Essential Tools

Want more help so you can lead a richer life and enjoy a happier home? Terrific, we’re glad you’re taking control and looking for solutions. In the pages below, you will find recommendations for books focusing on how to effectively deal with anxiety, depression, and trauma. In addition, there are some resources that don’t fit neatly into any of those categories (these are included under “Kitchen Sink”).

When we come across a website or book that is particularly helpful, or interesting, it too gets added to this page. So it’s a good idea to check back from time to time - it just might be there is a new resource that is exactly what you need at that moment.

PSYCHIATRY

From time to time people will ask for a referral to a psychiatrist. One psychiatrist that I would recommend is:

Allison Lee, M.D.

Dr. Lee is a Harvard trained psychiatrist who more recently completed a fellowship at the Andrew Weil Center For Integrative Medicine. She works with adults (over 18 years of age), and her primary focus is on integrative psychiatry. The benefit of integrative psychiatry is that it takes the best from traditional medicine, complimentary and alternative healing practices, and combines these elements as an integrated approach to help patients more effectively reach their therapeutic goals.

Many of Dr. Lee’s patients are interested in decreasing, or entirely tapering off, their medications (such as benzos, pain killers, and antidepressants). She works with clients to achieve this goal by developing a medically sound plan for slowly tapering off the medication. In addition, Dr. Lee simultaneously provides guidance in making lifestyle changes that lead to improvements in her patient’s physical health and nutritional status. By integrating all of these aspects of a patient’s care the chances for a favorable outcome is maximized.

If you would like to reach Dr. Lee to make an appointment, or learn more about her practice, click on the following link:

http://www.placerpsychiatry.com/

MARRIAGE COUNSELING

As a counselor, one of the key disciplines needed for providing terrific service is to remain focused on what you do best. This usually means that you will have just a handful of specialties, areas of particular strength. The upside of this is that you are able to better develop the skills needed to be effective in those specialties. You are more effective in providing help to those with whom you work.

At Invictus Psychological Services our specialty areas are anxiety, depression and trauma. Marriage therapy is one thing we do not offer. Instead we provide recommendations of other professionals who have special training or strengths working with couples.

Below are two of my top recommendations for therapists within five miles of my office:

ONE: Although Folsom, Granite Bay and Roseville have a number of talented marriage counselors, one name comes up time and again. Dr. Joan Druckman has been helping couples for over 25 years and is a certified Emotionally Focused Couples therapist. She receives rave reviews on Google and Yelp, and is well respected among her peers. If you are in need of a counselor to help you with marriage related concerns, I encourage you to give her a call.

https://www.drjoandruckman.com/

TWO: Another therapist who is very skilled at helping couples smooth the rough edges that invariably arise in marriage is Michele Dickey, LCSW. I’ve known Michele for many years and have worked with her closely… I’ve seen the quality of her work first hand. She is a Gottman Trained Therapist (Dr. John Gottman has the best marriage therapist training program in the world - yes, the world. Hands down, no one else comes close). If you are looking for marriage counseling give Michele a call and start making your relationship stronger right away.

micheledickeylcsw.com

Books

Bullying is prevalent throughout childhood. This book looks at the impact of bullying as seen through the author’s eyes.

My Bullied Past: Why Does it Still HURT? Kindle Edition (Laura Martocci)

A book on love and how to expand it in your life. An interesting, and practical, perspective from one of the foremost researchers in that area.

Love 2.0: Finding Happiness and Health in Moments of Connection. (Barbara L. Fredrickson)

This next book is a little bit ‘out there’ but interesting to read and provides a fascinating look at the brain/behavior connection, and how to make changes in your life.

Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One. (Joe Dispenza)

A classic that explores the differences in how people express their love for others. Very helpful for those of you who wish to better understand the important people in your life.

The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts. (Gary Chapman)

This is another classic, recently updated, that focuses on the crucial need to set boundaries in one’s life, that is to be able to say “no” to some people while still saying “yes” to others. This is essential if one is to take control of his or her life. If you have not read this book, just go ahead and order it today. You need it. Everyone needs it.

Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life. (Henry Cloud & John Townsend)

Many children at one time or another have a difficult time falling asleep. When these 'sleep onset' problems persist for weeks or months it is time to take action. Helping children to fall asleep on their own is an important part of instilling confidence and independence. The book listed here will walk you through a clear and effective process for getting your child's sleep back on track. It should be emphasized, however, that if your child's difficulties in going to sleep are due to experiencing trauma, this would not be an appropriate approach. It is appropriate for most 'run of the mill' sleep onset problems that arise from mild fears of the dark, separation, etc.

Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems (Richard Ferber, M.D.)

LINKS

Entering High School: Five Ways to Help Your Teen Succeed

The teen years are terrific, but they are also frequently a time of stress for parent and child alike. The transition to  high school can be particularly challenging. This brief guide gives easy to follow tips that pay big dividends. For most teens, the high school years will be punctuated with extreme highs and lows. By getting your teen off to a good start, however, he or she is much more likely to have fewer lows, and end up being better prepared for adulthood.

Finding a Good Therapist

It can be very much "hit or miss" when searching for the best therapist to work with your specific concerns. With this in mind I have developed a checklist to make things easier. You may also find it helpful to read how to choose the best therapist for you in Folsom, Roseville, or anywhere you may live. The best therapist article is a two part series that describes the seven simple steps involved in finding the best therapist for you.

Meditation

Free audio guided meditation exercises (lots of research has been done demonstrating the benefits of meditation – this website is a great start) - http://www.positivityresonance.com/meditations.html

Emotional Freedom Technique

Below is a link for the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) method of resolving mental blocks/challenges that stand in the way of being more productive and happier. Warning, this is an odd approach, and had I not been commanded by my Colonel in the Army Medical Corps to learn it (yes, it wasn’t a request, it was a demand) I would have thought it was simply the sort of craziness one often finds in the field of psychology. But being a reasonably good soldier, I took the required 32 hours of training and then decided to look at the research literature. I felt certain that research would prove that EFT was as nutty as I had assumed. Turns out there is some very solid evidence for the effectiveness of EFT (I don’t believe the assumptions underlying why this approach works are valid, but the research does support that the approach, albeit unorthodox, is often effective). Worth a look.

https://www.eftuniverse.com/certification/dawson-church-phd

Teletherapy

Teletherapy, remote therapy, video therapy… a rose by any other name. Each of these describes a modality rather than a therapeutic approach. Specifically, it is therapy via a secure video link, or by phone. It is a growing trend whose use is long overdue. Does it work for everyone? Of course not. There is no substitute for face to face interaction. Even so, some people prefer the convenience of having access to counseling without having to travel to a counselor’s office. This convenience may outweigh whatever is lost by not meeting face to face. As teletherapy has grown in popularity so have the companies that offer this service (of course individual therapist, including me, also offer teletherapy). Consumeradvocate.org has put together a guide that discusses the pros and cons of various teletherapy companies. If you are interested in pursuing this mode of therapy, and you prefer not to work with a more local therapist who also offers teletherapy, you should definitely check out their guide.

Help For Self-Harming Teens

It is a sad truth about today’s teens that many feel so much stress that they resort to harming themselves. Sometimes this is through cutting on their arms, legs, or other areas of their body. Some teens hit themselves leaving bruises, but often where they are covered by clothing. Still others harm themselves in more subtle ways (promiscuity, taking reckless risks, and so forth). The following link provides insight and guidance on how to identify a teen who is engaged in self-harm, and how to help. Of course, it is important to recognize that any teen who is engaging in self-harm requires counseling, but even with counseling, there is much that parents and concerned adults can do to be of assistance. This guide will provide you with some tools to make your efforts more effective. Preventing Self-harm in Teens: A Guide for Appropriate Intervention - Guides (zocdoc.com)