One type of anxiety that may need treatment is called separation anxiety. This includes:

• constant thoughts and fears about safety of self and parents
• refusing to go to school
• frequent stomachaches and other physical complaints
• extreme worries about sleeping away from home
• overly clingy
• panic or tantrums at times of separation from parents
• trouble sleeping or nightmares

Another type of anxiety (phobia) is when a child is afraid of specific things such as dogs, insects, or needles and these fears cause significant distress.

Some anxious children are afraid to meet or talk to new people. Children with this difficulty may have few friends outside the family.

Other children with severe anxiety may have:

• many worries about things before they happen
• constant worries or concern about school performance, friends, or sports
• repetitive thoughts or actions (obsessions)
• fears of embarrassment or making mistakes
• low self esteem

Anxious children are often overly tense or uptight. Some may seek a lot of reassurance, and their worries may interfere with activities. Because anxious children may also be quiet, compliant and eager to please, their difficulties may be missed. Parents should be alert to the signs of severe anxiety so they can intervene early to prevent complications. It is important not to discount a child’s fears.

If you are concerned that your child has difficulty with anxiety you may wish to consider contacting a Licensed Professional Counselor or other qualified mental health professional for assessment and therapy. Severe anxiety problems in children can be treated. Early treatment can prevent future difficulties, such as, loss of friendships, failure to reach social and academic potential, and feelings of low self-esteem. Treatments may include a combination of the following: individual psychotherapy, family therapy, medications, behavioral treatments, and consultation to the school. Therapy often recommended to treat anxiety in children is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT and  often when combined with appropriate medication, can alleviate the symtpoms, creating a more positive and hopeful life for the child.

If your child shows signs and symptoms as listed above, contact our practice at (843) 652-5532 or email the counselor at klfcounseling@gmail.com.

One out of every two marriages today ends in divorce and many divorcing families include children. Parents who are getting a divorce are frequently worried about the effect the divorce will have on their children. During this difficult period, parents may be preoccupied with their own problems, but continue to be the most important people in their children’s lives.

While parents may be devastated or relieved by the divorce, children are invariably frightened and confused by the threat to their security. Some parents feel so hurt or overwhelmed by the divorce that they may turn to the child for comfort or direction. Divorce can be misinterpreted by children unless parents tell them what is happening, how they are involved and not involved and what will happen to them.

Children often believe they have caused the conflict between their mother and father. Many children assume the responsibility for bringing their parents back together, sometimes by sacrificing themselves. Vulnerability to both physical and mental illnesses can originate in the traumatic loss of one or both parents through divorce. With care and attention, however, a family’s strengths can be mobilized during a divorce, and children can be helped to deal constructively with the resolution of parental conflict.

Talking to children about a divorce is difficult. The following tips can help both the child and parents with the challenge and stress of these conversations:

• Do not keep it a secret or wait until the last minute.
• Tell your child together.
• Keep things simple and straight-forward.
• Tell them the divorce is not their fault.
• Admit that this will be sad and upsetting for everyone.
• Reassure your child that you both still love them and will always be their parents.
• Do not discuss each other’s faults or problems with the child.

Parents should be alert to signs of distress in their child or children. Young children may react to divorce by becoming more aggressive and uncooperative or withdrawing. Older children may feel deep sadness and loss. Their schoolwork may suffer and behavior problems are common. As teenagers and adults, children of divorce can have trouble with their own relationships and experience problems with self-esteem.

Children will do best if they know that their mother and father will still be their parents and remain involved with them even though the marriage is ending and the parents won’t live together. Long custody disputes or pressure on a child to “choose” sides can be particularly harmful for the youngster and can add to the damage of the divorce. Research shows that children do best when parents can cooperate on behalf of the child.

Parents’ ongoing commitment to the child’s well-being is vital. If a child shows signs of distress, the family doctor or pediatrician can refer the parents to a mental health professional, such as a Licensed Professional Counselor, Psychologist, or Social Worker,  for evaluation and treatment. In addition, the mental health professional can meet with the parents to help them learn how to make the strain of the divorce easier on the entire family. Psychotherapy for the children of a divorce, and the divorcing parents, can be helpful.

If your child or children, or you know of a family member or friend who may be dealing with issues of divorce affecting their children, you may contact the office at (843) 652-5532 to discuss your situation with the counselor for determining whether the child or teen may been counseling.  You can also email Kathy L. Fortner, EdS, LPC, NCC at klfcounseling@gmail.com for inquiry.

