Resources

This page will provide you with resources that will be helpful in therapy and for outside services

Therapy Resources

“As a lotus flower is born in water, grows in water and rises out of water to stand above it unsoiled, so I, born in the world, raised in the world having overcome the world, live unsoiled by the world.” - Buddha.

 
 

  • EMDR

    • EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences.  Repeated studies show that by using EMDR therapy people can experience the benefits of psychotherapy that once took years to make a difference. It is widely assumed that severe emotional pain requires a long time to heal.  EMDR therapy shows that the mind can in fact heal from psychological trauma much as the body recovers from physical trauma.  Using the detailed protocols and procedures learned in EMDR therapy training sessions, clinicians help clients activate their natural healing processes.

      More than 30 positive controlled outcome studies have been done on EMDR therapy.  Some of the studies show that 84%-90% of single-trauma victims no longer have post-traumatic stress disorder after only three 90-minute sessions.  Another study, funded by the HMO Kaiser Permanente, found that 100% of the single-trauma victims and 77% of multiple trauma victims no longer were diagnosed with PTSD after only six 50-minute sessions. In another study, 77% of combat veterans were free of PTSD in 12 sessions. There has been so much research on EMDR therapy that it is now recognized as an effective form of treatment for trauma and other disturbing experiences by organizations such as the American Psychiatric Association, the World Health Organization and the Department of Defense.

      EMDR therapy is an eight-phase treatment.  Eye movements (or other bilateral stimulation) are used during one part of the session.  After the clinician has determined which memory to target first, he asks the client to hold different aspects of that event or thought in mind and to use his eyes to track the therapist’s hand as it moves back and forth across the client’s field of vision. In successful EMDR therapy, the meaning of painful events is transformed on an emotional level.  Unlike talk therapy, the insights clients gain in EMDR therapy result not so much from clinician interpretation, but from the client’s own accelerated intellectual and emotional processes.  The net effect is that clients conclude EMDR therapy feeling empowered by the very experiences that once debased them.  Their wounds have not just closed, they have transformed. As a natural outcome of the EMDR therapeutic process, the clients’ thoughts, feelings and behavior are all robust indicators of emotional health and resolution—all without speaking in detail or doing homework used in other therapies. (EMDR.com)

  • Facebook Professional Page

  • Therapy Appointment Portal

  • Telehealth Appointment Platform

    • Doxy.me/alishapecklmsw

    • When applicable, teletherapy services will be billed at the rate of face-to-face sessions. Therapists utilizing teletherapy must use specialized software that is fully encrypted, offering a high level of security and privacy. SOFTWARE. Teletherapy software must be approved by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 [HIPAA]. This legislation ensures data privacy and security for safeguarding medical information, including therapy. PLATFORM. Doxy.me is a teletherapy software that implements state of the art security and encryption protocols to assure data integrity and privacy is maintained. Doxy.me complies with HIPAA, GDPR, PHIPA/PIPEDA, & HITECH requirements. No downloads are required for the patient. Therapists schedule their session and send a fully encrypted link to the patient. Once they open the link, they will be directed to a virtual waiting room. Alongside real-time audio and video, the platform also offers a live chat function. All data is encrypted, therapy sessions are anonymous, and patient information is never stored. Doxy.me is fully HIPAA compliant.

  • Sliding Fee Scale

  • Crisis Hotlines/ Resources

    • Beacon Wellness and Psychiatry: Contact — Beacon Wellness and Psychiatry

      • Office: Penn Plaza 101 Lewis St. Suite 2, Petoskey, MI 49770

    • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - call: 800-273-TALK (8255)

      • The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

    • Crisis Text Line - Text: HOME to 741741

      • Every texter is connected with a Crisis Counselor, a real-life human being trained to bring texters from a hot moment to a cool calm through active listening and collaborative problem solving. All of Crisis Text Line's Crisis Counselors are volunteers, donating their time to helping people in crisis.

