How can we help?

• Sand Tray therapy 

• Narrative therapy-  Narrative therapy is a style of therapy that helps people become—and embrace being—an expert in their own lives. In narrative therapy, there is an emphasis on the stories that you develop and carry with you through your life. As you experience events and interactions, you give meaning to those experiences and they, in turn, influence how you see yourself and the world. You can carry multiple stories at once, such as those related to your self-esteem, abilities, relationships, and work. While narrative therapy is a relatively new treatment approach, there is some evidence that it may be helpful for a variety of conditions. Mental health conditions it might help include:

  • Anxiety 3

  • Attachment issues

  • Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

  • Depression 3

  • Eating disorders

  • Grief

  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

    • This approach can also be useful for anyone who feels like they are overwhelmed by negative experiences, thoughts, or emotions. Narrative therapy allows people to not only find their voice but to use their voice for good, helping them to become experts in their own lives and to live in a way that reflects their goals and values. It can be beneficial for individuals, couples, and families.

• Art therapy

• Dialectical behavioral therapy

• Energy Healing and meditation

• Stress management and grounding

IFS - Internal Family Systems

Internal Family Systems is a powerfully transformative, evidence-based model of

psychotherapy. We believe the mind is naturally multiple and that is a good thing.  Our

inner parts contain valuable qualities and our core Self knows how to heal, allowing us to

become integrated and whole. In IFS all parts are welcome.

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IFS is a movement. A new, empowering paradigm for understanding and harmonizing the

mind and, thereby, larger human systems. One that can help people heal and helps the

world become a more compassionate place.
 

EMDR - Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

EMDR is a structured therapy that encourages the patient to briefly focus on the trauma memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements), which is associated with a reduction in the vividness and emotion associated with the trauma memories. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an extensively researched, effective psychotherapy method proven to help people recover from trauma and PTSD symptoms. Ongoing research supports positive clinical outcomes showing EMDR therapy as a helpful treatment for disorders such as anxiety, depression, OCD, chronic pain, addictions, and other distressing life experiences. EMDR therapy does not require talking in detail about the distressing issue or completing homework between sessions. EMDR therapy, rather than focusing on changing the emotions, thoughts, or behaviors resulting from the distressing issue, allows the brain to resume its natural healing process.EMDR therapy is designed to resolve unprocessed traumatic memories in the brain. For many clients, EMDR therapy can be completed in fewer sessions than other psychotherapies.
 

DBT - Dialectical Behavior Therapy

DBT is therapy that uses a cognitive-behavioral approach, which emphasizes the psychosocial aspects of treatment.The theory behind the approach is based on the idea that some people are prone to react in a much more intense and out of the ordinary manner when it comes to certain emotional situations. This may be more likely in relationships that involve romance, family or friends. This is based on the idea that some people’s level of arousal in such situations can increase much more quickly when compared to the average person.

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These types of individuals seem to attain a higher level of emotional stimulation while

taking a significant amount of time returning to baseline levels. This may also manifest as

an extreme swing of emotions. These kinds of personalities see things in black and white, as opposed to different shades of grey. This type of person may jump from one crisis to another because they lack the necessary coping skills. DBT teaches them the necessary skills to cope in a healthier manner. Four skills that DBT utilizes are:

1. Mindfulness

2. Interpersonal effectiveness

3. Emotional regulation

4. Distress tolerance
 

Inner Child Trauma Work

Inner Child Work is a trauma-informed approach to working with people who have

experienced various forms of trauma, abuse, and neglect (either within the family or

outside the family) earlier on in life. If you clicked to read this article, chances are, there is

a part of you that is yearning for some care.

Inner Child Work blends together frameworks of attachment theory, somatic (or body-

based) therapies, Jungian Shadow work, Internal Family Systems, and psychodynamic

theories. Many of these theories or types of therapy are rooted in the ideas that our past

influences our present, our bodies and unconscious hold wisdom, and there is hope and

potential for new connections to be made, within and without.
 

Behavioral Therapy

This form of therapy seeks to identify and help change potentially self-destructive or

unhealthy behaviors. It functions on the idea that all behaviors are learned and that

unhealthy behaviors can be changed. The focus of treatment is often on current problems

and how to change them.

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Behavioral therapy can benefit people with a wide range of disorders.
 

Trauma Focused CBT - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

(CBT) is a common type of talk therapy (psychotherapy). You work with a mental health counselor (psychotherapist or therapist) in a structured way, attending a limited number of sessions. CBT helps you become aware of inaccurate or negative thinking so you can view challenging situations more clearly and respond to them in a more effective way.

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CBT can be a very helpful tool ― either alone or in combination with other therapies ― in

treating mental health disorders, such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder

(PTSD) or an eating disorder. But not everyone who benefits from CBT has a mental

health condition. CBT can be an effective tool to help anyone learn how to better manage

stressful life situations.

Somatic therapy / Body Centered

Body psychotherapy helps people deal with their concerns not only through talking, but

also by helping people become deeply aware of their bodily sensations as well as their

emotions, images and behavior. Clients become more conscious of how they breathe,

move, speak, and where they experience feelings in their bodies. People seek body

psychotherapy for the same reasons they seek talking or any form of psychotherapy (e.g.,

nxiety, depression, relationship problems, sexual difficulties), but also for physical

problems (e.g., headaches, lower back pain).