Newsletter, blog posts, Facebook listings, and other items will be added, starting today, for information, guidance, and hopefully, education to promote an effort to reduce the stigma of seeking mental health counseling when needed.

Our May, 2012 newsletter, soon to be completed will be available as a Facebook link in the next few days.  If you wish, you can sign up for our newsletter which can be emailed to you.  Events in the practice this month will include groups being formed with focus on grief and loss, women’s group, self-esteem, with other areas being created for launching this Summer, 2012 such as Virtual Teleconference Groups on various topics, including Women’s Groups, Wellness, and more to be announced.

Just recently, the second Women’s Group held on the topic of Happiness, has a Skype call with Nationally known Psychiatrist who has expressed an interest in a type of future development of similar events in conjunction with other women who wish to attend during the Summer, 2012.  The groups are coming together for a reunion call with this special physician who will see how changes have occurred since her original call in 2010 and now with the new group members and “graduates” of the 2010 group. If you wish to be a part of the new groups forming, contact Kathy L. Fortner, EdS, LPC, NCC at klfcounseling@yahoo.com.

Our first topic for discussion focuses on Children and their mental wellness.  For today’s discussion, we will focus on Children and Divorce.  So often, children are involved in the divorce process which can be so challenging for them, particularly when caught between their parents.  They experience grief, anger, frustration, and depression due to what has happened to them, which of course, isn’t their fault or responsibility.

One out of every two marriages today ends in divorce and many divorcing families include children. Parents who are getting a divorce are frequently worried about the effect the divorce will have on their children. During this difficult period, parents may be preoccupied with their own problems, but continue to be the most important people in their children’s lives.

While parents may be devastated or relieved by the divorce, children are invariably frightened and confused by the threat to their security. Some parents feel so hurt or overwhelmed by the divorce that they may turn to the child for comfort or direction. Divorce can be misinterpreted by children unless parents tell them what is happening, how they are involved and not involved and what will happen to them.

Children often believe they have caused the conflict between their mother and father. Many children assume the responsibility for bringing their parents back together, sometimes by sacrificing themselves. Vulnerability to both physical and mental illnesses can originate in the traumatic loss of one or both parents through divorce. With care and attention, however, a family’s strengths can be mobilized during a divorce, and children can be helped to deal constructively with the resolution of parental conflict.

Talking to children about a divorce is difficult. The following tips can help both the child and parents with the challenge and stress of these conversations:

• Do not keep it a secret or wait until the last minute.
• Tell your child together.
• Keep things simple and straight-forward.
• Tell them the divorce is not their fault.
• Admit that this will be sad and upsetting for everyone.
• Reassure your child that you both still love them and will always be their parents.
• Do not discuss each other’s faults or problems with the child.

Parents should be alert to signs of distress in their child or children. Young children may react to divorce by becoming more aggressive and uncooperative or withdrawing. Older children may feel deep sadness and loss. Their schoolwork may suffer and behavior problems are common. As teenagers and adults, children of divorce can have trouble with their own relationships and experience problems with self-esteem.

Children will do best if they know that their mother and father will still be their parents and remain involved with them even though the marriage is ending and the parents won’t live together. Long custody disputes or pressure on a child to “choose” sides can be particularly harmful for the youngster and can add to the damage of the divorce. Research shows that children do best when parents can cooperate on behalf of the child.

Parents’ ongoing commitment to the child’s well-being is vital. If a child shows signs of distress, the family doctor or pediatrician can refer the parents to a child and adolescent psychiatrist for evaluation and treatment. In addition, the therapsit can meet with the parents to help them learn how to make the strain of the divorce easier on the entire family. Psychotherapy for the children of a divorce, and the divorcing parents, can be helpful.

If you, as a parent who has been involved with divorce, and have concerns regarding your child and their well being, contact the practice at KLFCounseling@yahoo.com or call (843) 652-5532 to schedule an appointment for your child.

Tomorrow’s blog will focus on Bullying,  a topic that affects many children and teens through various ways including texting, social media, and in-person school events.

Often Coaching services can provide just what is needed for exploring what may be needed using your personal strengths, knowledge, and experience that hasn’t been tapped into for determining what positively can occur. As a former Professional Business Manager and Director, I gained valuable experience through mentoring, coaching, and consulting to obtain insight into what skills I already possessed to make the necessary changes not only in myself, yet to provide positiveness in the areas where I worked.

