with"; Improvement, not perfection: No Rewards/Punishments because they create extrinsically motivated reactions.