Dealing with Depression/Expert Profile

Expertise

I received my Ph.D. from Kent State,in Ohio in Counseling.I specialize in various forms of depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and forms of addictions such as substance abuse,eating disorders and gambling. My licenses are: Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor -Supervisor(LPCC-S) and Licensed Professional Chemical Dependency Counselor (LICDC) My experience includes counseling substance abusers, families of alcoholics/drug addictions, and codependency issues. I also specialize in social phobia; stress; anxieties; women`s issues; grief and adjustments to life changes. Some therapeutic techniques used are: CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), DBT (Dialectical Behaviorial Therapy)REBT (Rational Emotive), SFT (Solution Focused) and 12-Step, etc. If you live in the Cleveland area, you can contact me at my office for an appointment at: 440-349-4521. I accept insurance and EAP programs.

Experience in the area

Twelve years experience as a professional clinical counselor; 30 years member of Al-Anon.

Organizations

ACA, OCA, OMHCA, NBCC

Publications

Experiences of prejudice among individuals in African American and Caucasian Interracial Marriages: A Q-methodological Study (Doctoral Dissertation - December 2008; Wilsnack and Beckman's book: Alcohol Problems in Women (1984). Alcohol use and marital violence: Female and Male Differences in reactions to alcohol(pages 260-279.

Education/Credentials

Ph.D. in Counseling - Kent State MS in Counseling - John Carroll University BS in Psychology - University of Pittsburgh

Awards and Honors

Previous president of NCOCA (North Central Ohio Counseling Association); previous president of Chi Sigma Iota. Two years VISTA volunteer on Navajo reservation in Inscription House and Shonto.

Past/Present Clients

confidential

What do you like about this subject?

Depression affects the family and everyone needs educated that this is truly a physical illness due to brain chemistry. Substance abuse: Many individuals do for the addict/alcoholic what he should be doing for himself such as covering up or paying his/her bills, etc. This only enables the addict to be an addict.Family needs educated.

What do you still hope to achieve/learn in this field?

Help others.

Something interesting about this subject that others may not know:

Very rewarding emotionally knowing you have helped someone.

Something controversial or provocative about this subject

SAD is controversial - most physicians balk at this subject - light therapy, because they are uneducated in this area, are not taught it in school or how light therapy really works, so they tend to ignore it and it is the patient who loses out.