Professionally, I have provided, through coaching while working with a client, a path to wellness they chose. The individuals were somewhat stuck in their life, uncertain of just how to make the necessary changes or where to look for the necessary tools needed for the change they needed or wanted to make. Through determining short and long term goals, checking out resources, having accountability not only to their coach, yet to others, and having a plan, my clients truly made wonderful strides in their wellness path, the relationships with spouses, co-workers, teens, or others changed, and a sense of balance and direction became evident. As a Patient Educator working in Medical Practices and being associated with various clinics, coaching in various areas was beneficial for the client.

Beginning March 1, 2012, Life, Personal, and Professional Coaching services will be available in the practice. Sessions are being scheduled now with me for work beginning in the next couple of weeks. I will be able to work with you in various areas toward reaching the goals and plans you so desire, your plans and desires. Sessions are contracted for periods of three months, six months, nine months or one year depending upon the needs of my client. Sessions are available by phone, in person, or via Skype with mid session check-ins should that be needed. Life and Personal Development Groups will be started in April, 2012 so check back to dates and times for one sessions seminars or multi-week groups involving coaching processes.

Coaching is not the same as mental health counseling. The differences are coaching is not related to a mental health disorder, counseling is a process of working with a mental health disorder that has been diagnosed. Coaching is a process where the client guides the process-their process whereas counseling is guided by the therapist and evidence based practices. Coaching sessions are set with the length of time determined upon by the client and their personal needs yet counseling sessions are determined by the insurance carrier, the EAP service provider, and the evidence based time frame set forth as guidances for wellness and change.

So, what changes are you wanting to make this year, when those resolutions for 2012 just haven’t kicked in just yet? What is holding you back? What has you “stuck” and unable to move forward? Do you need assistance in developing goals, learning to make positive plans, and gain insight to the strengths and potential that you, and you alone, possess? Do you need a wellness plan for reducing stress, managing your time, or to improve relationships?

You may call (843) 240-9446 to speak with me to schedule your free consultation, email me at klfcounseling@gmail.com or visit the new web area just for coaching at kathylfortnercoaching.com.

This month marks the end of Daylight Saving Time for much of the country. For some it means an extra hour of “shut-eye” while others will bemoan the fact that it’ll be dark outside by the time they leave work.  Either way, the transition from late autumn to winter can affect people’s mood, health and body clocks, as well as sleep patterns. In fact, this time of year and the expectation of long winter nights for some can lead to symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Symptoms of SAD are usually the same as with depression and may include

• Increased appetite with weight gain (weight loss is more common with other forms of depression)
• Increased sleep and daytime sleepiness (too little sleep is more common with other forms of depression)
• Less energy and ability to concentrate in the afternoon
• Loss of interest in work or other activities
• Slow, sluggish, lethargic movement
• Social withdrawal
• Unhappiness and irritability, grumpiness
• Crave more carbohydrates

According to another item in the Web MD web article on SAD, symptoms come and go at about the same time each year. For most people with SAD, symptoms start in September or October and end in April or May. As noted in a recent Web MD article, from 2010, Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is a type of depression that affects a person during the same season each year. If you get depressed in the winter but feel much better in spring and summer, you may have SAD.

Anyone can get SAD, but it is more common in:

People who live in areas where winter days are very short or there are big changes in the amount of daylight in different seasons.

Women.

People between the ages of 15 and 55. The risk of getting SAD for the first time goes down as you age.

People who have a close relative with SAD.

What causes SAD?

Experts are not sure what causes SAD, but they think it may be caused by a lack of sunlight. Lack of light may upset your sleep-wake cycle and other circadian rhythms. And it may cause problems with a brain chemical called serotonin that affects mood.

How is SAD diagnosed?

Further discussed in this informative Web MD article, it can sometimes be hard to tell the difference between nonseasonal depression and SAD, because many of the symptoms are the same. To diagnose SAD, your doctor will want to know if:

• You have been depressed during the same season and have gotten better when the seasons changed for at least 2 years in a row.
• You have symptoms that often occur with SAD, such as being very hungry (especially craving carbohydrates), gaining weight, and sleeping more than usual.
• A close relative-a parent, brother, or sister-has had SAD.

How is it treated?

Doctors often prescribe light therapy to treat SAD. There are two types of light therapy:

• Bright light treatment. For this treatment, you sit in front of a “light box” for half an hour or longer, usually in the morning.
• Dawn simulation. For this treatment, a dim light goes on in the morning while you sleep, and it gets brighter over time, like a sunrise.

