Welcome! My name is Genevieve (Gen) Thomas. The idea of exploring therapy can be difficult, confusing, and uncomfortable. It can also be your first step toward health, balance, and emotional freedom. You can achieve this from the privacy and comfort of your own home via telehealth. I have been helping individuals and couples successfully navigate the counseling process for over 19 years by identifying and changing unconscious beliefs that sabotage personal/relational success and emotional well being. I believe that health and wellness is created by treating the whole person, and as such, seek to integrate emotional, physical, and spiritual (if you chose) dimensions into the healing process. I do this by incorporating cognitive behavior change, mindfulness/relaxation exercises, as well as, trauma and grief therapy techniques. Therapy is a collaborative process and you are the expert of your life. Together we will visualize your goals and how to achieve them so you can see and feel the changes you have been working for! My special interests and certifications are in informed trauma therapy, complex grief and bereavement, anxiety disorders, veterans mental health and telehealth. I am licensed in Idaho, Maryland and Virginia. I look forward to working with you!
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
In our first session together, we will review the informed consent and your rights and responsibilities in therapy. We will then discuss what brings you to therapy and what you hope to get out of this experience. At the end of the session, we will discuss what the way forward may look like and typically you will leave with "homework" to get started.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
I work with adults who find themselves feeling "empty" or "not quite good enough" despite their achievements and meeting life goals. My clients often are adults who have experienced childhood trauma or loss. They suffer with various forms of anxiety. Whether it is the pressure to be "perfect" or being overwhelmed in groups of people they are looking for ways to feel more content in their lives.
Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.
Adults who are suffering with anxiety disorders, trauma and/or grief. I also work with veterans and their family members.
About Genevieve Thomas
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Serves ages
Appointments
Fully bookedMy treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I have used CBT for the treatment of anxiety and mood disorders for the past 21 years. CBT focuses on understanding the impact of trauma on thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, while incorporating techniques like psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring, exposure therapy, and coping skills development, all while prioritizing client safety and establishing a trusting therapeutic relationship; this means carefully pacing the treatment, validating the client's experiences, and allowing them to set the pace when discussing traumatic memories.
Polyvagal Therapy
Applying polyvagal theory to trauma involves using strategies to help individuals experiencing trauma to regulate their nervous system by consciously activating their "social engagement system" (the ventral vagus nerve), thereby promoting feelings of safety and connection, while minimizing triggers that might activate the "fight-or-flight" (sympathetic) or "freeze" (dorsal vagus) states that can be triggered by traumatic memories or a chronic stress state. When working with traumatic memories, I will often use a gradual exposure approach, allowing clients to slowly process the experience while feeling supported.
Cognitive Processing (CPT)
I apply Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) within a trauma-informed care framework, by prioritizing a client-centered approach, focusing on identifying and challenging negative beliefs related to the trauma, educating clients about the impact of trauma on their thoughts and feelings, and use a collaborative process to help clients develop healthier coping mechanisms, while always respecting the client's pace and sensitivity to potentially triggering topics