Marriage & Family Therapist in Sacramento, CA

My goal in counseling is to provide a safe environment to discuss some of life's most painful issues without fear of judgment. I believe that the most important indicator of change is the counseling relationship.  Because of this I strive to form a trusting relationship with every client, and view the counseling relationship as one of partners in the healing process.  

I also believe that our relationship with God is a critical aspect of how we define ourselves.  I provide Christian Counseling for those interested.

Because every situation is unique, there are various types of therapy that I use to best assist in process of healing and restoration.

 

Individual Counseling
Many of my adult clients come seeking Individual counseling.  Depression, anxiety, trauma, negative self-concept, or addiction issues are examples of some of the issues treated in individual counseling sessions.  In many situations, I find that EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) can be a very useful tool for dealing with these types of issues.

Child/Teen Counseling
I see children as young as three years old, and teens of all ages.  I started out working with children, and the majority of my practice is working with children and teens.  I find that these different age groups have their own unique issues, and it's critical that they feel that their opinion counts.  Counseling with children and teens typically involves the parents or entire family at some point.

Couples Counseling
As we leave our families and start a new life with someone, many new challenges present themselves.  Learning to understand and communicate with our partner is critical to the success of any relationship.  I do Pre-Marital and marital counseling for those couples who find that their relationships aren't running as smoothly as they used to.  All too often, we see counseling as a "last option" after we've tried everything else.  As with a car, regular maintenance at the first sign of trouble is much less stressful (and less expensive) than waiting until the engine blows up and you're left stranded and alone.

Family Counseling
Much like couples counseling, family counseling can be helpful in restoring family relationships.  I believe that a critical part of the way we see ourselves is in relationship to others.  What affects them, affects us.  When we change, they are forced to change.  Individual, child/teen, and marital counseling can be beneficial because as we become healthier, our interactions with others become more healthy.  This can bring about change to entire family, but can also feel like walking against the wind since most problems are bigger than just one person.  Working with all members of a family to help bring about change ensures that each person's individual perspective is acknowledged and respected.  

Contact
If you are interested in scheduling an appointment, or would like more information about counseling and marriage and family therapy, please visit my website at www.aaronmft.com.  I am more than happy to help.

Anxiety affects our everything about us.  It affects how we feel, how we behave, can be spiritually exhausting, and can have very real physical symptoms. It can feel somewhat like fear, but we typically know what we're afraid of.  Anxiety can be frustrating because many times we do not know what is making us feel anxious. 

Anxiety has a huge range of symptoms.  Mild anxiety can produce a very vague and unsettling feeling, whereas moderate to severe anxiety can be extremely debilitating.   As well as feeling unsettled or worried, a person living with anxiety may experience some physical symptoms such as tense muscles, nausea, numbness in extremities, sweating or feeling flushed.

 

Anxiety is often triggered by stress in our lives. Some of us are more vulnerable to anxiety than others, but even those who become anxious easily can learn to manage it well. Many forms of treatment are available.  Your doctor can evaluate your physical health to rule out any physical issues.  He or she can also prescribe medications that help to reduce the symptoms of anxiety that you may be experiencing.  Additionally, psychologists and marriage and family therapists (counselors) can help you to learn skills for reducing the symptoms, and work to eliminate the root cause of the anxiety.

Anxiety can be exhausting and debilitating. Don't suffer alone for too long. If anxiety is taking a huge bite out of your life, contact your local therapist and your doctor.

So many people are seeking information and help with depression.  And yet, so much of what is written about depression is general and is written in "counselorese".

Lets be real.  When it comes down to it, depression sucks!

Depression feels like it is sucking the life out of you. Like a black hole, it leaves you feeling hollow, and hopeless.

It also sucks all energy from you.  Even if there seems to be no reason to be exhausted, people feel out of it, and find that they just dont have the energy to care.

Because of this, it's often difficult for those who are experiencing these symptoms to even make the attempt to seek help. 

If there is a part of you that is tired of being tired, a part that wants to feel hope again, contact me.  Help is available.

Many people who have lived through a traumatic experience find themselves struggling with disturbing emotions, frightening memories, or a hyper-awareness of possible danger that is relentless and ongoing.  Others feel disconnected from their lives and people around them.  They may even feel like they are separated from their bodies and watching themselves go through the motions.  They may feel numb, yet frightened, and unable to make connections with the people they interact with in life.

 

Many times, people who are dealing with the effects of trauma feel confused because they dont believe that they SHOULD be feeling traumatized.  It's very important to remember that while traumatic experiences often involve a threat to life or safety, any situation that leaves you feeling overwhelmed and alone can be traumatic, even if it doesn’t involve physical harm. It’s not the objective facts that determine whether an event is traumatic, but your subjective emotional experience of the event. The more frightened and helpless you feel, the more likely you are to be traumatized. 

The good news is that help is available, whether the trauma is recent or happened years ago.  Help is available whether the trauma was a single event, or on-going events over the course of a period of time.

One of the treatment methods that many have found to be very effective (including myself) is EMDR.  EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a form of therapy that is used to treat trauma and PTSD in people of all ages.  In my practice I have had successful results with children as young as 3 and adults as old as 82.  The success of EMDR is not based upon or limited by the age of the person seeking therapy.

One of the reasons EMDR is not limited by the age of the person seeking help is that it is not like most "talk-based" therapies.  While these styles of therapy definitely have their place, EMDR does not require that a person know how to talk about what is bothering them.  EMDR simulates the body's natural method of processing information to help "un-stick" the traumatic experiences and free the person from the triggers that cause them to re-experience the trauma.

For more information on EMDR, contact me or go to www.emdr.com