Ed Gibson
I'm a licensed addiction and mental health counselor that specializes in addiction. I offer depth- therapy best suited for clients tired of repeating the same old patterns/ addictions, having some success only to fall back and are ready to do deeper inner healing work to make their changes last.
Allow Life to Feel More Alive!
While I strive to meet clients where they are at, I offer more somatic based parts work, helping clients to be more accepting and less identified with painful or uncomfortable feelings that often lead self- sabotaging thinking.
First session
I usually keep the first session pretty laid back and easy going with the client, getting to know, get comfortable and build rapport with each other. Ideally, I will try to get an idea of someone's story and reasons for seeking treatment and understand at least 1 or 2 treatment goals that they would like to work with.
Strengths
My greatest strengths have to be my relationality with clients, ability to communicate psychological/ behavioral insights and adding humor in the midst of the deep we would be doing. My approach stands out, well, because it is unique to me. I offer what I refer to as Awareness Based Parts- Work, it follows a similar format to Internal Family Systems, but is more somatic or body- based. I believe in helping clients to have greater capacity for tolerating difficult emotions by helping client to be "unblended" or disidentified with emotions.
Ideal clients
Through my years as an addiction counselor, I have worked with clients of every race, background, income level, gender/ sexuality and political orientation. My ideal client is someone that is someone who has either been to therapy before or done a lot on their own with minimal success and is ready to heal core wounds of shame and unworthiness to find freedom from their addictive behaviors and in their life overall.
Treatment methods
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
I used a propriety modality I refer to as Awareness Based Parts Work that is similar in structure to Internal Family Systems and utilizes mindfulness to help client develop greater capacity for tolerating painful and uncomfortable emotions. Mindfulness can also lead to intellectual insight that can help clients heal from deeply entrenched identities and beliefs. Mindfulness is also a greater tool to help client develop their mental health like they might with their physical health.
Location
Virtual sessions