Services

Individual treatment is often termed as psychotherapy, and is meant to help people with their emotional issues, which can range in order of their severity or intensity. The main aim of this form of therapy is to change the quality of life by defining the path of life clearly, and bringing in more clarity. Whether it is the problem of repressed childhood that you are facing, or an emotional breakdown due to divorce, failure or loss of a loved one, a professional psychologist can help you revive your mental health through systematic counselling.

There are many emotional issues that find a corner in our heart, and refuse to die down. With time, these issues can transform into a sort of emotional tumor that impacts negatively on our daily life, such as lack of concentration, enthusiasm, self respect, will to change, encouragement, and so on. These issues can spiral into our lives in various ways and gets channelled into other zones, which can create problems in the relationships, professional life, and health. We address the root cause of the problem after carefully listening the patient.

Couples therapy is similar to family therapy but concentrates on the one-to-one relationship of the couple. Our Western culture teaches us that independence is of great value and that we should not need others to thrive. However, when couples practice “you and me” rather than on “us” in a committed relationship, the couple tends to have more of an emotional disconnection. Decision making can become difficult and lead to criticism, stonewalling, anger, & resentment. A secure attachment is a key component of this unity and building a firm foundation for trust. Then each person in the relationship has the confidence to use inner emotions and have the feelings received sensitively. Sometimes a couple needs help dealing with external trauma, betrayal, stress, or loss that affects the relationship in a negative way. Reconnecting together with a therapist can help this process tremendously.

Is Couples Therapy JUST​​ ​for married people?​​ No – often couples therapy is sought before the wedding during pre-marital counseling, in a committed dating relationship, or a couple that is cohabiting. Most couples might wait to call a counselor right before they call a lawyer, but the best time is when the couple first realizes there is a serious dysfunction in how issues are resolved or have difficulty connecting in grief, post-partum, or with an expected or unexpected life transition. As in family therapy, the ultimate goal is a realistic secure attachment leading to a better emotional connection between the two people. If you are a couple that is contemplating separation or divorce, one resource AP4M finds valuable is Transitions Divorce Prep. It is an invaluable workbook for those thinking about ending a marriage and those already in the middle of proceedings.

Family therapy is a form of counseling which specializes in treating family relationships. Our counselors can work with every combination of family relationship (whole families or couples, parents with children or individual members) to assist a family to function in more comfortable and useful ways. While most family therapists work alone with family members, others may work in pairs or a larger team of counselors.

Family Therapy Helpful When:

• There are unclear or conflicting rules, roles, and expectations
• There is a need for clearer, direct and more compassionate communication
• There is Intergenerational pain around grief, transition, and loss
• There are patterns of managing and resolving conflict
• There is a need for parenting styles, techniques, and helpful discipline
• There are Issues arising from the blending of families
• There is a need for relationship repair and a better emotional connection between and among family members

How Does Family Therapy Work?

Family systems theory proposes that we as individuals first learn about ourselves, our emotions and how to manage close relationships from the experience we have growing up in our family of origin. This personal experience influences how we tend to function in all other relationships we may have throughout our lives. As we come to better understand ourselves in our family emotional system, and work to heal our natural, anxious reactions to it, we can become more flexible in our marriages, our parenting, and our work and community relationships.

Group therapy is a collaborative effort in which the facilitator guides the process of the group allowing members to share their experiences, express their, feelings, ideas, and reactions as freely and honestly as possible. Such exploration gives the group the important information needed to understand and help one another. Members learn not only to understand themselves and their own issues but also to create empathic linkages.

Group sessions can be as small as three or four people up to ten individuals. Groups are facilitated weekly or monthly based on the topic. The practice utilizes an open group format to allow individuals to drop in every week, or as needed.

Workshops are facilitated by individuals with an expertise in a particular area. Workshops are used as a creative and collaborative space where individuals are focused on learning new information to enhance the quality of their life.