Hello! My name is Tohm Bakelas. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I have worked in various psychiatric hospitals since 2012. My passion in counseling is to create a relationship built on safety, trust, and hope, where people feel accepted and challenged to grow in new and meaningful ways. It is my belief that when partnering together we can bring about change.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
I believe therapy is most productive when it is supportive and casual, with a conversational tone and an open mind toward different strategies to approach challenges. The key is a collaborative approach between client and therapist. Please note: I offer lunchtime and evening hours.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
My counseling style is supportive, strength-based and rooted in direct inquiry. I believe in the dignity and worth of each person, and that the human spirit is quite resilient. As Kurt Vonnegut once boldly wrote, "It is hard to adapt to chaos, but it can be done. I am living proof of that: It can be done."
About Themistoklis Bakelas
Specializes in
Serves ages
Licensed in
Accepts
Appointments
VirtualMy treatment methods
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
Clients learn to stop avoiding, denying, and struggling with their inner emotions and, instead, accept that these deeper feelings are appropriate responses to certain situations that should not prevent them from moving forward in their lives.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
The therapist assists the client in identifying, testing the reality of, and correcting dysfunctional beliefs underlying his or her thinking. The therapist then helps the client modify those thoughts and the behaviors that flow from them. CBT is a structured collaboration between therapist and client.
Interpersonal
The therapist and client identify the issues and problems of interpersonal relationships. They also explore the client's life history to help recognize problem areas and then work toward ways to rectify them.
Motivational Interviewing
Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a method of therapy that works to engage the motivation of clients to change their behavior. Clients are encouraged to explore and confront their ambivalence. Therapists attempt to influence their clients to consider making changes, rather than nondirectively explore themselves.
Solution Focused Brief Treatment
The therapist focuses on what clients would like to achieve through therapy rather than on their troubles or mental health issues. The therapist will help the client envision a desirable future, and then map out the small and large changes necessary for the client to undergo to realize their vision. The therapist will seize on any successes the client experiences, to encourage them to build on their strengths rather than dwell on their problems or limitations.