Below
you will find below some common questions viewers
ask about therapy and how it works. If you don't find
the answers to your questions below or elsewhere on
my web site, please contact
me and I will respond promptly.
What
is North Star life coaching and how does it differ
from therapy?
North
Star Life Coaching was developed by Martha Beck, PhD,
as a process to assist people in discovering their
truest goals and achieving them. It is an action-oriented
that quickly moves clients forward into the lives
they were meant to live. Psychotherapy tends to be
more reflective, and to focus on personal history
and the healing of wounds, whereas life coaching taps
into the past only to obtain pertinent information,
then returns to a present - future focus where ACTION
MAKES CHANGE REAL. Typically, after the initial assessment,
life coaching sessions will occur, by telephone, or
in person, every 2-3 weeks.
How
long does online therapy last?
Like
face-to-face therapy, this depends on your issues
and your willingness to work on them. In the in-depth
e-counseling process, my job is to empower you to
make life decisions that are right for you and to
give you some tools for doing so. After our initial
assessment work, I'll be able to tell you approximately
how many sessions you might need.
What is EMDR?
EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing)
is an effective tool that uses cognitive therapy and
rhythmic bilateral stimulation of the brain to help
process deep psychological material. For an in-depth
description of EMDR, please go to www.emdrportal.com.
What
problems can be helped by EMDR?
EMDR
is an effective tool to help you to overcome trauma
and other emotionally charged events and emotional
responses. When EMDR is combined with other therapeutic
approaches it can be effective in overcoming all sorts
of painful experiences and their related physical,
emotional, thinking sensations such as:
- Very
emotional or upsetting experiences
-
Memories of traumatic events
-
Overwhelming or intense emotions
-
Reocurring and upsetting images
-
Stagefright
-
Grief and loss
-
Depression
-
Panic attacks
-
Writer's block
-
Flashbacks
-
Anxiety
-
Intense triggers
-
Reocurring nightmares
-
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
-
Obsessive thoughts
Where Can I Get EMDR?
I
provide EMDR therapy in Okanogan, Washington, and in the
summertime, in Atlin, B.C. If you live in, or near either
location and are considering trying EMDR, you may want
to meet with me for a consultation.
What kind of question is appropriate
for the question-and-answer service?
A question such as the following would be a good example:
"I am a twenty year old single woman who was in a bicycle
accident a month ago. I was hit by a car and although
I wasn't badly hurt, I still can't get the accident
out of my mind. I am having trouble sleeping and don't
like to ride my bike anymore. When I do ride, if I just
think a car is coming too close, I become very frightened
and have to pull over to the side of the road. My heart
beats fast and I start to feel very anxious. Is this
normal and will this go away?"
What
issues have I had experience dealing with in my counseling
practice?
Some
of the problems I've treated are these:
-
Low self-esteem
-
Clinical depression
-
Injuries of childhood
-
Grief and loss
- PTSD
-
Obsessive compulsive disorder
-
Agoraphobia
-
Excessive worry
-
Stress and burnout
-
Anxiety (including test and performance)
-
Phobias
-
Panic
-
Anger management
-
ADD
-
Substance abuse
-
Eating disorders
-
Gambling addiction
-
Communication issues
-
Relationships
-
Sexual issues
-
Parenting
- Creativity
and performance
enhancement
What
is the initial assessment?
All
new clients will require an initial assessment
session. This involves your filling out a questionnaire
once you have paid for a session. I will send you an
e-mail asking you whether you want the questionnaire
sent to you in MS Word for PC or Simpletext for Mac.
You will then e-mail it to me so that I can evaluate
it. Although I cannot make a diagnosis on the Internet,
this comprehensive intake process helps me see you as
a whole person and clarify what our work together will
involve. In my response back to you, which you can expect
within 72 hours after I receive your questionnaire,
I will be able to share this information with you. After
reviewing your answers, should I feel that I am unable
to help you online or by telephone, I will suggest some
alternatives routes you might take.
What
if I can't afford the fees?
Ask
me about the sliding scale I offer in my in-office
practices.
|
