Medication Management, also known as Psychopharmacology, is the use of prescription medication in the treatment of mental health disorders ( Anxiety, Depression, PTSD, sleep disorders, Bipolar Disorders, Schizophrenia, Addiction, Eating Disorders and ADHD) Medications are used to address the symptoms of the condition as well as (sometimes) assist the brain in functioning.
- I am a licensed Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist/Advanced Practice with Board Certification through ANCC. I hold a license to prescribe medication in RI and Mass. I collaborate with two board-certified psychiatrists in Massachusetts.
- I have been practicing psychopharmacology since 2005 and attend psychopharmacology updates through Mass General and Harvard annually. I have treated a full spectrum of mental health disorders. Additionally, I worked for many years in an ADHD clinic treating children, adolescents and adults with ADHD. I also teach psychiatric nursing at the collegiate level.
Herbal Therapy, is the practice of using herbs as healing agents.For thousands of years plants have demonstrated their efficacy as healing medicine.In fact, modern medicine has it’s roots in the use of herbs. Until about 50 years ago, nearly all the entries in phrmacopeias describing the manufacture of drugs indicated an herbal origin. Herbal Medicine recognizes that herbs can work on the whole being not just one specific system.
- I have been using herbal remedies in my practice for many years. I continue to educate myself through an herbal apprenticeship program and consultation with herbalists to provide up-to-date and safe recommendations to those I work with.
Psychotherapy is the use of psychological and mind-body methods, within the relationship of therapist/counselor and client (individual, family, couples, groups)
The term psychotherapy is derived from Ancient Greek, psyche meaning – breath, spirit, soul and therapeia meaning healing, medical treatment.There are over a thousand different psychotherapy techniques. some with minor variations, while others are based on widely different conceptions of psychology, techniques and delivery.
- My orientation as a therapist is to provide a safe, sacred space for the individual to do their work. I provide as much input/feedback, guidance as the person would like. I see myself as a partner with the person, present to what is revealed and open to where the client wants to journey. Having done my own therapeutic work, I am able to bear witness to the deep process of another. I offer my skills as a trauma therapist and mind-body practitioner to assist the individual to process pain, unhealed wounds and to move into authenticity and greater freedom.
- I have completed a five year trauma training with Pia Mellody ( www.piamellody.com) at The Meadows in Arizona. I have worked extensively with individuals who have experienced trauma in childhood and adulthood. In addition, my work often focuses on healing from co-dependency and the effects of addiction. My partner and I have developed a series of workshops and Intensives that address childhood wounding, co-dependency, love addiction and love avoidance.
EMDR: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an integrative psychotherapy approach that has been extensively researched and proven effective for the treatment of trauma. EMDR is a set of standardized protocols that incorporates elements from many different treatment approaches. To date, EMDR therapy has helped millions of people of all ages relieve many types of psychological stress.
EMDR seems to have a direct effect on the way that the brain processes information. Normal information processing is resumed, so following a successful EMDR session, a person no longer relives the images, sounds, and feelings when the event is brought to mind. You still remember what happened, but it is less upsetting. Many types of therapy have similar goals. However, EMDR appears to be similar to what occurs naturally during dreaming or REM (rapid eye movement) sleep.The bilateral movements used in EMDR can be eye, tapping on the body, or auditory. EMDR can be thought of as a physiologically based therapy that helps a person see disturbing material in a new and less distressing way.
EMDR has been proven helpful for phobias, pain syndromes, performance anxiety, stress and other conditions.
- I am an experienced Level 2 Certified EMDR clinician trained by Dr Laurel Parnell in 2006
- Visit drlauraparnell.com for more info.
Nutritional Counseling: Nutrition counseling is an ongoing process of working with an individual to assess his or her usual dietary intake and identify areas where change is needed. My area of focus is healthy eating for the Whole Body, specifically looking for areas of deficiency that may be impacting mental and emotional health, addressing the gut and digestion, and taking additional steps as needed— referral to nutritionist, lab work, working with herbs.
- As a Mind-Body Clinician I believe what we take in to our bodies is of outmost importance to how we feel and function. The connection between the gut and mental health has now been established in mainstream medicine. I have treated from this perspective since the inception of my practice in 2005.
Coaching: Coaching helps he client to achieve specific personal goals by providing training, guidance and support. I use the coaching model to help individuals with health and wellness goals, manage ADHD and meet personal life goals
- I have a graduate degree in education and have applied my experience to the field of coaching. I have studied and utilized the Model of Change Theory to assist people in all stages of change to move towards their goals. I have been an adjunct professor at The University of Rhode Island teaching students in both theoretical and didactic skills. Additionally, I have worked as a Certified Professional Trainer in the field of exercise, nutrition and wellness.
Stress Reduction Techniques: The use of non-pharmacological techniques to reduce stress includes a wide array of practices. I work with individuals to develop their own collection of on-hand tools to reduce stress and heal from the negative effects of cumulative stress. Some of these tools include: visualization, meditation , Emotional Freedom Technique, hypnotherapy, art therapy and breathing practices . I have compiled a wide array of online resources.
Reducing stress and learning how to truly relax is a priority of healing.
- Stress Reduction has been a cornerstone of my practice since I became a nurse 30 years ago. I have taught Lamaze and Childbirth classes to parents, held stress reduction workshops for college faculties, nursing students, new parents, teenage mothers, corporate executives and community groups.
- I have extensive training in many modalities of stress reduction including training in hypnotherapy, meditation, and mindfulness.