About Mary Emerson-Follick
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VirtualMy treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to assist clients in exploring how thoughts influence their feelings, which in turn affect their behaviors. The foundation of CBT is identifying, challenging, and reframing negative thoughts through evidence gathering and learning to replace distorted thoughts with more balanced, realistic ones. Some common goals include developing problem-solving skills, relaxation techniques, assertiveness training, setting SMART goals, and monitoring progress. Practicing new skills in everyday life is encouraged through creative experiments. CBT helps clients make meaningful changes that enhance their overall quality of life by exploring and understanding the interplay between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
I use DBT to emphasize the balance between acceptance and change. It recognizes that two seemingly contradictory things can be true simultaneously, such as accepting oneself while striving to improve. The four main components include mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness skills.
EMDR
Our brains are designed to make sense of experiences and integrate them in a way that supports our well-being. Sometimes, however, particularly intense or traumatic experiences can overwhelm this natural processing system. When an event is too distressing, or if we lack the necessary information or resources to make sense of it properly, the experience can get stuck in our memory. When a traumatic or disturbing experience isn’t processed effectively, parts of it can linger in our minds and bodies. These unresolved fragments can be triggered by reminders in our current life, leading to distressing emotions, thoughts, or physical sensations. I use EMDR in the office or telehealth to help clients address these stuck experiences by stimulating the brain’s natural processing system in a controlled, therapeutic setting.
Christian Counseling
I believe that it is crucial to meet clients where they are holistically with empathy and genuineness. For many, including myself, that includes the spiritual self. If you prioritize having a counselor who aligns with your Christian worldview please feel free to contact me so we can discuss before moving forward.