Karla Drake LCSW

Welcome

Thanks so much for taking the time to visit my site.

So you might be curious about what Holistic Psychotherapy and Wellness means.

Holistic Psychotherapy strives to help people heal emotional and behavioral health issues within the context of the mind, body, spirit and how you interact in your environment using sound therapeutic interventions.

Wellness is used to refer to balance among those areas.  Balance does not mean stress free because life is simply not stress free. Balance does means that you are handling your stress well. This is what I will help you achieve.

Spirit includes, but is not limited to, specific practices (meditation, spiritual, prayer) and/or the beliefs you hold that guide how you live your life. All are welcome.

Within the first few sessions we will talk about

• The Problem
• Sleep
• Diet
• Hydration
• Activity level
• Relationships
• Spiritual practices (all are welcome or you may subscribe to none)
• Purpose

When someone sits in front of me the context that use to develop goals for treatment encompasses the mind and the body. We cannot be impacted in one area without it influencing the other. My education and ongoing training in psychotherapy and health coaching helps me to help you.

My Approach to Healing

I believe in the potential of people to heal and have the life that they deserve. I get inspired by the transformation that I have witnessed when helping people heal their past and restore balance back to their day to day lives.

Because isn’t that all that matters? Being satisfied and enjoying each day, each moment without being hijacked by emotion or overwhelmed by thoughts feelings and sensations related to past negative life experiences?

Because of the nature of therapy and information that we will be discussing you must feel a sense of safety and acceptance. I strive to have a space where you can feel heard and express yourself without judgement. I believe that therapy can be a collaborative experience where together we will reach your goals for healing and wellness.

My approach to therapy is based on science and research, informed by a holistic approach that considers your issues within the context of the mind, body, spirit and environment.

I have specialized training and years of experience in  Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Gestalt Therapy and Neurofeedback Therapy. I use these therapeutic models within a strengths based approach that capitalizes upon what you are doing well, supplemented with Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and a personality model called the Enneagram.  I am also currently studying to become a Certified Health Coach which also informs how I serve people.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

EMDR is a psychotherapy practice that helps people heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are a result of disturbing life experiences. The focus is on how those past events are influencing the person in present day.

According to the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model that guides EMDR psychotherapy when an individual has been confronted with a disturbing life experience the images, emotions, thoughts and body sensations associated with the original experience may automatically arise and inappropriately color our perceptions and negatively influence our reactions in present day situations.

EMDR assists the client in transforming disturbing life experiences using an 8 phase protocol that requires very little speaking during the session and no homework. The result is elimination of the symptoms and emotional distress.

Gestalt Therapy

Gestalt therapy is a holistic approach that focus on the relationship between person and their environment while heightening the experience of the here and now. The focus is on increasing awareness and acceptance of the present moment and what you notice right now. This experience is referred to as “leaning in” or paying attention to thoughts, feelings and sensations that come up in the moment, without judgement. Additionally when we surrender to the moment instead of brace against it often you will experience moving through the pain and discomfort and find relief.  When we brace against our discomfort and pain we risk staying stuck in the experience. Leaning in to an experience we move through it to the end while gaining insight that leads to acceptance.

The therapist is also focused on the here and now, refraining from interpretation instead being curious about the experience of the individual and may ask questions. The therapist also pays attention to and may report out their own experience of the moment as well. This represents contact between client and therapist and demonstrates how healthy connections are made which support growth and healing.

Gestalt therapy focuses on helping people learn to become more self-aware and to accept and trust in their feelings and experiences to alleviate distress.

Neurofeedback

Research in the field of psychotherapy is emphasizing the connection between the brain and behavior.  Biofeedback and EEG Biofeedback (aka Neurofeedback) are tools that directly address that connection.  All are used to enhance a client’s capacity for self-regulation and to enhance participation in individual and family therapy.

EEG Biofeedback also known as Neurofeedback is a form of biofeedback that specifically monitors brainwave activity in an effort to improve brain regulation.  Using computerized feedback via sensors attached to the scalp and ear(s), the brain learns to increase certain brainwaves or decrease excessive fast or slow brainwaves that interfere with optimal functioning.  Using a video game, the brain is rewarded for desired frequencies while receiving no reward for increased or decreased activity at the other frequencies.

The goal of Neurofeedback is to calm and stabilize brainwave activity enabling the client to acquire skills necessary for self-regulation of intense emotions and behavior.  This skill can then be generalized to the school, work, home and community setting.