Some of the approaches our therapists use include Cognitive Therapy, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, Reality Therapy, Neuro-feedback, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. These and the other approaches used at the Marriage and Family Center are rooted in applications of human behavior, motivation, thinking process, and social learning, and all have shown positive outcomes in clinical studies.
In general, these approaches are called “Talk Therapy.” Sitting and talking with the client about the issue faced allows the therapist to see how the situation, as well as the client’s view of and response to it, are keeping him/her stuck. From this understanding, combined with his/her training in psychology (thinking and behavior) and psychopathology (what goes wrong in thinking and behavior), a treatment plan will be developed to take clients from where they are now to where they want to be.
Although the Marriage and Family Center continues to have individuals attend counseling for new reasons, here are several common reasons people come to see us for individual counseling:
Depression
Feeling down, depressed, “in a slump,” or stuck in a rut? Sometimes people seek counseling because they or someone they care about has gotten so bogged down emotionally they are having trouble getting up and moving forward. By disrupting motivation and the enjoyment of life and relationships, even mild depression can take its toll. And people who have been feeling hopeless, worthless, suicidal, or have been thinking things like, “what’s the point?” or “I’d be better off dead,” should get help as soon as possible.
Anger
Does anger get you in trouble or hurt your relationships? Everyone gets frustrated occasionally, and most people even blow their tops at times. At the same time, when a person’s anger starts to get the best of them–when they start losing jobs or their anger starts hurting people or relationships, psychotherapy, which may
include anger management training, is called for.
Mood/Attention
Do you have mood or attention problems such as Mood swings, Bi-polar Disorder, or Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD)? Some people don’t understand the impact these issues can have on people’s lives. Psychotherapy can help reduce the symptoms of these disorders and provide clients and the people around them with coping skills to help them function better in general.
Dissatisfaction
Are you bored, lonely, or unfulfilled? Sometimes our clients lack direction thinking, “what’s the meaning of life anyway? Why am I here? What’s the point or purpose of my existence?” People who feel bored, lonely, or unfulfilled often find that psychotherapy helps them connect with people and with life on a more fulfilling level.
Confusion
Are your thoughts or desires confused or mixed up? Some of our clients need an unbiased professional who can help them sort out feelings or situations. Life and relationships can be very complicated at times. Sometimes a neutral listener can help people sort out what is going on with family members, coworkers, friends, or even just inside themselves. Once they get things sorted out they can often begin to move forward again.
Social Anxiety
Do you sometimes lack self confidence or self esteem or do you get overwhelmed by anxious feelings in certain settings–such as in social gatherings or in front of others? Some of our clients have trouble having a rich social life or doing well at a job interview because of social anxiety or general anxiety. Sometimes such people can benefit from assertiveness training or confidence skills training that can help them function better and have more confidence in these kinds of situations.
Alcohol and Other Drugs
Has the use of alcohol or other drugs caused problems for you, or are you concerned it will? Sometimes even occasional recreational substance use can lead to serious consequences. Sometimes people can learn to set reasonable limits on their use so it is no longer problematic for them or the people around them. Other times the use needs to be greatly reduced or stopped. Whichever the case, studies have shown that when people get professional counseling for their drug abuse or substance use problem, they are much more successful reducing the harm it can cause.
Sexual Addiction
Do you suffer from sexual addiction such as a pornography addiction or another addictive sexual behavior? Sexual addictions can be devastating to the sufferer and to those around him/her. When someone thinks they might be a porn addict, a sex addict, or have some other sexual addiction, it can feel shameful and be humiliating. People seek counseling sometimes because out of control sexual behavior is causing them personal or relationship stress and they want to overcome these tendencies.
Bad Habits
Do you have other habits that are holding you back or making you or others feel bad? Maybe it’s a gambling problem or an eating disorder. Or maybe it’s another habit you want confidential help overcoming in an anonymous setting. People often have trouble facing such habits themselves, but often make more progress working with someone who can help hold them accountable.
Feeling Lost
Do you lack of motivation or direction in your personal or professional life? The bored, lonely, or unfulfilled feelings described above often come from lacking a specific purpose or direction. Clients who come in with such concerns are often not sure what they want, or if they do know, they cannot figure out how to get it or how to get themselves to do what’s needed to get it. Problems of direction and motivation are often overcome through individual counseling with a licensed professional.
Fears or Phobias
Feeling anxious, uptight, or worried, or do you have fears or phobias that make you or the people around you miserable? These feelings can get in the way of living a relaxed, free, and fulfilled life. We have helped countless people face and overcome anxiety, fears, and phobias. Even though people can develop phobias to anything, the most common phobias include fear of spiders and snakes, fear of heights, confined spaces, dogs, thunder/lightening, injections, crowds, public speaking, flying, germs, and water. Very often people have more than one phobia, and phobias respond very well to a variety of treatments such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Grief and Loss
Are you grieving over or confusion about losing someone? Sometimes death and other types of loss–like loss of mobility, youth, or opportunities–can leave a person feeling anywhere from “out of sorts” to devastated, and this can last for weeks or months or longer. Although some grief is a normal part of life, if it doesn’t go away, or if it feels unbearable or causes problems with work, self-care, or relationships, a therapist is sometimes needed to help a person get moving forward again.
Difficult Transitions
Do you feel like you’ve been “thrown off” by some other major life transition? A job loss or change, a pregnancy or birth, or starting or ending a relationship, for example, can lead to feelings of loss or stress. People sometimes visit the Marriage and Family Center in order to work through these and other rough periods with the help of a licensed professional counselor.
A Lack of Support
Are you having trouble knowing where else to turn? There are millions of different things that can throw a person off balance—way too many to list. Sometimes people seek a therapist because there is no one else they can count on to help them face the unique, or unique-feeling situation they are going through.
Weight Loss
Having trouble losing weight or keeping it off?
People feel terrible when they are not the size that fits the image they have for themselves. Because they worry about their health and how unattractive they feel, they try everything they know to lose the weight. Why doesn’t it come off? Maybe it’s because they have not treated the real problem behind the weight problem.
Our therapists are all Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, or Licensed Clinical Psychologists. Whatever a person’s reason for individual counseling, Marriage and Family Center is here for them with a variety of possible therapeutic approaches.