Olushola Abiodun Lawal was born and raised in South Florida. He is an alumnus of Florida State University. Shola, as his friends call him, graduated from FSU with his Bachelor's of Social Work in 2013 and again with his Master's of Social Work in 2015. While a student at FSU, Shola gained an interest in the field of substance abuse, child welfare, and mental health disorders/ life coaching.
As a Licensed Clinical social worker in the state of Florida, Shola has insight and understanding of the different criteria and appropriate diagnosis for an array of mental health disorders. Shola has over 5 years of experience as a Primary Therapist, case manager, and clinical care coordinator.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
In our first session together, I will focus on building rapport with he client and identifying the problem area. Once the client and myself have identified the clients underlying issue, a treatment plan will be created. The client and the writer will agree on an ultimate goal, smaller objectives , and session interventions that will see keep all session on track for growth and progression.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
Olushola has been working with mental health and substance abuse clients for 8 years and has developed an effective method of creating change. The ingredients to this method of change are self-sufficiency, self-actualization, self-awareness, self-determination, and self-discipline
About Olushola A. Lawal
Address
805 E Broward Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301, USAAppointments
Free consults, virtual & in-person
My treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
CBT is a type of behavioral therapy in which behavioral change occurs by learning to modify dysfunctional thought patterns. Once a client understands the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, they are able to modify or change the patterns of thinking to cope with stressors in a more helpful way. The change in thoughts causes a positive shift in emotions, and the change in emotions causes a change in the problematic behaviors.
Psychodynamic
Change occurs through insight and understanding of early, unresolved issues.
● A belief that psychopathology develops especially from early childhood experiences.
● Understanding the influence of the past on current behavior.
● Explore client’s transference in session.
● Identify defense mechanisms.
● Non-directive, open-ended sessions that can be based on free association.
● Good for high functioning people capable of insight.
● Can be used for relationship problems for high functioning, introspective individuals.
Solution Focused Brief Treatment
Brief, goal-directed therapy focused on a client’s strengths and resources.
● Focuses on what the client wants to achieve instead of focusing on the problem(s).
● Focuses on the client’s strengths and resources to create a more effective future.
● Beginning: Join with the client; Envision preferred future; Begin to identify the client’s strengths; Use solution-oriented language; Come up with achievable goals.
● Middle: Continue identifying strengths, resources and traits the client has already used to deal with problems in the past; Utilize solution-talk; Identify exceptions to problems;
Utilize scaling questions to reflect on the nature of change the client has experienced; Feedback to the client that includes highlighting small changes and assigning tasks;
Cheerleading change along the way.
● End: Assist the client in identifying things they can do to continue the changes they have made; Identify hurdles or perceived barriers that could get in the way of maintaining the changes they made.
Structural Family Therapy
Change occurs through remodeling the family’s organization (structure).
● Joining is the first task of a structural family therapist. It involves blending in with the family and adapting to the family’s affect, style, and language.
● Many family problems arise as a result of maladaptive boundaries and subsystems within the family system. The therapist helps the family understand how the family
structure (relationships, alliances, and hierarchies) can be changed, the impact of rituals and rules, and how new patterns of interaction can be integrated into the family.
● Enmeshed Boundaries: Family members are overly dependent and too closely involved and reactive to other family members. Enmeshed families experience higher incidence of incest.
● Disengaged Boundaries: Family members are disconnected and isolated from each other. Disengaged families have a greater prevalence of substance abuse.
● Structural Family Therapy can be good for families with conflict between inlaws, parents,
spouses, and/or siblings..
● Family Map: A tool the therapist uses to depict the relationship dynamics in the family including sub-systems, alliances, coalitions, and boundaries. The therapist uses this tool to conceptualize the case outside of the actual therapy session. It is not used or shared with the family.
