In this interview, Barbara Sheehan-Zeidler, MA, LPC, of Creative & Caring Counseling, and Sybil Cummin, MA, LPC, of Arvada Therapy Solutions and creator of Beyond Power and Control, discuss the ways in which Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) can benefit victims and survivors of Domestic Violence.
0 Comments
By Sybil Cummin, MA, LPC, ACS You have been working with a client for several months and feel completely frustrated and stuck. What the heck is going on? I’m not a bad therapist, am I? Nope, this client must be resistant to real change, right? Hmmm. As you are doubting yourself and your client’s motivations, you might be missing something much more basic. Something we learned in the early stages of our training to become mental health professionals. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs was developed in 1943 by Abraham Maslow and represents a shift in thinking about people’s motivation and psychology from a more “what is wrong with you, why can’t you reach your potential” to a more “what do you need to reach your potential.” His model can be seen as a pyramid (see the image below) where the most basic needs are seen in the bottom of the pyramid and the more complex or growth needs are pictured at the top. So, basically, we need to have our physiological needs met before we work our way up to improving our self-esteem and self-actualization (realizing our full individual potential). Do you remember this from one of those developmental classes or classes on theory? By Sybil Cummin, MA, LPC, ACS Does the term “Assessment” make you want to put your head down and take a snooze? Does it seem like assessment is something we HAVE to do just to CYA? I’m wondering if we can shift that perspective to provide our clients with the best care. As clinicians, assessment is one of the most important jobs we do for our clients. During the assessment process, we gather data, which then determines the level and severity of our clients’ presenting issues and guides our treatment planning and process. Remember that assessment is a dynamic and ongoing process. A process that does not end after your initial intake and creation of a treatment plan. This is especially true for those who are living in or are surviving domestic violence. |
AuthorSybil Cummin, MA, LPC, ACS Archives
February 2021
Categories
All
|