Individual Therapy
Couple's Counseling (Marriage Therapy)
Children and Adolescents
Referrals for other services
Initial Phone Call
Research has shown that the simple act of scheduling an initial appointment often leads to an increase in hopefulness. Still, making that first phone call is one of the hardest steps for most people seeking help. Generally you will leave a message and receive a call back from the therapist within 24 hours. During the initial phone conversation you should feel free to ask any questions that you have brewing and also get a general sense of the person's style and approach. By giving the therapist an overview of the issue that brings you in for counseling, you will be able to get a clear sense of whether the approach is compatible with what you are looking for, and if so, the next step is to schedule a face to face meeting.
If you have medical insurance, I advise you to call the mental health number on the back of your card and ask what reimbursement you are entitled to from an out of network provider.
Individual Therapy
I am a systems-oriented therapist. In a nutshell, what this means is that I help people to look at the big picture of their situations. I work from the assumption that we are all active participants in building the world in which we live. Therefore, I will help you to make the changes that you want to make by working with you to see what you can do to improve your situation and what you can do to come to peace with the aspects of your situation that are out of your control. This approach works for depression, anxiety, grief, relationship difficulties and many other challenges because it is tailored to the specific situation for the individual who is seeking help.
Couple's Counseling (Marriage Therapy)
I am in the final stages of becoming certified in The Gottman Method of couples therapy. This research-based approach is built on decades of observing real couples resolving real conflicts the way couples do (rather than the way that therapists think that they should). After a thorough assessment we will determine which problems are solvable and which ones are not. I will give you tools and guidance in solving the solvable problems and help you to come to peace and have more productive dialogue about the unsolvable ones.
Children and Adolescents
I have been working with children and adolescents since the first day of my first field placement as an undergraduate student. I have extensive experience and training in family therapy, but most important is my ability to help children feel comfortable expressing themselves in the venue which feels most natural for them. An eight year old with anxiety may feel more comfortable tossing a stuffed animal back and forth among family members while a 15 year old will probably want his or her parents out the door as quickly as possible. I work with different family members at different sessions and all are included in cooperating in the treatment goals.
Referrals for other services
If you are looking for help in areas in which I do not specialize, I would be happy to refer you to local experts in areas such as intensive drug or alcohol rehabilitation, domestic violence intervention and psychological testing.
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Laura Silverstein, LCSW |