Light therapy works well for most people with SAD, and it is easy to use. You may start to feel better within a week or so after you start light therapy. But you need to stick with it and use it every day until the season changes. If you don’t, your depression could come back.

Other treatments that may help include:

• Antidepressants. These medicines can improve the balance of brain chemicals that affect mood.
• Counseling. Some types of counseling, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, can help you learn more about SAD and how to manage your symptoms.

If your doctor prescribes antidepressants, be sure you take them the way you are told to. Do not stop taking them just because you feel better. This could cause side effects or make your depression worse. When you are ready to stop, your doctor can help you slowly reduce the dose to prevent problems.

You may feel better if you get regular exercise. Being active during the daytime, especially first thing in the morning, may help you have more energy and feel less depressed. Moderate exercise such as walking, riding a stationary bike, or swimming is a good way to get started.

Because your mental health is as important as your physical health, KLF Counseling and Consulting, PA and Wilcox Psychiatric Solutions provides 24/7, anonymous online self-assessments to check for symptoms of depression and other mood and anxiety disorders.  The screenings are available at:

http://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/screening/klfcounseling.

Take a step toward healthy living both by day and night and take a screening.  You will receive immediate, customized feedback as well as the opportunity to schedule an appointment for further evaluation if necessary.

Here are some resources that may help you get better sleep, learn more about depression, improved mental health,

Information about Getting Better Sleep

http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_publications_sleepless

Determine Your Personal Circadian Rhythm

http://www.cet-surveys.org/Dialogix/servlet/Dialogix?schedule=3&DIRECTIVE=

Sleep Hygiene Information

http://familymedicine.tufts.edu/pdf/Sleep-Hygiene.pdf

http://prtl.uhcl.edu/portal/page/portal/COS/Self_Help_and_Handouts/Files_and_Documents/Sleep%20Health.pdf

In a classroom of 30 children or youth, it is likely that at least two students are affected by ADHD. This surprisingly common condition makes it hard for children and youth to control their behavior (sit still, think before speaking or acting, etc.) and/or to pay attention. If left untreated, it can lead to school or job difficulties, depression, relationship problems, and substance abuse.

What Is ADHD?

There are three types of ADHD: the hyperactive-impulsive type, the inattentive type, and a type that is a combination of both. The severity of ADHD varies among children, even siblings, so no two children will have exactly the same symptoms. Also, you may hear that girls have lower rates and less severe cases of the disorder than boys. More research is needed on this subject, but girls may have lower rates of the hyperactive type. Signs of the hyperactive and inattentive types are as follows:

Hyperactive-Impulsive

• Feeling restless, often fidgeting with hands or feet, or squirming while seated;

• Running, climbing, or getting up in situations where sitting or quiet behavior is expected;

• Blurting out answers before hearing the whole question; and

• Having difficulty waiting in line or taking turns.

Inattentive

• May appear to not be listening or seems easily distracted by irrelevant sights and sounds;

• Often failing to pay attention to details, and making careless mistakes;

• Rarely following instructions carefully, and often losing or forgetting things like

toys, pencils, books, or other tools needed for a task; and

• Often skipping from one uncompleted activity to another. Experts believe that in some cases, heredity plays a role in whether or not a child has ADHD. Symptoms of ADHD are first seen in children before age 6 and may cause problems at home, at school, or in relationships. Sometimes, it is hard to tell if a child has ADHD because symptoms can be mistaken for typical childhood behaviors or other mental health issues, and ADHD often occurs at the same time that other conditions are present. Equally important are the roles that a family’s culture and language play in how causes and symptoms are perceived and then described to a mental health care provider. Misperceptions and misunderstandings can lead to delayed diagnoses, misdiagnoses, or no diagnoses—which are serious problems when a child needs help. That is why only qualified health care or mental health care providers can diagnose ADHD, and why it is important that supports be in place to bridge differences in language and culture.

What Happens After an ADHD Diagnosis?

If a qualified health care or mental health care provider has diagnosed your child with ADHD, he or she may suggest several different treatment options, including a combination of strategies for managing behaviors, medications, and talk therapy. Your child’s health care or mental health care provider may also suggest enrolling in a system of care, if one is available.

More information about ADHD, including common treatments, is available from your health care or mental health care providers. A list of resources on ADHD is on the back of this fact sheet.

What Is a System of Care?