Body Psychotherapy is different from other psychotherapies because: It is holistic and takes the notion seriously that body and mind are not two different things but the same clients feel seen in their totality. Most clients like to address difficulties on several levels at once (body, mind, spirit….)

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Body Psychotherapy can address difficulties at a level that is not accessible through words  – that does not necessarily involve having to consciously understand oneself – it can easily access pre-verbal and otherwise deeply unconscious material.

We understand that addictions present themselves in many different ways-Depending on your addiction, your body and biochemistry become dependent on an external high. Understanding the root of your addiction along with having the right clinical support can empower you to take control and live a mindful and calm life. Our goal is to help you make peace within yourself and with others. All of our shadow parts have a message and a purpose and we assist you with understanding all of your parts and integrating all of them. Depending on your clinical goals, we may recommend detox, medication management, Dual diagnosis, PHP or IOP along with psychotherapy with us.

• Computer and media addictions

• Alcohol abuse and dependence

• Cannabis abuse and counseling

• Motivational Interviewing

• Energy healing and meditation

• Stress management and grounding

• Peri and Post-Partum Depression and Anxiety

• Inner Child Trauma Work

• Somatic-Body centered

• Trauma informed Yoga and movement

• Art and other Expressive therapy

• Energy Healing and meditation

• Stress management and grounding 

Mind Body Medicine

Mind-body medicine includes the use of a variety of different practices such as meditation,

breathing techniques, tai chi, or yoga that take advantage of the interactions among the

mind, body, and behavior with the intent to promote health.

Many studies have demonstrated that these practices can improve both physical and

mental health and can reverse the negative health effects of chronic stress by decreasing

levels of stress hormones in the body. Our program’s mind-body approaches can be helpful in addressing many different medical conditions, including:

• Anxiety

• Atrial fibrillation and other arrhythmias

• Cancer

• Coronary artery disease

• Chronic pain conditions (back and neck pain, fibromyalgia, headaches, osteoarthritis

• and TMJ)

• Depression

• Gastrointestinal conditions (gastroesophageal reflux, irritable bowel syndrome,

• Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis)

• Hypertension

• Insomnia

• Menopause symptoms

• Multiple sclerosis

• Psoriasis

• Rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune conditions

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Emotional Freedom Technique

EFT-Emotional Freedom Technique-EFT works by tapping on acupressure meridians to release blockages. When these blockages are released, the problem feeling can be released and move through the body. The process starts with a beginning statement of what the problem feeling is and includes a complete acceptance and acknowledgement of the problem. To start the process of EFT, the person would say something like, “Even though I have this (fear) about (the time I was criticized for being clumsy), I completely accept myself anyway; Often that will not feel true to a person, so they would modify the statement to say, “I am willing to learn to accept myself” or “I want to accept myself; The client says the statement three times while tapping on the karate chop point. In the second part of this treatment, the client focuses on the feeling (fear) in the body and rates it at an intensity between 1-10. Then the client begins to tap on points around the face while saying “this fear” simultaneously. Several rounds of this can be done until the fear is rated at a zero on a scale from 1-10. Once that fear is gone, the therapist will guide the client to feel into other fears that will then come up from different aspects of the same situation or emotional state.

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EFT is a very effective way of clearing out feelings, and when an unwanted feeling is gone, the limiting beliefs that the client held are released. New, more positive beliefs about themselves can emerge. Learning EFT also empowers the client to take charge of handling their emotional state because they can tap on a feeling any time they want to move out a painful feeling.

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Relaxation Techniques

To effectively combat stress, you need to activate your body’s natural relaxation response.

Techniques such as deep breathing, visualization, meditation, and yoga can help.

For many of us, relaxation means flopping on the couch and zoning out in front of the TV

at the end of a stressful day. But this does little to reduce the damaging effects of stress.

Rather, you need to activate your body’s natural relaxation response, a state of deep rest

that puts the brakes on stress, slows your breathing and heart rate, lowers your blood

pressure, and brings your body and mind back into balance. You can do this by practicing

relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, rhythmic exercise, yoga, or tai

chi.

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The right technique is the one that resonates with you, fits your lifestyle, and is able to

focus your mind to elicit the relaxation response. That means it may require some trial and

error to find the technique (or techniques) that work best for you. Once you do, regular

practice can help reduce everyday stress and anxiety, improve your sleep, boost your

energy and mood, and improve your overall health and wellbeing. Some of the techniques

are:

• Deep breathing

• Progressive muscle relaxation

• Tai Chi

• Body scan meditation

• Yoga

• Massage

• Mindfulness meditation

• Affirmations

• EFT

• Eden Energy medicine

• Reiki

• Yoga and movement

• Imagery and visualization

• Breathwork

• Mindfulness

• Meditation

• Mantras

• We offer many cognitive and behavioral interventions to stabilize you clinically but sometimes therapy alone is not enough. Collaborating with complementary and alternative practitioners as well as integrative psychiatric support are necessary-Whether It's referring you to qi gong class to move energy through, having you work with an acupuncturist to open up your energy centers or seeing a Reiki practitioner to bring in new healing energy, All of these practices support our work with you. As holistic providers we also respect and believe in Allopathic medicine and when necessary a psychiatric evaluation will be recommended. We have access to many CAM practitioners and modalities that are used for natural healing and to manage stress. We love our West Hartford and Hartford CT communities and we collaborate with yoga studios, massage therapists, chiropractors, nutritionists, and many more practitioners.Ask us about it.

• Mind-Body Medicine

• Energy Healing

• Relaxation techniques