Michael Farjellah
Michael Farjellah
Welcome my friends. I’m a combat veteran and retired Army officer, a devout Christian, husband, father, grandfather, and experienced clinical psychologist. I want to get into the root causes of your battle and find ways to overcome, change, forgive, accept, and move upward toward the light. It may not seem like it, but the darkness will eventually lift, and the light will surely shine again. Life is a battle in the heart, and I humbly accept that I will be in my own battle or someone else’s battle for the rest of my life. Like the weather, our emotions are powerful. Many days the sun shines, but the rains do come and sometimes a destructive storm hits hard (divorce, the loss of a loved one, cancer, suicidal thoughts, et cetera). It's a battlefield. When it comes to the challenge of relationships, so often, it is ego (pride), self-esteem, and powerful emotions at the root of our conflicts. To understand these forces is the key to peace. Let's work through it! I have been honored to be in the field of psychology for 20 years since 2004. Through the years, more than half of my time was in the Army where I primarily worked with soldiers enduring anxiety, depression, trauma, Traumatic Brain Injury, and all the other usual suspects of psychological distress. It is time well spent to analyze our guilt, fear, worry, shame, pain, heartbreak, addiction, identity conflicts, and sorrow. I’ve also worked in the prisons for many years with some extreme situations (i.e., murder, severe mental illness, rape, child molestation, drug kingpins, gang leaders). So, no matter what your circumstances are, never quit and never give up! Survival is a noble plight!
Get to know me
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
I want to explore and target the underlying causes of your psychological distress which usually resides in relational problems, guilt, fear, worry, insult, shame, pain, heartbreak, addiction, identity conflicts, and sorrow. When we better understand the root cause of the pain, then we can begin the healing process, real change in thinking, feeling, and behaving, acceptance, and forgiveness. It's not easy, but people are often far more resilient than they realize. I've watched so many people adapt and overcome unbelievable circumstances - GRIT!
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
When I began in the field of psychology, I had a naive notion of what concepts like anxiety and depression were based on basic writings and personal experiences. Over the years of working with many beautiful human beings who were suffering in various ways I've learned much about the ways we all defend ourselves from pain, emotionally react to the world, and the long-suffering of addiction, self-abuse, and anger/contempt. Experience is the greatest teacher, and I try to help (pull, push, drag) the next one in line. Second, love for people and the ability to empathically appreciate what others are going through is essential. Who am I to judge? Over my years I have weaved many of my own traps, and have also endured loss, hate, injustice, selfishness and various other beatings, but through these battles (and the many battles I have witnessed) I endeavor to persevere, and try to help others with the same, and live life with passion and in the moment, one gifted moment at a time. Let's explore your beliefs!
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
I have had a broad experience in psychotherapy for 21 years. While in the military, I worked with mostly young adults struggling with neurotic reactions to stress such as anxiety, anger, and depression, but a lot of trauma and suicidality too. In the prison system, I worked with all the common elements of mental illness as well but also worked with severe mental illness such as psychosis and bipolarity and all colors of personality disorder. In addition, I have a particular interest in helping teenagers/young adults/couples with ego, identity, and self-esteem issues.
About Michael Farjellah
I identify as
Specialties
Serves ages
Accepts
Appointments
VirtualMy treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
CBT is a fundamental treatment method, but other valuable methods (e.g., psychoanalytic, existential/humanistic, and behavioral) can also be used to effect real change, acceptance, and resilience.
Psychoanalytic
I have a long history and fascination with psychoanalysis that allows one to explore the roots of our beliefs, emotions, and personality formation especially as related to early relationships, humiliations, traumas, and other insults to our ego and self-esteem.