Clinical Specializations & Common Disorders
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
a therapeutic approach anchored in CBT principles, which allows the therapist to assist clients in recognizing and modifying negative thought patterns and behaviors that contribute to emotional distress and relationship difficulties.
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
a highly effective technique for treating anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Through ERP, the therapist helps clients confront their fears in a controlled manner, reducing anxiety and breaking the cycle of compulsive behaviors.
Genograms
a "genogram" is a visual representation or diagram that displays detailed information about a person's family history and relationships over multiple generations. They typically include symbols and lines to represent individuals, their relationships, and various types of information such as medical history, psychological issues, family dynamics, and other significant events. It allows for a comprehensive understanding of family patterns, relationships, and potential hereditary factors that may be relevant to a person's health or psychological well-being.
Psychosocial Assessments
comprehensive evaluations of an individual's psychological, social, and environmental well-being. This assessment aims to gain a holistic understanding of an individual's mental health, emotional state, social functioning, and support systems.
Child Psychology
Child Psychology is a branch of psychology that focuses on understanding and studying the mental, emotional, and behavioral development of children from infancy through adolescence. It seeks to explore various aspects of a child's psychological well-being, including cognitive processes, emotional development, social interactions, and how these factors influence their overall functioning and behavior.
LGBTQ+ Affirmative Therapy
LGBTQ+ Affirmative Therapy, also known as LGBTQ+ affirmative or inclusive therapy, is an approach to mental health treatment that is specifically tailored to address the unique needs and experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer. The goal of LGBTQ+ affirmative therapy is to create a safe, supportive, and validating environment for clients to explore and address issues related to their sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression.
Anxiety
a state of uneasiness or apprehension, often accompanied by heightened physiological responses like increased heart rate, rapid breathing, and muscle tension. It is a natural response to stress and can be beneficial in certain situations, as it can help us stay alert and focused. However, when anxiety becomes excessive, irrational, or chronic, it can interfere with daily life and well-being.
Depression
also known as Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), is a mood disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were once enjoyable. It goes beyond normal feelings of sadness or grief and can significantly impair daily functioning.
Personality Disorders
a type of mental health condition characterized by enduring patterns of behavior, cognition (thinking), and inner experience that deviate significantly from the expectations of the individual's culture. These patterns are typically inflexible, pervasive, and cause distress or impairment in various areas of functioning, including relationships, work, and daily life.
Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)
formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD), is a complex mental health condition characterized by the presence of two or more distinct and separate identities or personality states within an individual. Each of these identities, often referred to as "alters," can have its own unique way of perceiving and interacting with the world, including different memories, emotions, and behaviors.
Schizophrenia
a severe and chronic mental health disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. It is characterized by a combination of symptoms that can include distorted thinking, hallucinations, delusions, impaired social functioning, and disrupted emotional responses. People with schizophrenia often experience significant difficulties in differentiating between what is real and what is not.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects an individual's ability to focus, control impulses, and regulate their energy levels. ADHD is characterized by a persistent pattern of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that is more severe and frequent than is typically observed in individuals at a comparable level of development.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
a mental health condition characterized by the presence of persistent, intrusive, and unwanted thoughts, images, or urges (obsessions) that lead to repetitive and ritualistic behaviors or mental acts (compulsions). These obsessions and compulsions can cause significant distress and interfere with a person's daily life and functioning.
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
a childhood behavioral disorder characterized by a pattern of persistent defiant, disobedient, and hostile behavior toward authority figures. Children and adolescents with ODD often display a consistent pattern of negativity, defiance, and resistance to following rules and directions, which can significantly impair their functioning in various social, academic, and family settings.