Life Dr. Offers Unique Strategies For Living The Life Of Your Dreams

There is a significant difference between a “Psychotherapist” and a “Life-Coach” most notably related to experience. Life-Coaches have generally done weekend seminars to earn a certificate vs. a Psychotherapist who has earned a Master Degree in Counseling and more. Life-experience and the person behind the license, degree or certificate of any kind is key to choosing a good professional.

A good Psychotherapist has worked over a 4 year time period to earn a Master Degree in Counseling, with an emphasis on the mind-body connection, relational studies, human behavior, coping & communication skills, intention setting and remaining accountable. Psychotherapists licensed in California have very extensive training and the most rigorous internship requirements. We actually keep track of 5000 face-to-face counseling hours and other supervision and training that is required before we are eligible to sit for the Board of Behavioral examinations and become licensed. The more prominent practitioners have Post-graduate Training Fellowships in Psychiatry and hospital setting which gives them an advanced Bio-Psycho-Social perspective.

Is therapy right for me?

There are many reasons why people come to therapy. Many seek the advice of a coach or consultant as they pursue their own personal exploration and growth. Other times it is in response to unexpected changes in a persons life such as a divorce or work transition, children going away to college, or an unexpected event. Working with a good therapist can help provide insight, support, and new strategies to work through all types of life challenges and a wide variety of issues calling for greater self-care & support: including depression, anxiety, conflict, grief, stress management, body-image issues, and general life transitions. Seeking out therapy is an individual choice. It is right for anyone who is interested in getting the most out of their life by taking responsibility, creating greater self-awareness, and working towards change in their lives.

How can psychotherapy help me?

Therapy can provide support, problem-solving skills and enhanced coping strategies for handling unresolved childhood issues, relationship troubles, career concerns, creative blocks, and everyday struggles in life. A Life-Style Consultant & Coach can offer support for healthy living, offer ideas for a fresh perspective, as well as point you in the direction of a solution. The benefits you obtain from therapy depend on how well you use the process and put into practice what you learn. Some of the benefits available from therapy include:

* Attaining a better understanding of yourself, your goals and values
* Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence
* Developing skills for improving your relationship to yourself & others
* Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy
* Learning new ways to cope with stress and anxiety
* Managing anger, grief, depression, and other emotional pressures
* Improving communication and listening skills
* Changing old behavior patterns and developing new ones
* Discovering new ways to solve problems in your family or marriage

What is therapy like?

Every counseling session is unique and caters to each individual and their specific goals. It is standard for therapists to discuss the primary issues and concerns in your life during therapy sessions. That may cause you to temporarily feel worse before you start to feel better. It is common to schedule a series of weekly sessions, where each session lasts at least fifty minutes. Therapy can be short-term and focused on a specific issue, longer-term to address more complex issues, or ongoing for personal growth & development. For therapy to be most effective you must be an active participant, both during & between the sessions. There may be times when you are asked to take certain actions outside of the therapy sessions, such as reading a relevant book, keeping records to track certain behaviors, or other home-play. It is important to process what has been discussed and integrate it into your life between sessions. People seeking psychotherapy are willing to take responsibility for their actions, work towards self-change and create greater awareness in their lives.

Here are some things you can expect out of therapy:

* Compassion, respect and understanding
* Perspectives to illuminate persistent patterns and negative feelings
* Real strategies for enacting positive change
* Effective and proven techniques along with practical guidance

How are you & your therapy practice unique?

I see life as an exciting adventure! I am very easy to get along with and a really Positive & Compassionate person. People meet me and think that I have had a “perfect life,” but I have not always felt that way. I have lived a full life of both unimaginable circumstance and extraordinary experiences that have given me gifts of awareness, intuition and life-experience. Everyday I feel passionate & curious and want to do & discover more about myself & the world I live in. I have lived & traveled, and worked with people all over the world. I am a professional student of Life (really, that is what I do for fun) and I enjoy sharing what I have learned for myself to help inspire others.

My clients feel really safe, valued & understood as we look at what is true in their world, and what we need to do to help create and live a better life-story. We look at how they are living their life on the physical, mental, emotional & spiritual levels and set goals & intentions to move forward and live more joyfully in each of these areas. We will look at how they are taking care of themselves and find healthy coping skills to better deal with everyday struggles. We look at how they are thinking and the limiting beliefs that keep them small. I help my clients find a more supportive voice as we work to increase communication & assertiveness skills so that they feel more confident & comfortable and can then experience a greater sense of love & connection. Overall, I enjoy helping people develop a stronger sense of who they are & learn to value themselves more and enjoy their lives and the people in them…. I am helping my clients learn to love & feel more deserving of love through taking better care of themselves.

I love being creative and use an eclectic-mix of traditional & unique (eastern & western) interventions to help create positive results. I offer Life-Style consulting and also provide: support for making changes in personal-style and dress, decorating-tips and design ideas for the home as well as other Self-Care skills like learning how to update or do their own make-up & hair. I am known to give home play in the form of: help for creating a Healthy Kitchen, Meditation CD’s, Yoga or Movement Therapy for Strength as well as Fertility support, and work modules that help guide my clients to Live their New Money, Career, Relationship, Success or Wellness Story. My intention is to help my clients look & feel Beautiful so that they reflect their Best-Self at home or in any environment.

Do I really need therapy? I can usually handle my problems.

Everyone goes through challenging situations in life, and while you may have successfully navigated through other difficulties you have faced, there is nothing wrong with seeking out the support of a good coach when you need it. In fact, therapy is for people who have enough self-awareness to realize they sometimes need a helping hand, and that is something to be admired. You are taking responsibility by accepting where you are at in life and making a commitment to address the situation and overcome whatever challenges you face. A good psychotherapist can help you to re-direct damaging patterns and give you the tools you need to avoid triggers which help ensure long-lasting benefits and support.

Is medication a substitute for therapy?

It is well established that the long-term solution to mental and emotional problems and pain cannot be solved solely by medication. Instead of just treating the symptom, therapy addresses the underlying cause of distress and the behavior patterns that curb progress and contribute to “dis-ease.” In some cases a combination of medication and therapy is the right course of action. A good therapist works in conjunction with a Psychiatrist or Medical Doctor and can help you to determine what is best for you. You can grow as a person and achieve a greater sense of well-being through a whole-person perspective and an integrative approach to overall wellness through conscious intention and action taken on the Physical, Mental, Emotional & Spiritual levels. Please Download my E-Guide from my website as a gift to better understand exploring life on these levels more completely.

Do you accept insurance? How does insurance work?

Please ask about my availability to accept insurance coverage, and confirm that I currently have room in my practice. To determine if you have mental health coverage, you should check with your insurance carrier and carefully find out the answers to the following questions:

* What are my mental health benefits?
* What is the coverage amount per therapy session?
* How many therapy sessions does my plan cover?
* How much does my insurance pay for an out-of-network provider?
* Is approval required from my primary care physician?

When you can answer these questions with confidence please contact me to discuss.

Is therapy confidential?

In general, the law protects the confidentiality of all communications between a client and psychotherapist.
No information is disclosed without prior written