Children, Adult, Adolescence, Families & Couples
EMDR Therapy
EMDR is an information processing therapy that uses an eight-phase approach. When something traumatic or disturbing occurs, sometimes people store this event in their brains in a dysfunctional manner and many of the elements of the event freeze or are stuck and remain unprocessed. When the person thinks about the event or trauma, or when the memory is triggered by similar situations, the person may feel like they are reliving it. This reliving can be in the form of thoughts, feelings, body sensations or flashbacks.
After identifying what is at the root of what is bothering the person the most, in the desensitization phase, using eye movement, auditory sounds or hand sensors, the bi-lateral stimulation serves to help release the dysfunctional, unprocessed material and integrate it with the more functional part of the brain. In other words, the person will not forget (memory erase) the trauma or life disturbing event but it will reduce the emotional charge attached to it and, in most cases, the person will no longer be triggered.
The Goal of EMDR is to provide the most profound and comprehensive treatment in the shortest amount of time while maintaining a stable client in a balanced system.
ADD – ADHD Services
ADD
Attention Deficit Disorder is commonly known as the inability to focus for long periods of time; as a result affecting personality and day-to-day functionality. These individuals are assigned an identity as being distracted or inconsistent. It is typical of these individuals to show traits of impatience, restlessness, procrastination, and brief attention spans. These traits compete with high bursts of energy, creativity, and a free minded approach to life.
In today’s modern, American culture, people are driven to a multitasking lifestyle in order to maintain a steady pace in the rat race. Life itself contains traits of ADD one would not clinically diagnose as a disorder, but rather a part of everyday life. A true diagnosis of ADD originates from an imbalance in brain chemicals; chemical make-ups are dependent on how an individual responds to surrounding environments and life experiences. Together these factors play a role on how and if one truly develops ADD, internally, and its level of severity. Attention deficit disorder is in no means a threat to an individual’s intelligence.
ADHD
Those who are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder are known to be impaired: unable to functional successfully in all major areas of life. The individual may show traits of restlessness, distraction, short-term memory impairment, blurting out inappropriate thoughts, disorganization, and failure to complete tasks. It is common for individuals to display these symptoms due to modern culture and its multitasking associations. ADHD is also defined by an imbalance in brain chemicals. The disorder is commonly parallel to ADD, especially in terms of true diagnosis.
Healing paths can start from early childhood and also in adulthood.
Treatment Methods:
- Therapy
- Medication
- Learning how to identify though patterns
- Applying methods to resolve learned patterns
- Adapting a healthy lifestyle
Differential Diagnosis
Distinguishing between diseases of similar character by comparing their signs and symptoms – The ability to distinguish one disorder from another or others which have similar signs and symptoms. Some relatively innocuous sport-related disorders can be difficult to diagnose because they mimic other more serious complaints.
Elena’s service area includes: Chicago, Evanston, Wilmette, Winnetka, Glencoe, Glenview, Northfield, Northbrook, Niles, Buffalo Grove, Highland Park, Deerfield, Morton Grove, Skokie, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest and Waukegan, Illinois.