Hi! I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in Georgia. I received my Masters from the University of Georgia and have been practicing for 25 years. I help adults and teens struggling with mental health symptoms, stress and trauma, relationship difficulties, or substance abuse. My initial goal is to thoroughly understand a patient's current life, history, and areas of concern. I then strive develop and implement an individualized plan for recovery and goal achievement based on the patient's needs and preferences.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
In our first session we discuss practical issues such as scheduling and payment. I normally ask for the name and number of an emergency contact and discuss when that would be used. And, of course, I make it a priority to answer any questions or concerns.
As I'm an online therapist, we discuss how and where sessions take place. For example, the importance of being in a quiet place with privacy and minimal distractions. I then begin the work understanding you as an individual. This can include discussing your living situation, work, health, significant relationships, etc. I will seek to understand your areas of concern or distress, such as symptoms, relationship issues, or environmental stresses. And as time allows, I will begin to develop a narrative of your life history and how it relates to your current challenges.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
I'm a highly experienced practitioner with a wide knowledge and skill base. I value being empathetic and non-judgmental. I strive to understand the interconnectedness of the details of a person's life and to provide guidance and information in a collaborative, respectful manner.
About B. Denise Pope
Appointments
Virtual
My treatment methods
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a type of psychotherapy that helps patients with a range of mental health conditions. ACT aims to help patients focus on the present moment and accept thoughts and feelings without judgment. It also helps patients build mindfulness processes to create a more flexible approach to psychological experiences. By accepting thoughts and feelings without judgement, patients can better discern how to respond based on the goals they want to accomplish.
ACT aims to help you move forward through difficult emotions so you can put your energy into healing. You'll pick up a collection of coping mechanisms specifically designed for your situation, which you can use on an ongoing basis to handle challenging experiences.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
CBT is based on several core principles, including:
Psychological problems are based, in part, on faulty or unhelpful ways of thinking.
Psychological problems are based, in part, on learned patterns of unhelpful behavior.
People suffering from psychological problems can learn better ways of coping with them, thereby relieving their symptoms and becoming more effective in their lives.
CBT treatment usually involves efforts to change thinking patterns. These strategies might include:
Learning to recognize one’s distortions in thinking that are creating problems, and then to reevaluate them in light of reality.
Gaining a better understanding of the behavior and motivation of others.
Using problem-solving skills to cope with difficult situations.
Learning to develop a greater sense of confidence in one’s own abilities.
CBT treatment also involves efforts to change behavioral patterns. These strategies might include:
Facing one’s fears instead of avoiding them.
Using role playing to prepare for potentially problematic interactions with others.
Learning to calm one’s mind and relax one’s body.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is often part of an intensive, in-person, program. An online therapist who provides individual psychotherapy may use "DBT informed" strategies to help patients address issues related to coping with intense emotions. The term “dialectical” means a synthesis or integration of opposites. The primary dialectic within DBT is between the seemingly opposite strategies of acceptance and change. For example, DBT therapists accept clients as they are while also acknowledging that they need to change to reach their goals. The four skills modules include two sets of acceptance-oriented skills (mindfulness and distress tolerance) and two sets of change-oriented skills (emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness).
Schema Therapy
Schema therapists help patients identify maladaptive patterns of behavior and develop strategies to replace them with healthier behaviors. Schema therapy can help to reduce emotional distress, improve relationships, increase self esteem, and improve daily functioning.
