I am a Licensed Psychologist in the state of Tennessee. I currently work full-time in a primary care medical clinic, and am doing part-time work with Grow Therapy on evenings and weekends. As a Primary Care Psychologist, I am very used to finding ways to be helpful with a very wide range of problems. I have much practice contextualing problems, and identifying mechanisms that maintain things—said differently, I look at each problem through the lens of the person’s life context (which includes many things both current and historical) and then observe how things work underneath the hood. I do this all day, every day, and it is second nature.
*for a more personable view of my practice, see https://www.ferrandpsych.com/
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
During the first visit, we will identify your goals for this consultation. Once that is clear, I will ask a series of focused questions that will allow you to paint a portrait of your experience. You can expect that I will listen closely, and pay close attention. You can expect that I will reflect back to you what I have heard to make sure I have understood you accurately. The interview often illuminates the problem you come in with and makes clear different targets (or focal points) that we could focus treatment on. We will then work on developing a plan. Typically I will provide a menu of options and recommendations, and then get your input on the course you would like to take.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
I have the ability to listen very deeply (beneath the narrative/story/words said), in order to catch and identify the underlying processes that potentially maintain and worsen the problem(s) we are working on together. I see patients most days of the week, and usually only get 30 minutes for visits in a medical setting. So I am well-practiced at making that time count, and am absolutely determined that our work NOT be superficial, so I have become good at catching central processes quickly (key factors that may be amplifying the problem).
*to learn more about my practice, please see ferrandpsych.com
About Christopher Ferrand
Address
4646 Poplar Ave suite 435, Memphis, TN 38117, USAAppointments
Virtual & in-person
My treatment methods
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
The heart of this work is to:
-You will learn how to feel, particularly at times when feelings cannot be avoided, and when avoiding feelings makes them worse.
-To develop flexibility in your thinking, and to develop "cognitive flexibility." We will focus on what you are telling yourself and what you believe. You will learn to pause and notice your mind thinking, and then make a choice based on the advice you notice. You will get some distance between you as the thinker, and the thought you are having
-Here and now awareness. To enhance conscious awareness so you can be present to things that matter to you . Also, to promote here and now awareness that enhances your ability to notice when you are not present to things that matter and to make choices rather than do do things on autopilot or reactively.
-To develop a healthy sense of self that is not defined by what happened to you. You will become more aware of stories you tell yourself about you and what you are/are not capable of
-To know what matters. To become very clear on what matters to you, and make treatment in service to those things.
-To do what matters. To actively engage and participate in life even if feelings are present. Many times suffering causes people to "check out of life” and wait to start living again until they feel better. This therapy challenges you to "act your way into feeling better," and empowers you with skills to do so.
The goal of ACT is to develop psychological flexibility, which has been defined as “the ability to pursue valued life aims despite the presence of distress”(Kashdan & Rottenberg, 2010).
Through this work you can expect:
To be empowered: You will learn how to actively cope with stressful events, difficult thoughts, unpleasant emotions, and painful memories.
To be actively engaged: You will learn how to live fully and freely (even if thoughts, feelings, and memories show up). You will learn how to approach, rather than avoid, and have the skills to do so.
To be inspired: Your efforts will be connected to a very strong "why" to inspire you to do hard things.
To become more aware: You will learn to become more present to who and what matters most to you in the here and now. You will learn to be present not just to the sweet moments in life, but learn to appreciate and find life and vitality in the sweet and the sad. You will learn to make choices, consciously.
To learn to treat yourself with self compassion. This means addressing the stories you tell yourself about who you are and what you are capable of, how you talk to yourself, whether or not you are able to forgive yourself for choices made or not made, learn the lessons you are to learn, and practice self-compassion.
To communicate effectively in the areas of your life that matter, especially when strong emotions are present.
And more... (depending on your context)
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
I have been trained in DBT, and regularly incorporate DBT into practice when it fits your presenting problem
Faith based therapy
I am a very spiritual person, and can easily integrate this into our work if this is important to you. If it is not important to you, that is absolutely okay. I will take your lead on this. Also, I can handle when people “use French” (meaning have a foul mouth in session)!
Somatic
When fitting for your treatment plan, I can easily integrate non-verbal interventions as "bottom-up" interventions