    • Childhelp - call: 800-4-A-Child (422-4453)

      • The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline is dedicated to the prevention of child abuse. Serving the U.S. and Canada, the hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with professional crisis counselors. The hotline offers crisis intervention, information, and referrals to thousands of emergency, social service, and support resources. All calls are confidential.

    • Prenatal/Postnatal Care

    • Disaster Distress Hotline - call: 800-985-5990

      • This helpline, sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), provides immediate counseling for people affected by any disaster or tragedy. Call or text to connect with a trained professional from the closest crisis counseling center within the network.

    • Veteran’s Crisis Line - Call: 800-273-8255 Text:838258

    • Gender Services

      • Planned Parenthood of Michigan: Planned Parenthood of Michigan

        • Birth Control, Breast Exams, Cancer Screenings, Emergency Contraception, HIV testing, Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy, Midlife Services, Pregnancy Testing, STI testing…

    • Michigan 2-1-1 - Call: 211

      • This number is a free service that connects Michigan residents with help and answers from thousands of health and human services agencies and resources right in their communities—quickly, easily, and confidentially.

    • Trauma informed

    • Mesothelioma Hope

FAQs

 

How Long Does Therapy Take?

Ideally, counseling ends when the problem for which you pursued treatment becomes more manageable or is resolved.  Treatment length depends on the problems or disorder, patient goals, patient history and characteristics, events occurring outside of therapy (e.g., divorce, change in employment status), and therapeutic progress. Treatment length depends on many factors, with more complex difficulties benefiting from longer treatment.

Please note that some insurance companies and managed care plans may limit the number of sessions for which they pay.  You should check with your health plan to find out more about any limitations in your coverage.  During the first few counseling sessions, your counselor should also discuss the length of treatment that may be needed to achieve your goals.

Is Everything I say Confidential?

All members of recognized professional organizations, such as the American Counseling Association and the American Psychological Association, subscribe to strict codes of ethics and standards of practice.  This requires counselors, psychologists and other mental health professionals to protect the confidentiality of their communication with clients.  Most state licensure laws also protect client confidentiality.  As a client, you are guaranteed the protection of confidentiality within the boundaries of the client/counselor relationship.  Any disclosure will be made with your full written, informed consent and will be limited to a specific period of time.

The only limitations to confidentiality occur when a counselor or psychologist believes that there is clear and imminent danger to you or to others, or when legal requirements demand that confidential information be disclosed, such as a court case.  Whenever possible, you will be informed before confidential information is revealed.

How Do I choose therapist?

As a starting point, a client should ascertain that the psychologist, therapist or counselor he or she is considering is licensed by the state where he/she practices. Ideally, a patient would have evidence that the therapist is effective — has this therapist helped patients in the past? Because this evidence may be difficult to find easily, consumers often rely on word of mouth — the testimonial of friends who have benefited from treatment from a particular clinician.

After therapy begins, the best cue is the patient’s experience: Does this therapist understand me? Does the treatment plan make sense to me? Do I believe this therapist will help me? And most important — am I making progress? Patients typically experience a positive response to psychotherapy quite rapidly. If a patient is not making noticeable progress in several sessions, the patient should discuss this with the therapist (and similarly, the therapist should initiate this conversation with the patient if adequate progress is not being attained). Together, a patient and therapist determine when treatment should end and often, this happens relatively quickly. Of course, some problems require longer treatment.

(Source:  American Psychological Association)

What is Counseling?

According to the American Counseling Association, counseling is a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families, and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals.

Counseling (or therapy) assists you examine the behaviors, thoughts and feelings that are causing you difficulties.  It helps you understand effective ways to deal with your problems by building upon personal strengths. A professional counselor or psychotherapist will encourage your personal growth and development in ways that foster your interest and welfare.  Therapists and clients work together to understand problems and come up with plans for fixing them. The focus is generally on changing ineffective thoughts, emotions or behaviors. Most therapy focuses on individuals, although psychotherapists also work with couples, families and groups.