At The Center, we enjoy
helping people and are proud of our clients' successes. Several
of our clients have agreed to let us tell their success stories—tell
how, through therapy, they were able to grow and change; how,
through therapy, they came to feel better about themselves and
their future. Note: To protect our clients' confidentiality,
we have changed their names and any other identifying information.
Fear of Flying Eliminated in Three Sessions
Megan is a businesswoman who flies frequently for her business.
Five years ago, she fell in love and found happiness and a level
of self acceptance she hadn't known before. Ironically this
new-found joy triggered an intense fear of flying—Megan
was afraid of dying and losing her happiness. For years, she
continued to force herself to fly while pursuing numerous treatments
with no success. She continued to be very anxious the day before
a trip and could only manage the actual flying by taking tranquilizers.
As a result, she would not feel well for two days following
a flight.
Frustrated, Megan sought treatment at The Center. During her
first session, her therapist gathered her history and made a
full assessment of her problem. In the second session, Megan
and her therapist used energy psychotherapy techniques to reduce
her fear. When Megan came for her third session, she reported
that she had had no distress at anytime during a flight except
a little apprehension during take off. For the rest of the session,
Megan and her therapist worked to completely eliminate her fear
of flying. Since then Megan has flown without fear. She has
been able to converse on an airplane and feel relaxed before,
during, and after a flight.
Recovering from Depression
Referred for counseling by his family physician, Philip, a business
executive, came to The Center suffering from symptoms of depression—difficulties
getting and staying asleep, weight gain, social withdrawal,
fatigue, lack of enjoyment in usual activities, and irritability.
In therapy, Philip disclosed that in the previous three years
he had endured several major life events, including the death
of his father, the end of a long-term relationship, financial
difficulties, a change in his job, and a move to a new city.
After 12 weeks of individual therapy and treatment with antidepressants
prescribed by his family physician, Philip reports that he is
feeling great. He sleeps much better and is enthusiastic and
energetic; he works out regularly, has lost weight, and has
an active social life. Through therapy, he has learned to identify
his feelings and use them as guideposts to figure out and get
what he wants and needs.
Help Through Play Therapy
When Andy was six months old, he was placed in foster care. Over the
next several years, he was subjected to a long hostile custody battle
and numerous shifts in custody and school placement. As a consequence,
he suffered from anxiety and difficulty sleeping and expressed his
feelings through aggressive behavior and tantrums.
At The Center, Andy found a safe outlet for his feelings through Play
therapy. His therapist helped him express and cope with his feelings
through various play activities. In his therapy sessions, Andy drew
pictures and played with toys, games, dolls, puppets, and sand. Through
these activities, he learned to communicate his feelings and get his
needs met more appropriately; he developed a sense of security, confidence,
and happiness. Today Andy is a happy, healthy, confident little boy; he is
performing well in school, participating in sports and scouts, and has
many friends.
Parenting Skills Training
Ben and Laura were at their wit's end with their oldest
child, Matt—they felt unprepared to deal with their adolescent's
disruptive behavior. Excessively jealous of his younger brother, Matt sought
attention by lying, manipulation, and passive aggressive behavior.
Not only did the couple feel unprepared to deal with their son's
misconduct, they were not sure which of his actions were normal—which
they should overlook as part of a passing teenage phase and which they
should address as a problem.
At The Center for Psychotherapy, Matt received the professional
counseling he needed, and Ben and Laura received the parenting
skills training they needed to assess and deal with their son's
behavior. In their training, the couple learned concrete ways
to provide effective, appropriate structure and logical consequences
for their child. They learned strategies to better communicate
with both their children, to motivate their children's
appropriate behavior, and to deal with the general stresses
of parenting. Today the family as a whole communicates better
and is both healthier and happier.
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