Charly Mathew, LCSW - Therapist at Grow Therapy

Charly Mathew

Charly Mathew

(he/him)

LCSW
31 years of experience
Virtual

Hi there, I am Charly. As a clinical therapist, I admire your willingness to seek therapy support. I want to offer understanding, and empathic emotional support to assist anyone experiencing emotional distress. Most people tend to suffer silently in their heads, or minds, due to conscious or subconscious, self-blame, shame, or guilt feelings as they seem to feel helpless. Individuals experiencing acute emotional distress due to mental health conditions often fail to realize that unresolved, deep internal pain or heartache is silently triggering their emotional distress. One school of talk therapy called, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), proposes that the lack of the capacity for "Psychological Flexibility" and our brain's default, or Survival Mode functioning the instinctual responses of "Flight or Flight," as required for human survival. As, your therapist, I am willing to support you in exploring your difficulty or distress and examine the mental barriers or psychological blinders causing you to feel internally conflicted and stuck. Some of my past and current clients tell me that "my ability to relate to them with an open mind and withholding personal judgment and a solution-focused perspective," helps them to feel at ease and connect with me and my style of therapy. I follow an eclectic approach to therapy, drawing from academic learning, experiential knowledge, and over 30 years of practicing experience using evidence-based treatment modalities based on scientific literature and up-to-date neuroscience research. I have training and experience in the following major treatment modalities such as CBT, REBT, SFBT, ACT, Mindfulness, and specifically to deal with trauma, a newer form of Rapid Eye Movement Therapy (Accelerated Resolution Therapy).

What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?

Glad to answer, as the first session often can be nerve-wracking for most people, even if they had received therapy before. Therefore, the first session is geared for the Client and the therapist to get to know each other briefly and to complete a comprehensive intake interview process to develop a diagnostic impression. The patient is encouraged to ask open questions to clear any doubts or questions, to establish rapport, or a therapeutic relationship, and to get clarity regarding what to expect in therapy and common time frames suggested or to be considered. The first session is also an opportunity for an open discussion regarding the concept of therapy, the client's and therapist's clarification of the roles and expectations, related prior experience, and the therapist's training, and background, and a discussion of Informed client consent, the Importance of Confidentiality per HIPPA and limits of confidentiality and related exceptions in case of "imminent self-harm (suicidal verbalization with intent and a specific plan), or harm to other's (homicidal verbalizations with intent and a specific plan), or inability to be safe (due to mind-altering substance use or psychotic functioning), including the clarification of the therapist's Duty to report and Duty to warn, and related exceptions involved.

Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.

1. Extensive training, education, and years of professional and lived life experiences. 2. Successful completion of two Master's Degrees: M.S. in Addiction Studies (2019)--VCU M. A. in Medical and Psychiatric Social Work (1991)-MCC 3. Active, Unrestricted License to provide psychotherapy in 2 States- Florida and New York. 4. Completed advanced training in Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)-Rapid Eye Movement Therapy for Trauma Resolution and to treat PTSD. 5. Broad experience and practice as a therapist in diagnosing and treating major Emotional and Mental health disorders, including Anxiety and Panic, Depression, Adjustment Disorders, early life Trauma, PTSD, Bipolar Disorder, and Schizophrenia. 6. Co-occurring disorders: Substance use and mental health 7. Substance use disorders (formerly known as addiction) 8. Medication-assisted Treatment for substance use disorders 9. Current employment as a Telehealth Behavior Health Specialist- Apti Health Medical, NY. 10. Professional experience and work history involving past employers such as; The State of Florida: Jackson Health System in Miami, Imperial Point Medical Center (Broward Health), Kristy House in Miami (DCF evaluations for level of Care Assessments), and the Broward Sheriff's Office, Drug Court Treatment Program Washington D.C.-; Child and Family Services, Therapeutic Foster Care The State of Maryland- (Rockville-Olney-Columbia)-; Health and Human Services, Child Welfare (Sexual Abuse Treatment Team). Mongomery General Hospital- Emergency room behavioral health consultant Magellan Health- After Hours Care Manager- Level of care determinations and authorizations for inpatient psychiatric admission and concurrent review of continued inpatient stays.

Appointments

Virtual

My treatment methods

Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)

Cognitive behavior therapy, or "talk therapy," is based on the theory that emotional and mental health problems are related to untoward early childhood experiences often causing faulty learning/conditioning and related errors in thinking, feeling, and action/behavior, manifesting as self-defeating habits, behaviors, and attitudes that cause suffering when left unattended. CBT can help an individual to understand and learn alternate ways to cope with NATs (Negative Automatic Thoughts), False assumptions, and Negative Core beliefs, often developed by people during younger years of life, which often cause emotional distress, and contribute to adult psychopathology. CBT can help one evaluate Habits of thinking or Errors in thinking due to faulty learning and conditioning during one's childhood and upbringing.

Acceptance and commitment (ACT)

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy guides the individual to move away from controlling the symptoms to an alternate way to cope with the symptoms. ACT modality focuses on developing the capacity for psychological flexibility and mindfulness skills to cope with psychological distress and psychological suffering based on recent neuroscientific research. ACT views human suffering as a condition that arises based on a lack of psychological flexibility. ACT uses a whole-brain approach, rather than limiting an individual to their Diagnostic category and symptoms alone. ACT proposes that the human brain has a fundamental flaw in its design and information processing, which causes it to lose the capacity for Psychological flexibility, over time, due to a process they identify as Cognitive Fusion and offers strategies for Cognitive Diffusion. ACT proposes that Psychological Flexibility is a key ingredient for Happiness and coping with distress and focuses on practicing the core principles of Acceptance, Mindfulness, and Valued Living.

Solution Focused Brief Treatment

SFBT approach offers the client the opportunity to develop skills to focus on the Solution and to move away from problem-focused functioning using Cognitive Behavioral Techniques.

Eclectic

An Eclectic approach utilizes a combined approach drawing from different evidence-based, scientific treatment modalities based on an individual's unique symptoms, diagnosis, Life story, and preferences.

Group Therapy

Using "Irvin Yalom's" approach of a group of individuals with similar diagnoses or conditions to be treated as a group based on group therapy principles. Psychoeducation groups- To increase knowledge and skill development Process Groups- The therapist facilitated unique group intervention to facilitate dynamics to promote healthy interpersonal dynamics and as an adjunct to individual therapy.

Charly Mathew, LCSW