Christopher Rea

My initial introduction to working with PTSD was when I completed a one year practicum at a PTSD out-patient clinic in a VA. The veterans I worked with had a primary mental health diagnosis of PTSD. I became very familiar with the common challenges people face when they are experiencing symptoms of PTSD. I worked with veterans in individual and groups at the VA. I have also worked with residents in the Department of Corrections with a diagnosis of PTSD and extensive trauma histories.

I have worked with many clients over the years who have been battling varying degrees of depression. I have primarily utilized Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in my work with depression. I quickly learned that depression is an immensely complex experience that varies a great deal among people who are depressed. In my experience, depression is a terrible infliction that can respond quite well to treatment.

Clinically, I have worked with clients who have had anxiety diagnoses ranging from Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, and Social Anxiety Disorder. In nearly every setting I have worked in, anxiety was a common presenting concern. I have helped clients gain insight into anxiety and prepare for situations or stressors that are likely to trigger their anxiety. I have experience utilizing CBT and ACT in the treatment of anxiety.

While in graduate school, I took an elective course that covered several evidence based interventions including Motivational Interviewing .I appreciate the focus on the therapeutic alliance and rolling with resistance that Motivational Interviewing provides. In my opinion, this allows the clinician and client to work together collaboratively to address the presenting concern in therapy. I have been able to utilize MI in several clinical settings with several clinical concerns.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a versatile and effective treatment modality for a wide range of presenting concerns. Throughout my training in graduate school as well as my professional experiences post graduation, I have had extensive experience utilizing CBT in clinical settings ranging from community mental health centers, university counseling centers, and in-patient psychiatric wards.

I have found ACT to be highly effective and enjoy using it clinically. I appreciate the role of values, mindfulness, acceptance, and use of metaphors ACT offers. The focus on the relationships we have with our thoughts and feelings while helping people learn how to accept challenging thoughts or feelings is an important skill that can benefit almost anyone who is seeking therapy or counseling.