Hi, my name is Serena Faison, and I have been a practicing as a licensed therapist for over 16 years. I am proud to share that it was due to personal hardships that I encountered in my own life that I decided to help others. Not only has my knowledge of Psychology and behavioral therapy changed my life, but I have used it to help many others.
During our first session, I will be gathering information regarding your current problem, treatment history, and any other pertinent information. Our initial session usually runs longer due to getting a more detailed history.
I feel that my greatest strengths as a provider include my level of empathy, my compassion, my knowledge and skills I have gained through my years of service as a therapist, and most importantly, me treating each individual the way I would want to be treated by a professional.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps to identify how thoughts and perceptions influence behavior. The goal is to modify the thoughts and perceptions to change the behaviors in order to get more desired outcomes. I have witnessed people becoming more excited about their lives as they were able to change their thought process. This also intensifies with Positive Psychology.
Humanistic therapy is about the individual and focuses on a person's potential and abilities rather than their problems. I believe that we all have unique abilities, so my goal is to help each individual find their own potential.
Mindfulness helps individuals to become more focused on the "here and now" as opposed to their past or their future. There is a quote, that one who focuses on the past is depressed, one who focuses on the future has anxiety, and one who focuses on the present is at peace. This is true in so many cases. Sometimes being present in the moment can help to quieten the mind. I help clients achieve this with guided exercises.
Positive Psychology, has replaced the traditional psychology principles which once focused on disability with a renewed focus on ability. I help clients achieve a more positive lifestyle by helping them identity cognitive distortions and helping them to reframe these distortions. I believe that we all have creative potential, with our thoughts. "Be ye restored, with the renewing of your mind". This means, change your way of thinking, change your world that you live in. Of course, we cannot wave a magic wand and expect this is manifest instantly, but with time and more focus on what's great in our lives, we can make our lives more enjoyable and fulfilling.
I love to call this Brief, Solution Focused Therapy. The goal here is to help the individual find solutions to their immediate problems. Of course, this varies from person to person, so all of these modalities are often blended to help individuals achieve their goals.