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Clayton Psychotherapy Center
7750 Clayton Road Suite 208
St. Louis, MO
63117
Phone:
(314) 644-3339
E-mail:
info@
claytontherapy.com
Individual | Pre-Marital, Marital, and Divorce | Child, Adolescent, and Family | BDD | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy | Stress Reduction
Individual Therapy
In individual therapy, participants are taught effective methods of working with anxiety, stress, depression, addiction, eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorders, and other issues in a supportive and structured environment. Individual therapy also offers an opportunity to develop skills for transforming key personal or professional relationships.No matter which problems are brought into therapy, participants can leave with a strong sense of personal growth and accomplishment. Most importantly, participants are taught skills to empower them to make positive behavioral and attitude changes that result in an improved quality of life.
Individuals can also come in for personality testing. Such testing is an evaluation and assessment tool used to recommend more specific kinds of treatment.
Pre-Marital, Marital, and Divorce Counseling
In pre-marital, marital, and divorce counseling, couples work with a range of underlying issues that cause pain, dissatisfaction, or unhappiness in a relationship. Each individual goes through the process of defining him or herself, communicating that to a partner, and learning how to actively listen to a partner's self-definition process.The kind of work that can be accomplished in therapy includes gaining knowledge of the unconscious agenda and purpose of the relationship, tools for re-romanticizing, and the creation of a mutual vision for the present and future of the relationship.
Relational counseling always deals with creating new, more productive methods of communication.
Child, Adolescent, and Family Therapy
For children with behavioral or developmental issues, specific therapy techniques are available. For younger children, play therapy is a great way to identify problems and work with children to solve them. Parents are instructed on how to reinforce positive communication and continue working towards goals initiated in therapy.Therapy offers a non-judgmental atmosphere for adolescents to discuss and work through personal and family issues. Assessment and testing is available to identify or rule out depression, drug abuse, or eating disorders.
When a teenager is having difficulty with one or both parents, it is helpful for him or her to have an objective third party with whom to talk. It can be invaluable for the teenager to have a confidential setting to help sort through the variety of issues and emotions that they can encounter without bias towards one parent or the other. This situation is common in separated or divorced families, but also occurs among intact families, as well.
Improving a teen's relationship with their family members also often involves helping both the parents and the teen understand how conflicts can be resolved through improved communication. If there is one element in a child's life that improves their chances for success in school and life, it is strong family bonds with positive, constructive communication. It is important that parents not feel defensive if the therapist focuses on changes in how they communicate with their teenagers. The need for such a change is not an indictment of the parents' abilities, it is simply a part of the therapeutic process that will help them better work with their adolescent and find solutions to behavioral issues.
The goal of therapy with adolescents is to help both the child and the parents understand why the child acts out with rebellious, willful behavior and how they can learn to express their needs and wants in a more productive way. When parents allow the process of re-forging the lines of communication, they dramatically improve their relationship with their teenager and create an environment where positive behavioral change is possible.
Depression and Anxiety
Most people feel anxious or depressed at times. These feelings are normal reactions to life's stressors. But some people experience these feelings on a regular basis, making it difficult to carry on with normal, everyday functioning. These people may have an anxiety disorder, depression, or both.It is not uncommon for someone with an anxiety disorder to also suffer from depression or vice versa. Nearly one-half of those diagnosed with depression are also diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. The good news is that these disorders are both treatable, separately and together.
Each patient receives a treatment plan that is tailored to their individual needs. I find that examining a person's family system yields insight valuable for treatment, and is a good place to start. I use cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to work on replacing negative and unproductive thought patterns with more realistic and useful ones. We focus on taking specific steps, both during and outside of therapy sessions, to overcome anxiety and depression. Different treatment tools can also be incorporated, such as gestalt techniques, meditation, breath work, and others.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder
People with Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) have intense anxiety about some aspect of their appearance. Normal looking or even attractive people with BDD fight a constant emotional battle that interferes with their daily lives. Other people may see the actual defect as imagined or slight. However, to the person with BDD, the defect is incredibly important. Other people may not understand how debilitating BDD can be - even family and close friends.BDD is treatable. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has proven to be an effective path towards recovery and a healthier body image. Treatment can reduce anxiety, resolve depression, and help people with the disorder get their life back.
In addition to her 30+ years of experience in cognitive behavioral therapy, Peggy Levinson is current with emerging treatment approaches via the national BDD symposium at UCLA. She offers a comprehensive BDD treatment program.
Some red flags that indicate the presence of BDD can be found in the Body Image Test.
For more information, click on the "articles" button above and read "The American Body Image."
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is based on the idea that our thoughts cause our feelings and behaviors, not external things (like people, situations, and events). Thus, we can change the way we think in order to feel or act better, even if the situation does not change. There is empirical evidence that CBT is effective for the treatment of a variety of problems, including mood, anxiety, personality, eating, substance abuse, and OCD and OCD spectrum disorders (BDD, Trichotillomania, etc.) Treatment includes homework assignments. Achieving goals in therapy can take a very long time if a person were only to think about the therapeutic techniques and topics for one hour per week. That's why I encourage clients to practice the techniques learned, outside of sessions. CBT is time-limited in that I help clients understand at the very beginning of the therapy process that there will be a point when the formal therapy will end. The ending of the formal therapy is a decision made by the therapist and client. Therefore, CBT is not an open-ended, never-ending process.Stress Reduction Workshops
One three-hour workshop teaches you a basic breathing and meditation routine that can be easily incorporated into your daily schedule. Benefits include a general state of relaxation, greater alertness, a growing ability to deal with situations without getting "stressed out," and an increased sense of liveliness that enhances your day. Peggy has trained in Kriya Yoga breathwork and meditation internationally (Canada and India) as well as here in the United States. For more information, click on the "articles" button above and read "Stress Reduction can be a Big Factor in a Healthier You."Pre- and Post-Surgery Recovery Program
You will learn mind/body techniques that will help you:
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