Autumn Prior, LICSW
Traditional Psychotherapy
In traditional talk therapy sessions, we focus on identifying the automatic thought and behavior processes occurring in your life that create your current difficulties. I often utilize a combination of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Behavioral Modification Techniques, Assertiveness Training, Solution Focused Techniques, and Psychodynamic Techniques. Collaboratively, we work together to help you identify, challenge, and restructure unhelpful thoughts leading to behaviors and restructure them. We also examine behaviors to change in order to positively impact thoughts, and emotions. We also examine your relationship functioning, identify unhealthy patterns within relationships, and ways to improve communication.
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Talk therapy is a useful tool to address emotional challenges. For example, it may help you:
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Manage symptoms of mental illness or prevent a relapse
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Learn techniques for coping with stressful life situations
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Identify ways to manage emotions
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Resolve relationship conflicts and learn better ways to communicate
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Cope with grief or loss
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Overcome emotional trauma related to abuse or violence
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Cope with a medical illness or manage chronic physical symptoms
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EMDR Therapy
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy which maintains that our suffering is a result of disturbing memory networks. When one engages in EMDR psychotherapy, a treatment plan is created collaboratively in order to address current suffering through identifying memory networks that lead to this. Memories are then focused on while engaging in eye movements, tapping, or alternating sounds in a safe and controlled manner. This desensitizes and reprocesses these memories thus allowing us to see our past differently and more adaptively. The beautiful thing about EMDR, is that it allows your brain to resume a natural healing process - similar to that while you are sleeping.
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EMDR focuses on changing the emotions, thoughts or behaviors that result from a disturbing experience and doesn’t require talking in detail about a distressing issue. ​Remembering what happened to you will no longer feel like reliving it, and the related feelings will be much more manageable.
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EMDR therapy has been proven to be very effective in the treatment of PTSD, anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, grief/loss, and low self esteem. It can be used as a technique or as an all encompassing psychotherapy for faster and more complete healing. For more information about EMDR therapy, please check out this Youtube video from the EMDR International Association:
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