Treatment

My goal is to help change your maladaptive thinking patterns and improve your coping skills so you’re better equipped to deal with life’s stresses and conflicts. – Dr. Claudia Wells

CBT

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of psychological treatment which has been supported through research to be effective for a range of problems including depression, anxiety disorders, and severe mental illness. CBT treatment involves changing maladaptive patterns of thinking in order to change behavioral patterns and ultimately improve mood. CBT therapists emphasize what is going on in the person’s current life, in the here and now, rather than emphasizing on past experiences. A certain amount of information about one’s history is needed, but ultimately the focus is placed on the present and future.

Psychodynamic

Psychodynamic therapy is rooted in traditional psychoanalysis, and draws from object relations, ego psychology, and self psychology. There is substantial research that focuses on the effectiveness of psychodynamic therapy to treat a wide range of disorders. The focus lies on a person’s origins and formation of psychological processes. In relational therapy, the focus is on the interpersonal dynamics that one therapists help people gain insight into their lives and present-day problems. Similar to CBT, the focus is on identifying patterns people develop over time, and working to change those that are no longer helpful. Additionally, relational therapy is post-modern, and focuses on social factors, such as class, race, gender, and culture, and examines the power struggles and other issues that develop as a result of all these factors. There is also emphasis on the impact these factors have on the relationships in a person’s life.

Integrative

Integrative Therapy utilizes aspects of CBT and psychodynamic therapy as needed to best suit the individual and is a client-centered approach. It is a progressive form of therapy that combines tools from different methodologies to best tailor treatment to each individual client.

Autoimmune and Chronic Illness Counseling

An autoimmune disease is when one’s own body attacks itself due to a faulty immune system. There are various different types of autoimmune diseases. For many autoimmune diseases there are no cures and the treatments are challenging. In other words, while there are treatments available, managing the disease is no small feat. However, for all autoimmune diseases, being able to manage stress is known to improve quality of life, both physical and mental.

I have experience in autoimmune illness counseling for:

Crohn’s Disease
Ulcerative Colitis
Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis/Autoimmune Liver Disease
Celiac Disease
Graves’ Disease
Scleroderma
Psoriasis
Psoriatic Arthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Hashimoto’s Disease
Hidradenitis suppurativa
Lupus
Multiple Sclerosis
Type 1 Diabetes
Addison’s Disease

I also have experience in counseling these chronic health conditions:

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS)
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)

*EDS is not categorized as an autoimmune disease, but is a painful and chronic connective tissue disorder. Additionally, new evidence may be pointing to POTS being categorized as autoimmune. I’ve also worked with individuals that are blind and deaf. However, I am not fluent in ASL.

Articles

Helpful articles for those dealing with chronic illness and looking to know more.

“Five Things I Wish I’d Known Before My Chronic Illness.” New York Times 8 Feb. 2019

It is not uncommon that one individual may experience multiple conditions listed above.

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