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1 therapist available in Wyomissing
As a provider and receiver of therapy, I recognize that asking for help is the hardest and bravest thing many of us will ever do i...
About
As a provider and receiver of therapy, I recognize that asking for help is the hardest and bravest thing many of us will ever do in our lives.
Lauren Shaak is a Licensed Professional Counselor with 4 years of experience helping adolescents, adults, and seniors manage anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, addiction, stress, and self-esteem challenges. She offers individual, couples, and family counseling to clients who are open, motivated, and ready to change their lives for the better. Lauren believes treatment should invite discussion of diverse issues, needs, and goals, and that a positive dynamic between therapist and client is key. The ability to connect with all clients is at the heart of her philosophy of care.
Lauren has a Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling from Alvernia University. She utilizes a variety of approaches including acceptance and commitment therapy, existential therapy, culturally sensitive therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and narrative therapy.
Starting therapy can be daunting, but the healing journey doesn’t have to be scary. Lauren offers a space to be seen, heard, and validated at a time when feelings of fear and vulnerability may be at their peak. Please consider the benefits of beginning a healing, therapeutic journey with a counselor who can offer support, empathy, and perspective.
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My go to approach for helping people in family therapy is Structural Family Therapy. I find the best benefit in SFT because it considers the structure of the family and improves relationships among family members.
I teach the following tools in family therapy:
I know a client is making meaningful progress in family therapy when the family has shown improvement with their ability to maintain effective rules and limits, enhanced relationships among all members, respectful interactions with one another, and effective communication with one another.
Client can supplement their time in family therapy with the parents working together to establish rules, expectations, rewards, and consequences. The parents can increase their appropriate involvement in their children's lives by taking active roles in their education, recreational activities, and family activities. The children can increase their acceptance of and follow through with responsibilities and expectations. The family, as a whole, can increase their communication of feelings and needs, which includes the use of active listening.
To prepare for their first family therapy session an individual can reflect upon the goals that they would like to achieve, how they contribute to the dysfunction, and how they can assist the family with reaching their goals.
Family therapy helps families resolve conflicts and strengthen their relationships. It is led by qualified mental health professionals like psychologists, licensed professional counselors (LPCs), and licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) who have extensive training in family dynamics and group communication.
Thriveworks family therapists in Wyomissing, PA usually begin by asking what everyone’s goals are for family counseling. Family members may need help with very specific issues or with general relationship functioning. But there are three main purposes in family counseling: to educate, to counsel, and to strengthen. Thriveworks also offers online family therapy and in-person services, so you may all meet in an office together or join a video call from your home depending on everyone’s location and availability.
The most effective form of Family therapy will often depend on the family itself, as there are many types of family therapy for therapists to use as they see fit in order to best meet the needs of their clients. However, one of the most commonly used types of family therapy is structural family therapy (SFT). SFT focuses specifically on family dynamics and interactions, looking at how they shape the relationships and structure present in the family. It can be effectively used to treat a variety of concerns.
This answer often looks different to each family that starts family therapy. However, some signs that your family might need to consider family counseling include frequent fights or misunderstandings, constant tension, experiencing loss, behavioral issues, marital issues, divorce, and blended family issues, among others.
In family therapy, therapists will often start by asking questions and assessing individual and family dynamics. From there, they may employ therapeutic techniques such as structured family therapy, CBT, strategic family therapy, and more depending on the present concerns and conflicts. From there, a therapist will work to open lines of communication between family members and facilitate emotional healing and growth.
Family therapy can be incredibly successful, with some studies reporting a success rate of almost 90% for improving participants’ emotional and mental health, and around 66% for improving their physical health.
Thriveworks therapists in Wyomissing, PA offer both online family therapy and in-person family therapy. We encourage you to choose the option that works best for you.
Family therapy is usually short term and solution-focused, with most families accomplishing their goals in 12 sessions or fewer. However, it can also last for longer if the probles at hand are more complex — and that’s okay, too.
There are many reasons that your family may need therapy. Some of the things that families come to counseling for and that Thriveworks can help your family with include:
At Thriveworks-Wyomissing a family counselor will sit down with you and your family and listen to your concerns. They will help you identify and understand where the problems are stemming from, help you decide the best way to approach the issue, and provide solutions to help your family get back on the right track.
Overall they will help your family to have healthier communication, resolve conflict, and listen to each other more effectively.
Our counselors at Thriveworks-Wyomissing are trained in family therapy and use various structural and systemic techniques.
It is not just an “individual” problem, but a “family” problem. Let us help your family get back into the harmony it deserves.
Call a Thrivework-Wyomissing family counselor. Let us help your family—simply give us a call or go online to get started.
Includes individual, couples, child/ teen, & family therapy
Includes reducing symptoms with medication & management
Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Wyomissing is located next to Berkshire Heights Playground on 4 Park Plaza, off of N 6th St. We’re near Park Plaza Office Center, and we share a building with John Keiser, Weikel Realty Group, and Spherion.
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