Hi, I'm a licensed Clinical Social Worker, based in Lexington, Kentucky. I work with clients who struggle with a variety of mental health issues, ranging from trauma and PTSD to depression and anxiety. I truly believe that there is no one size fits all approach to therapy and each client is unique. Therefore, I've worked diligently to continue my education regarding differing treatment approaches so I can meet the client's individual needs.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
In our first session, I'll complete an intake, which includes the presenting problem, a mental status assessment, and information about your background like family history, education, etc. Once this is completed, we'll dive into your treatment plan. This should be a collaborative process, as the client is the one who has to do the work. They should have a say in which issues should first be addressed.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
I am a structured, problem focused therapist who uses client's strengths to help them progress in session. Since the client is paying me for a service, I want to ensure they feel they are improving. I've successfully treated clients with mental health issues ranging from personality disorders to PTSD, and I've seen great success. This may have to do with my belief that communication is key to building and maintaining a rapport. After each session, I always ask the client what they learned or took away from our interaction, which helps me glean whether they are progressing. To ensure best practices, I am always looking for new ways to help my clients through continuing education.
About Andrea Franco-Cook
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VirtualMy treatment methods
EMDR
I've used Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy in my practice, and it has helped dozens of clients process unresolved memories relating to traumatic experiences. I've also used this therapy approach to help clients overcome addictions, anxiety, OCD and other mental health conditions. So how does this work? Often when something bad happens, the memory seems to get locked in the brain with the original picture, sounds, thoughts feelings and so on. Since the experience is locked in there, the client continues to be triggered whenever a reminder arises. This can be the basis for a lot of discomfort and sometimes, many negative emotions such as anxiety, panic, depression, fear and helplessness that we can't seem to control. These are really the emotions connected with the old experience that are being triggered. The eye movements I apply in EMDR seem to unlock the system, which allows the brain to process the experience. This may be what happens in REM, or rapid eye movement sleep, when our most intense dreaming takes place. The eye movements appear to be involved in processing the unconscious material so it can be fully processed. The important thing to remember is that it is your own brain that will be doing the healing and that you are the one in control (Shapiro, 2018, p. 119). Once these feelings are processed, the client can lead a happier, mentally healthier life that allows them to let go of the past and look forward to the future.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I've used Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in my practice with clients who struggle with anxiety, panic, depression, OCD and other mental health conditions. In session, we'd use CBT to help the client understand how thoughts and behaviors influence emotions. We'd then use this knowledge to reframe your thinking patterns, which would then decrease stress. Thereby helping the client lead a mentally healthier life.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
I use Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) to help clients who struggle with dissociation. Sometimes, clients avoid dealing with their emotions by suppressing or pushing them down, which then can lead to checking out when stressed. This may work for a while, but eventually, the client becomes overwhelmed, and no longer feels in control. In session, I'd use IFS to help people sit with these emotions so they can better understand them, what their goal for the client's system is, etc. This understanding, helps clients build relationships with these parts or emotions, thereby decreasing the need to avoid dealing with them, which then leads to a mentally healthier life.