A system of care is a coordinated network of community-based services and supports that are organized to meet the challenges of children and youth with serious mental health needs and their families. Families—as well as children and youth—work in partnership with public and private organizations so services and supports are effective, build on the strengths of individuals, and address each person’s cultural and linguistic needs. Specifically, a system of care can help by:

• Tailoring services to the unique needs of your child and family;

• Making services and supports available in your language and connecting you with professionals who respect your values and beliefs;

• Encouraging you and your child to play as much of a role in the design of a treatment plan as you want; and

• Providing services from within your community, whenever possible.

Are Systems of Care Effective?

National data collected for more than a decade support what families in systems of care have been saying: Systems of care work. Data from systems of care related to children and youth with ADHD reflect the following:

• Children and youth demonstrate improvement in emotional and behavioral functioning.

• Children and youth with ADHD have fewer contacts with the juvenile justice system after enrolling in a system of care.

• Children and youth with ADHD improve in school related tasks, such as paying attention in class, taking notes, and completing assignments on time.

This information has been provided by SAMSHA.gov

Below are some links to more information on ADHD

http://www.adhdawarenessweek.org/

Survey: Awareness Week

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ADHDAwarenessWeek2011

http://help4adhd.org/en/treatment/guides/keycomponents

Help for ADHD

http://help4adhd.org/documents/WWK7.pdf

Succeeding in College

http://www.help4adhd.org/documents/WWK13.pdf

Women and ADHD

http://www.help4adhd.org/documents/WWK19.pdf

Teens and ADHD

http://help4adhd.org/documents/WWK20A.pdf

Parents of Teens with ADHD

http://help4adhd.org/documents/WWK20B.pdf

The 8 week group will focus on individuals going through the divorce process. 

For further information, contact the practice by calling (843) 652-5532, option 5, leaving a message or email jhucks@klfcounseling.com.  

Space is limited, yet if there is enough demand, an additional evening will be added to meet the needs of the community.
The group will be led by Kathy L. Fortner, EdS, LPC, NCC.

Although depression is an illness that affects both men and women, depression can manifest itself differently among the sexes.  While women usually internalize distress and reach out for help, depressed men often act out and turn distress into aggression.

Men are also more likely to self-medicate by working excessively, abusing alcohol or drugs, and withdrawing from loved ones.  Often, men will experience depression without feeling sad, and are often less likely to ask for help, which makes it more difficult for doctors to diagnose.

Depression affects one in five women over the course of a lifetime, but can present different symptoms depending on her age.  Throughout a woman’s life, she will experience a range of emotional highs and lows trying to balance work, relationships and personal health.

KLF Counseling & Consulting, PA (Kathy L. Fortner, EdS, LPC, NCC) and Wilcox Psychiatric Services (Michael D. Wilcox, MD, PhD) is offering you the opportunity to take a screening for a variety of common mental health conditions, including a screening to take on behalf of your child.  The screenings are free, anonymous, and only take a few minutes.  To complete a screening please visit:  http://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/screening/klfcounseling.    

Results received after the screening, if positive, may need to be discussed and reviewed with a psychiatrist, primary care physician, pediatrician, or internal medicine specialist to determine the most appropriate care for you, your child, or family member.

Questions and Answers about Cognitive Therapy

By Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., Director of the Beck Institute

Q: What is cognitive therapy?
A: Cognitive therapy is one of the few forms of psychotherapy that has been scientifically tested and found to be effective in over three hundred clinical trials for many different disorders. In contrast to other forms of psychotherapy, cognitive therapy is usually more focused on the present, more time-limited, and more problem-solving oriented. Indeed, much of what the patient does is solve current problems. In addition, patients learn specific skills that they can use for the rest of their lives. These skills involve identifying distorted thinking, modifying beliefs, relating to others in different ways, and changing behaviors.

Q: What is the theory behind cognitive therapy?

A: Cognitive therapy is based on the cognitive model, which is, simply that the way we perceive situations influences how we feel emotionally. For example, one person reading this pamphlet might think, “Wow! This sounds good, it’s just what I’ve always been looking for!” and feels happy. Another person reading this information might think, “Well, this sounds good but I don’t think I can do it.” This person feels sad and discouraged. So it is not a situation which directly affects how a person feels emotionally, but rather, his or her thoughts in that situation. When people are in distress, they often do not think clearly and their thoughts are distorted in some way. Cognitive therapy helps people to identify their distressing thoughts and to evaluate how realistic the thoughts are. Then they learn to change their distorted thinking. When they think more realistically, they feel better. The emphasis is also consistently on solving problems and initiating behavioral change.

