Hello, I am Dr. Walter Calvo and I have two questions for you. Are you interested in learning why you think and feel the way you do? How about learning why you choose to do the things that you do? I can help you learn coping skills to address common life challenges such as adjusting to change, managing conflict, reducing stress, improving relationships, and coping with grief. Equally important, I can help you process your emotional responses to distressing life circumstances. I also provide psychotherapy to address acute trauma, post-traumatic stress, anxiety and depression. My experience in this area comes from working with active-duty military, veterans, and first responders such as law enforcement, firefighters, emergency medical responders and their families. Gaining insight into why you think and feel the way you do is empowering. It will put you on a path to becoming the best version of yourself. If you are interested in any of that, let's talk!
The first session will be an opportunity for us to learn a little about each other. We will talk about your concerns and expectations for participating in therapy. Together we will clarify treatment objectives to ensure your treatment plan will address the topics that are most important to you. The session will proceed at your comfort level.
My strengths come from experience (knowledge and skills) honed over a 20+ year career as a psychotherapist and Air Force behavior science officer.
Much of my practice has focused on serving active-duty military, veterans, and first responders including law enforcement, firefighters, emergency medical responders, and their families. The emphasis of treatment tended to focus on acute trauma, post-traumatic stress, anxiety and depression.
Integrative therapy is a flexible, individualized approach that combines techniques from various therapeutic schools of thought to create a unique treatment plan tailored to the client's specific needs and circumstances. Here's a more detailed explanation: Holistic and Personalized: Integrative therapy views individuals as a whole, considering their mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. It aims to address the underlying causes of problems rather than just the symptoms. Flexibility and Adaptability: Unlike therapies that adhere to a single model, integrative therapy allows therapists to draw upon different techniques and approaches to best suit the client's needs and preferences. Collaboration and Partnership: Integrative therapy emphasizes a strong therapeutic relationship built on trust and collaboration, where the client actively participates in the process of understanding and addressing their issues. Evidence-Based: Integrative therapists utilize evidence-based techniques and approaches, ensuring that the treatment is effective and grounded in scientific research. Potential Benefits: Integrative therapy can be helpful for a wide range of issues, including anxiety, depression, trauma, stress, and substance use disorders. Different Approaches: Integrative therapy can be achieved through different approaches, including theoretical integration (using a primary model and incorporating others), technical eclecticism (selecting techniques from various schools), assimilative integration (using one approach as a base and adding others), and the common factor approach (focusing on shared elements across different therapies).
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on changing negative thoughts and behaviors to improve mental health. Principles of CBT: Thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected: CBT recognizes that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors influence each other. Negative thoughts can lead to negative feelings and behaviors: CBT aims to identify and challenge negative thoughts that contribute to mental health problems. People can learn to change their thoughts and behaviors: CBT provides strategies for changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and developing healthier coping mechanisms. How CBT Works: Identifying negative thoughts and behaviors: The therapist helps the client identify negative thoughts and behaviors that are causing distress. Challenging negative thoughts: CBT encourages the client to challenge the validity of their negative thoughts and replace them with more realistic and helpful ones. Developing coping skills: The therapist teaches the client coping skills, such as relaxation techniques, problem-solving strategies, and assertiveness training. Practicing new skills: CBT emphasizes the importance of practicing new skills in real-life situations to reinforce positive changes. Benefits of CBT: Evidence-based: CBT has been shown to be effective for a wide range of mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Goal-oriented: CBT is a structured and goal-oriented therapy that focuses on helping the client achieve specific improvements in their mental health. Empowering: CBT empowers the client to take an active role in their own recovery by identifying and changing their unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. Limitations of CBT: Not suitable for everyone: CBT may not be appropriate for clients who have severe cognitive impairments or who are unwilling to engage in therapy. Requires client participation: CBT requires the client to actively participate in the process and practice the skills they learn. May not be effective for all mental health conditions: CBT may not be as effective for certain mental health conditions, such as psychosis or severe trauma.