I hear you. I listen. Therapy is all about you, and you will be placing your trust in me. So, let me tell you a little bit about myself. I am a licensed mental health counselor in Florida with a Ph.D. in Counseling & Psychological Studies. I have shared the journey with ages 7 to 70 for challenges with anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, relationships, addictions, and so much more. I am a wife, mother, grandma, business owner, MBA, CPA, Air Force veteran, animal lover, gardener, farmer, foodie, and holistic health enthusiast. I bring my life experience, open mind, compassion, accepting attitude, curiosity, humor, training, and education to the counseling room to help you find solutions, heal, and live your best life.
I have a lifetime of eclectic experiences, including understanding life transitions, aging, and many challenges we encounter as we live and grow.
Together, we will share life's ups and downs, explore your strengths, and build resilience! Sometimes, we need just a little support and the awareness that someone who cares is there to help.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
I want to get to know you--I am intensely curious. I will ask you probing questions to help you describe why you are coming to see me. The questions will help us find the root causes of your distress so we can formulate an effective treatment plan and get you on the path to healing and feeling better immediately.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
I am compassionate, highly analytical, and a problem-solver by nature. I use these personal attributes to help you identify your problems--sometimes, there are layers of problems! Once we identify them, we find your solutions together. As we embark on our journey, I will challenge you to broaden your perspective and consider situations from different points of view. Sometimes, when we are so close to a difficult situation, it is hard to see our way through it with a clear mind--like the expression, "can't see the forest for the trees." I have had a long and fruitful life and a broad base of experience, and I have found that this foundation has made it possible for me to connect with many people from diverse backgrounds meaningfully.
About Dr. Patricia Houchin
Appointments
Free consults, virtual
My treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
We begin with helping you to clarify your values so that you can set meaningful goals for your life. With these goals in mind, we can define objectives for treatment--and life--and explore your beliefs, thoughts, emotions, and actions. Such exploration raises awareness and is the first step in processing, healing, and moving forward.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy includes strategies and techniques to improve emotional regulation, distress tolerance, assertive communication, and mindfulness skills. We will work together to help you identify your emotions and their intensity and learn how to use techniques, such as Wise Mind or STOP (an acronym for Stop-Take a step back-Observe-Proceed with caution) for in-the-moment coping when faced with distressing emotions or situations. You will gain a greater awareness of your emotions and associated bodily sensations and learn how to self-soothe and feel better! These tools and skills will help you gain insight and clarity to resolve problems and conflicts, bringing hope and healing. The primary "dialectic" in DBT is the continuum of self-acceptance on one end of the scale and change on the other--you will discover the balance that is right for you!
Polyvagal Therapy
We will explore the bodily sensations associated with your emotions. The vagus nerve--vagus means "wandering"-- is the 10th cranial nerve that "wanders" in the body and connects with many of your organs, including your heart, lungs, and stomach. It is responsible for the feelings of "butterflies" in your stomach when you are nervous, excited, or fearful. It is active in panic attacks. Often, bodily sensations are the first sign of emotion. It is estimated that 80% of the signals that travel the vagus nerve are initiated by the organs and travel to the brain, so its role in emotion is significant! You will learn early awareness of these sensations, enabling you to calm yourself in challenging situations and respond and act confidently.
As a Certified Integrative Mental Health Professional, I can also help you explore nutritional strategies that may help regulate moods and improve your overall well-being.
Trauma Informed Care
Using Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), I have treated many clients with complex trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder. ART uses rapid eye movements, voluntary image replacement, and de-escalation of bodily sensations to break the association between disturbing memories when they occur and the bodily sensations that accompany them. The goal of treatment is that when the disturbing memory occurs again, it is no longer so disturbing--or relived in the present time--because the bodily sensations once associated with it are gone. It is simply a memory of something unfortunate that happened in the past--and you are now free of that distress and can go on and live your life in the present!
Christian Counseling
Christian Counseling and scripture can be integrated with any other treatment methods offered upon request.