Q: What can I do to get ready for therapy?

A: An important first step is to set goals. Ask yourself, “How would I like to be different by the end of therapy?” Think specifically about changes you’d like to make at work, at home, in your relationships with family, friends, co-workers, and others. Think about what symptoms have been bothering you and which you’d like to decrease or eliminate. Think about other areas that would improve your life: pursuing spiritual/intellectual/cultural interests, increasing exercise, decreasing bad habits, learning new interpersonal skills, improving management skills at work or at home. The therapist will help you evaluate and refine these goals and help you determine which goals you might be able to work at on your own and which ones you might want to work on in therapy.

Q: What happens during a typical therapy session?

A: Even before your therapy session begins, your therapist may have you fill out certain forms to assess your mood. Depression, Anxiety and Hopelessness Inventories help give you and the therapist an objective way of assessing your progress. One of the first things your therapist will do in the therapy session is to determine how you’ve been feeling this week, compared to other weeks. This is what we call a mood check. The therapist will ask you what problem you’d like to put on the agenda for that session and what happened during the previous week that was important. Then the therapist will make a bridge between the previous therapy session and this week’s therapy session by asking you what seemed important that you discussed during the past session, what self-help assignments you were able to do during the week, and whether there is anything about the therapy that you would like to see changed.

Next, you and the therapist will discuss the problem or problems you put on the agenda and do a combination of problem-solving and assessing the accuracy of your thoughts and beliefs in that problematic situation. You will also learn new skills. You and the therapist will discuss how you can make best use of what you’ve learned during the session in the coming week and the therapist will summarize the important points of the session and ask you for feedback: what was helpful about the session, what was not, anything that bothered you, anything the therapist didn’t get right, anything you’d like to see changed. As you will see, both therapist and patient are quite active in this form of treatment.

Q: How long does therapy last?

A: Unless there are practical constraints, the decision about length of treatment is made cooperatively between therapist and patient. Often the therapist will have a rough idea after a session or two of how long it might take for you to reach the goals that you set at the first session. Some patients remain in therapy for just a brief time, six to eight sessions. Other patients who have had long-standing problems may choose to stay in therapy for many months. Initially, patients are seen once a week, unless they are in crisis. As soon as they are feeling better and seem ready to start tapering therapy, patient and therapist might agree to try therapy once every two weeks, then once every three weeks. This more gradual tapering of sessions allows you to practice the skills you’ve learned while still in therapy. Booster sessions are recommended three, six and twelve months after therapy has ended.

Q: What about medication?

A: Cognitive therapists, being both practical and collaborative, can discuss the advantages and disadvantages of medication with you. Many patients are treated without medication at all. Some disorders, however, respond better to a combination of medication and cognitive therapy. If you are on medication, or would like to be on medication, you might want to discuss with your therapist whether you should have a psychiatric consultation with a specialist (a psychopharmacologist) to ensure that you are on the right kind and dosage of medication. If you are not on medication and do not want to be on medication, you and your therapist might assess, after four to six weeks, how much you’ve progressed and determine whether you might want a psychiatric consultation at that time to obtain more information about medication.

Q: How can I make the best use of therapy?

A: One way is to ask your therapist how you might be able to supplement your psychotherapy with cognitive therapy readings, workbooks, client pamphlets, etc. A second way is to prepare carefully for each session, thinking about what you learned in the previous session and jotting down what you want to discuss in the next session.

A third way to maximize therapy is to make sure that you try to bring the therapy session into your everyday life. A good way of doing this is by taking notes at the end of each session or recording the session or a summary of the session on audiotape. Make sure that you and the therapist leave enough time in the therapy session to discuss what would be helpful for you to do during the coming week and try to predict what difficulties you might have in doing these assignments so your therapist can help you before you leave the session.

Q: How will I know if therapy is working?

A: Most patients notice a decrease in their symptoms within three to four weeks of therapy if they have been faithfully attending sessions and doing the suggested assignments between sessions on a daily basis. They also see the scores on their objective tests begin to drop within several weeks.

An additional note from our practice:

You can find Cognitive Behavioral Therapists by looking on Psychology Today, Web MD, or Google Search Engine.  Through these searches you may find a local therapist or counselor who can provide the therapy necessary for treating anxiety, depression, or other known disorders for which this has been found to be effective.