The  Couch

Clients

Our clients are looking for help to let go of uncomfortable symptoms, and want to gain new tools in their skill set to become the best version of themselves.

Symptoms we help clients resolve

ACA - Adult Children of Alcoholics/Dysfunction

Addiction - whether it is yours or your loved ones. Learn how to work within a framework that can promote healthy boundaries.

Adoption - Adoptees have few places to have a voice around their very real needs. This is a supportive place for that particular voice.

Anxiety/Depression/Panic Attacks/OCD

Borderline - Real time tools to find your way out of chaos and into healthy stable relationships. For the family members, learn how to stop walking on eggshells and be able to stop editing your world around those suffering.

Brain Trauma and it’s effects on clients and very real impact on family members.

Divorce - Whether you are in one, contemplating one or trying to recover from one, there are tools you can use right now to help navigate the anxiety around managing so many decisions and changes that are possible

Life Transitions - Changing career? Retiring? Getting Married? Divorced? Moving? New Parents? Empty Nesting? Parents aging to the point of being dependent on you? These are just a few of life’s big transitions and can bring anxiety as we say goodbye to one chapter and step into a new one, even when it is what you wanted.

Managing Emotions - Feeling overwhelmed? Flooded with feelings? Finding yourself triggered by your boss or partner? Learn the inner workings of this to create space for new reactions to come onboard.

Negative Thinking - It’s easy to get stuck in this place and then much harder to find a way out, but there are specific steps available to turn this around.

Parenting Frustrations - You are not alone and there are many tools to learn and try with your children. Whether your child is a toddler with tantrums/sibling rivalry/etc. a preteen with social anxiety and dealing with drama, a teen that is withdrawing (learn the signs!) or a child/adult that is not yet launched and struggling to get a footing in what direction to go. We have lots of tools to help you confidently ask for what you need and promote healthy relationships in the family. This is a supportive, non-blaming place to gain extra skills.

Trauma/PTSD - tools that can be started immediately. We work with a wide network of professionals to tackle this head on to bring about improved wellness in multiple ways.

Don’t see what you are looking for? Feel free to contact us and ask questions.

As a mental health professional, I use several types of therapy. The choice of therapy type depends on the patient's particular circumstances and his/her preference. Therapists may combine elements from different approaches to best meet the needs of the person receiving treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps people identify and change thinking and behavior patterns that are harmful or ineffective, replacing them with more accurate thoughts and functional behaviors. It can help a person focus on current problems and how to solve them. It often involves practicing new skills in the “real world."

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a modified type of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Its main goals are to teach people how to live in the moment, develop healthy ways to cope with stress, regulate their emotions, and improve their relationships with others.1

Family: Because family is a key part of the team that helps people with mental illness get better, it is sometimes helpful for family members to understand what their loved one is going through, how they themselves can cope, and what they can do to help. This is a safe place for all family members to come and express concerns and thoughts around the impacts on the family unit.

Humanistic therapy adopts a holistic approach that focuses on free will, human potential, and self-discovery. It aims to help you develop a strong and healthy sense of self, explore your feelings, find meaning, and focus on your strengths. I am a firm believer that you have the answers waiting for you. I only have the tools to help bring it to the surface. All therapies are focused on learning how to connect and trust self.

There are several different types of psychotherapy and some types may work better with certain problems or issues. Psychotherapy may be used in combination with medication or other therapies. Therapy Sessions may be conducted in an individual, family, couple, or group setting, and can help both children and adults. Sessions are typically held once a week for about 30 to 50. Both patient and therapist need to be actively involved in psychotherapy. The trust and relationship between a person and their therapist is a sacred place that is built upon trust and confidentiality.

A word about the differences between some of the terms used for mental health professionals. Clinical psychologists have specialist doctoral degrees in psychology with some clinical and research components. They are often used in hospital settings, and testing clients for clinical diagnosis. Other clinical practitioners, social workers , mental health counselors, pastoral counselors, and nurses with a specialization in mental health, also often conduct psychotherapy. As a Licensed, Marriage and Family therapist (or Psychotherapist) trainings are all at a post-graduate level, meaning that a Psychotherapist STARTS their training in an intensive supervised atmosphere post graduate school. A Psychotherapist must complete thousands of hours under supervision before even taking the licensing exam. A parallel is all doctors go to medical school, however, to become a surgeon, an intensive, rigorous time is spent on the practice of becoming a surgeon in residency and must complete thousands of hours.

Federal law requires that in most cases mental health services, including psychotherapy, be covered by health insurance similar to other medical care costs.

What you can expect your first therapy session. At the first psychotherapy session, the therapist typically gathers information about you and your needs. You may be asked to fill out forms about your current and past physical and emotional health. It might take a few sessions for your therapist to fully understand your situation and concerns and to determine the best approach or course of action.

affiliations

• Mary Stefanie Smith, MA, LMFT, a Clinical Fellow of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

• Mary Stefanie Smith, Conflict Mediator and Resolution Specialist for the State of California.

• Mary Stefanie Smith, President of the Board, Process Therapy Institute