Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is often considered a taboo subject to discuss, even in the homes of those who are experiencing chronic pain. In our society, there is a stigma attached to talking about things that we believe we can’t fix or have no control over. Pain medications offer some relief but steal away our essence of who we are as fathers, mothers, wives, husbands, sons and daughters.

Over the last several years, new technologies such as Neurobehavioral Pain Management Programs (NBP) have been developed to manage the body’s expression of pain using non-medical, self administered interventions. Neurobehavioral Programs is on the cutting edge of this exciting and extremely effective means of pain management. By learning a simple process to ‘close’ the pain gates to the brain, blocking the pain signal, chronic pain patients have gained a new lease on life and are able to rebuild in their lives what chronic pain has taken away.

Teaching these pain management skills have been an amazing insight into the power of the mind/body relationship. Seeing tears of joy roll down a client’s face who has felt constant pain for 8 years and then suddenly has the sensation of NO PAIN. The amazing thing about our bodies is that IT has the intention to heal regardless of how damaged we may feel… and the body will do so if you are willing to work with the pain.

For the last 5 years Neurobehavioral Programs has worked with nearly 1500 clients, nearly all referred by treating physicians familiar with NBP.

This pain management training does not involve hypnosis or any biofeedback hookups of any type. The best training sessions occur in your home by phone and can be done over the course of four sessions… with no more than seven. Please feel free call me at 530.902.6772 for more information.

Anxiety

Anxiety… cousin to depression, can be debilitating both physically and emotionally. Amazingly, anxiety is a condition that can be diminished significantly by learning simple self-administered skills. Our bodies respond with anxiety to perceived triggers and can start an unprovoked “fight or flight” response. There are several opportunities in this disturbing process in which we can intervene and bring rational responses that decrease anxiety and reactivity to the environment. There is no medication more powerful than the combination of the mind and our breath to control panic attacks and anxiety.

Most anxiety episodes and Panic Attacks (racing thoughts, the feeling “I’m dying” or “I’m going crazy”, feeling loss of control, short breaths, clammy hands/cold sweats, dizziness) can be surprisingly well managed by simple breathing and relaxation techniques. It is also helpful to understand ‘why’ your body is always on alert or wired and tired at the same time. I have accumulated some simple exercises which are on the Anxiety/Panic Interventions page. Please click on this link to learn more about self care.

For more severe and acute anxeity, progressive interventions such as EMDR and Neurobehavioral Trauma Protocal (Neurobehavioralprograms.com) are validated and widely used to treat anxiety and trauma. Lee is a Level II trained EMDR therapist and a Certified Neurobehavioral Practitioner.

Couples / Communication

Couples therapy is the most feared by clients and therapists alike. It shouldn’t be. Often, therapists align with one individual in the session causing irreparable damage to the process. This is nearly unavoidable because of the therapists’ agenda to make change.

My approach to couples therapy is intended to create an objective assessment where both parties feel safe, supported and comfortable. Significant issues are identified, an evaluation is completed and options for treatment are identified for each individual and the couple themselves.

Rather than creating an open ended, unfocused process, I prefer the following approach:

Session One:
Meet w/both individuals for information gathering, risk assessment, orientation to the process and identifying the “problem”.

Sessions Two Through Seven:
Meet w/each individual for three sessions each focusing on prioritization of needs, strength evaluation, communication styles and barriers to change.

Session Eight:
Resume with couple, review progress, areas of relapse, discuss any treatment needs and recommendations, make necessary referrals, continue with couples or individual therapy with specific treatment goals and timeline.

Persistent Mental Illness

Traditional methodologies to treat mental illness often fall short. Many times, the mental health system identifies medications as the sole means and ‘stable’ as the ultimate goal… that should only be the starting point. While medication is necessary, building strong relationships is much more effective in producing long term effects. No therapy or medication can take the place of a caring family. Regardless of the diagnosis, people can have quality and joy in their lives.

I provide individual and family therapy, psycho-education, consultation and referrals around case management and placement issues. I also provide non-medical symptom management interventions, (in cooperation w/a treating psychiatrist), as well as do presentations for NAMI sponsored support groups. As well as highly specialized individual case management and advocation for families and clients.

Depression

Depression is a naturally and healthy occurring emotion in all of us. As the winter of our emotional seasons it can restore, transform and set us on a new path for growth. As we all know, it can also make us feel stuck, empty and purposeless even to the point of surrender and acceptance of our plight.

If you, or others have noticed that a depression has lasted over six months or that mood cycles, from anger or mania (irritability, high energy, impulsivity, diminished need for sleep) to sadness in a matter of hours, days or weeks, you may be suffering from a type of clinical depression or a Bi-Polar disorder.

There are many treatments for mood disorders depending on the cause(s). Most can be treated with supportive therapy and behavioral interventions while some may warrant medications.

Pharmaceutical treatment does not have to be permanent but can act as a doorway to higher ground. Depression is a part of everyone’s life experience; however, mild to moderate, or severe. When it interferes with one’s functioning however, it may be a Major Depressive Disorder. Or if you have been experiencing depression that is more mild to moderate for over a year, you may be suffering from a form of depression labeled, Dysthymia. All of these types of depressions are unipolar mood disorders.

Bipolar disorders involve depression and mania. Depression is experienced at times, and at other times mania is experienced as a high that may include irritability, impulsivity, extreme energy and decreased need for sleep.

Effective treatment for both bipolar disorders and unipolar disorders includes medication and therapy. I specialize in working with individuals who suffer from these disorders as well as their friends and family members.

PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)

At any age, anyone can have an experience, or series of experiences, that have a significant impact on one’s life. Sometimes the events are so traumatic and so far outside of our normal realm of experience, that our minds aren’t able to process it into memory, preventing us from being able to able to move beyond its impact. These wounds, left unhealed can create chaos in our personal lives and effect every facet including out perception of our selves, others and our sense of well-being and safety in the world.

Trauma

Trauma is an event or series of events so far outside of our normal realm of experience that we aren’t able to move beyond it’s impact. These wounds, left unhealed can create chaos in our personal lives and effect every facet including our perception of self, relationships and sense of safety in the world. Some of symptoms of PTSD can be reoccurring nightmares or flashbacks of the trauma, panic attacks, severe anger or depression, unprompted tearful-ness, aversion to people or places, isolation and poor sleep. Fortunately, no matter how long ago the trauma, there is much hope and many options for treatment to reduce and in many cases eliminate the suffering.

The best scenario is to address traumatic events immediately to subvert the long term effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. However, it is never to late to seek effective treatment. Often, hurts from long ago resurface later on in life. This can be even more confusing since life may be in order and without any significant stressors.