My Serenity (MS) offers individual therapy, couples counseling and family treatment.
My Serenity Modality Services
Individual Therapy
In Individual Therapy I focus on my client’s individual thoughts, feelings and emotions. This type of treatment is one-on-one unless my client and I decide to invite a third person into session for the purpose of my client’s treatment and wellbeing. In individual therapy we are able to focus on you and the issues that bring you to therapy.
Couples Counseling
In my experience I have noticed that a common factor related to relational issues is poor communication, unhealthy patterns, lack of empathy for each other and lack of patience. In treatment, we are able to provide that safe space for each member to share the challenges that exist. We are able to challenge those unhealthy patterns that have perhaps become the norm in the relationship.
Couples Therapy is the treatment of two people in a relationship from pre-marital counseling, cohabitating, early relational challenges, married couples and more.
In Pre-marital Counseling we are able to uncover emotions or behaviors that the couple foresees as a possible challenge in their relationship in the future. In counseling we are able to work through those stressors towards the safe and committed relationship my client seeks.
Please note when you begin couple’s treatment there is a no secrets policy unless there are reasons not to share. As your therapist, I would remain impartial. If there is current domestic violence I would not be able to treat you as a unit.
Family Therapy
When working with a family in treatment, every single member is important and contributes to the functionality of the family system. As a therapist practicing family systems, I support this unit to have a voice and share the difficulties they have experienced in a safe platform. We work to uncover deeper feelings and familial issues. I support the family to get to a place where they can understand each other and learn to communicate more effectively. I support families to learn to problem solve and ultimately get along better. We shed light on the strengths of the family and practice tools that can continue to assist the family to work through issues outside of sessions.
Specialized Theories
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a structured type of therapy that helps increase awareness of one’s negative thoughts, feelings and actions. CBT, is scientific in nature and is a supportive type of therapy that provides individuals with the tools for effectiveness. CBT is a type of talk therapy that helps people understand how thoughts affect emotions and behaviors too. CBT is one of the most popular type of talk therapies. CBT is very helpful in treating mental health disorders, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), eating disorders, and sleep disorders. CBT also utilizes the approach of challenging unhelpful thoughts that influences feelings as a way to help undo patterns.
Dialectic Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy. DBT focuses on four components of psychological emotional functioning 1. Mindfulness, 2. Interpersonal effectiveness, 3. Distress Tolerance, 4. Emotional Regulation. DBT paired with CBT is helpful because it supports individuals with helping to find feelings of safety, acceptance themselves, and assist with regulating. This type of approach is mostly effective with individuals that experience anxiety, panic disorder, with agoraphobia, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) mindfulness therapy is supporting stress reduction approach that incorporates aspects of meditation, such as loving kindness, soothing techniques, and being aware of the self in the now. The techniques that are incorporated in this approach support individuals to better understand how to manage one’s own thoughts and emotions through this regulation of distress. Mindfulness based
has demonstrated efficacy in reducing stress, anxiety and depression symptoms. In fact, it has demonstrated to also support when there is chronic pain, and reduce stress activation.
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is an evidence-based practice supporting with overcoming trauma-related experiences. TF-CBT is a specialized part of CBT only related to trauma work. The work around this approach is to enhance awareness through psychoeducation, supporting with parenting skills, relaxations tools, the narrative component that involves cognitive processing the traumatic events. TF-CBT is geared towards youth.
Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP) supports to heal traumatic stress in which assists to reduce symptoms. CCTP incorporates bottom-up trauma treating techniques and top-down trauma treatment techniques in which it is incorporating neuroscience, and work through the nervous system. The interventions are used to restructure parts of the brain. In this approach diaphragmatic breathing, autogenic training, mindfulness, is also practiced. Psychotherapy used CCTP, and focuses on the here-and-now, and somatic experiences.
Internal Family Systems (IFS) a supportive process towards healing traumatic wounds as well as finding relief within anxiety and depression. This is an evidence-based approach that supports the multiplicity of the mind (parts of self) and healing each and one of these parts that live within us. Give space to each part or subparts to share about it. IFS can help with relationships, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, major depressive disorder, grief, as well as help to improve resilience, self-esteem, and self-compassion.
Humanistic Therapy focuses on the present moment in session including the client’s attributes and that all humans have the ability to reach their highest potential. Within this umbrella, person-centered therapy and Gestalt work Gestalt work are often complemented. Clients are empowered to utilize their voice, practice listening to their inner feelings and to pay close attention to those existing feeling. Unconditional positive regard, empathy and genuineness are one of the cornerstones of this approach.
Psychodynamic Therapy primarily focuses on the client’s insight and through treatment the individual is able to have a deeper understanding about their emotions and problems. In psychodynamic therapy and through the therapeutic process the therapist and individual are able to uncover the unconscious content of the individual’s psyche. As practicing psychodynamic therapists we support our clients to increase their self-awareness and understanding of the influence occurring from their past to present behavior. The individual is able to grow emotionally and find relief from their unresolved conflicts. This type of therapy can be longer term treatment due to the nature of going back into a persons experienced history, exposing the subconscious feelings and bringing them to surface. Working on the root of the problem can help the healing and resolution.
Family Systems Therapy is a type of therapeutic technique that treats the family as a unit focusing on the family’s interaction and development of their relationship as intertwined between all members. All the family members in this unit play a vital role. A systems therapist believes that all members in that family should participate in the repairing process and attend the sessions. As a therapist implementing family systems, we work on shedding light on parts of the family that have been fractured and strategically work with families to re-structure the foundation of the unit.
Eclectic Therapy is a type of therapeutic approach where the therapist personalizes the theoretical orientation in support to the client’s current needs. A therapist that practices within an Eclectic approach, is not a purest to one single theoretical orientation but utilizes any approach that best suits the client. We are eclectic therapists at MSMW, and we personalize treatment to each client’s needs utilizing the aforementioned theories (CBT, DBT, Mindfulness, IFS, CCTP, etc.), for the sole purpose of supporting you to meet your goals in your journey.
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