Patricia L. Morin MA, LCSW

CBT focuses on identifying and challenging irrational, maladaptive thoughts and beliefs that contribute to emotional distress and dysfunctional behavior. Negative thoughts promote psychological problems. It's important that the client learns to identify and replace irrational thoughts with more rational thoughts--based on their life and situation, and culture. I use thought records, graphs, behavior actions, and positive changes of negative behavior in combination with other therapies.

Psychodynamic Therapy is an insight-oriented approach that explores unconscious conflicts, early life experiences, and relational negitive patterns. I use free-association journaling, Gestalt dream analysis (you are everything in your dream), interpretation of behaviors going back to childhood, uncover unconscious root to the unwanted behavior, and develop alternate positive coping mechanism. I also add CBT to help alter neg. thought patterns, so it is not PDT alone.

There are many feelings accompaning grief. I have found, first of all, empathy, patience and listening are vital. They need to get it all out. Validate their feelings, in line with religion and culture. Share the stages of grief they will go through--that you will go through with them. Help find outlets- journaling, art, exercise. Suggest sharing with others or support groups. Help them unfold meaning back into their lives. Most important--what other grief is this grief is masking.

Depression is a tricky devil-- it can be low level depression that most people don't see, or a clinical depression. Must learn symptoms, history, short from an event, or long-life time problem. With establishing a relationship, and educating the person about all its aspects, several modalities can be used: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness (including meditation), Behavioral Activation (increase pleasurable activities), plus Interpersonal Therapy improving relationships.

There are different types of anxiety, six most common one, which need to be explored first. How the anxiety is exhibited and how it effects one's daily living needs to be investigated-- as well as how the anxiety is generalized in work, family, and other significant relationships. Then various therapeutic approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based therapy, psychodynamic therapy, and nutritional and physical changes can be explored over time.