INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING
your needs, at your pace
Go beyond venting on a couch. Discover the tools, the practices, and the small steps you can accomplish every day to overcome your personal struggles. Barbara offers a wealth of individual counseling options in a calming, stress-free environment.
anxiety
Anxiety Disorders, such asPanic Disorder, OCD, PTSD, Social Phobia, Specific Phobia and Generalized Anxiety Disorder, affect about 40 million American adults each year. Each has different symptoms but they are all characterized by excessive, irrational fear and dread, and they often last at least 6 months or longer if untreated.
The good news is that Anxiety Disorders are highly treatable. Using cognitive behavioral therapy, a well-established, highly effective and lasting treatment for anxiety disorders, Barbara focuses on identifying, understanding and changing dysfunctional thinking and behavior patterns. She empowers clients to be actively involved in their recovery, develop a sense of control and employ learned healthy coping skills.
depression
Depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the US, affecting an estimated 1 in 10 US adults. It is characterized by a severely depressed mood or activity level that persists 2 or more weeks. Symptoms can interfere with daily functioning, significantly impact social relationships and, for some, be debilitating. The causes of depression vary by person but, most likely include a combination of genetic, biological, environmental and psychological factors.
Barbara helps clients to restructure negative thought patterns into more positive and realistic interpretations of their environment and social interactions as well as change behaviors that may be making their depression worse. The interpersonal piece of the therapy helps clients explore troubled relationships to understand how those relationships may be contributing to their depression, then develop healthy coping mechanisms for managing those relationships.
sports psychology
Barbara was a professional figure skater for over 10 years. After retiring from skating she trained in sport psychology at Boston University’s graduate sport psychology program under the tutelage of Dr. Len Zaichkowsky, a renowned expert on sport psychology and most recently, director of sport science of the Vancouver Canucks (NHL).
Barbara uses sport psychological techniques such as goal-setting, self-talk, exploring extrinsic and intrinsic motivators, attentional focus work, arousal regulation and imagery to help athletes and coaches improve athletic performance and motivation. Barbara also works with non-athletes to increase motivation to exercise and enhance well-being throughout their entire lifespan.
performance anxiety
Barbara has a profound understanding of the psychological rigors involved in having to perform under pressure. Barbara also spent 4 years counseling musicians on performance psychological techniques at the Berklee College of Music. Barbara specializes in working with athletes, actors, musicians, public speakers and other business professionals who experience intense anxiety in their performance or professional demands. Barbara employs cognitive behavioral techniques to help clients learn skills to reduce or manage their fears and break the cycle of avoidance so they can perform at an optimal level.
career/life transitions
Transitions can be stressful whether it is a change in relationship, job, school, physical health or place of residency. The journey through transitions can be a time of disequilibrium and disruption. People can experience a wide range of emotions that are both positive and/or negative such as uncertainty, confusion, anger, happiness, excitement, ambivalence and anxiety.
Barbara helps clients to explore their feelings and navigate their new responsibilities as well as their losses from leaving a familiar role or environment.
grief counseling
Grief is a reaction to loss whether it be the death of a loved one, a divorce or the loss of employment. People experience grief when they lose a significant form of attachment. After experiencing a loss people often feel a wide range of emotions. They can feel disorganized, tired, have difficulty concentrating, sleeping and maintaining normal eating habits. People can lose their ability to cope and feel debilitated in their daily functions.
Barbara helps people who have been disabled by their grief and overwhelmed loss. She aims to facilitate a process of resolution by creating a safe place for healing and feelings to be expressed. The work focuses on helping people develop healthy coping strategies to deal with the imminent changes in their lives and find a sense of peace.
