You, not your trauma, are the master of your life.
PE therapy for adults in GA & FL
Prolonged Exposure (PE) is a therapeutic technique that is used to help you process and work through traumatic experiences and fears. PE works by exposing you to feared stimuli (memories, places, sounds, smells, experiences) in manageable doses over time, thus severing the association between the stimuli and fear. PE can help in several ways, including:
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Reducing feelings of fear and anxiety
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Resolving trauma-related issues
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Improving confidence in facing emotionally-activating situations
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Increasing feelings of control and agency
Overall, PE can be an effective therapeutic technique if you have experienced trauma and are struggling with its emotional and psychological effects. By working with a trained PE therapist, you can work through your trauma in a safe and supportive environment and begin to heal and move forward in your life.
PE therapy can help you take back control of your life from the grips of your traumatic memories.
Are you ready to live the life you want and do the things you love without being held hostage by fear?
Prolonged Exposure (PE) is a form of psychotherapy that helps you recover from traumatic events or experiences, as well as fears and phobias. The first step of PE will be learning tools to manage difficult emotions and reactions that will occur throughout the course of therapy. PE targets avoidance and fear to help you process the trauma and reduce symptoms such as avoidance behaviors and overwhelming emotions related to the trauma.
Over the course of PE therapy you will engage in both imaginal exposures, during which you will talk about your trauma in detail, and in vivo exposures, during which you will slowly expose yourself to avoided and feared stimuli. Imaginal exposures are done in session with the therapist checking in periodically on your distress level. In vivo exposures are often done outside of the therapy session using a hierarchy of feared stimuli to guide the process so that you can start with a less distressing stimulus and work your way up the list as you gain confidence in yourself.
Over time, these exposure exercises teach the brain to no longer view the stimuli as dangerous so that fear is decreased and you can regain a sense of control over your life.
It's important to note that PE therapy is a regimented therapy typically taking place over the course of eight to twelve sessions and is not a quick fix for trauma. It requires a trained therapist to guide the process, and it may take up to fifteen sessions to see full benefits.
PE therapy can help you...
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Overcome trauma and PTSD symptoms
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Reduce feelings of anxiety, fear, and panic
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Decrease avoidance behaviors
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Build resiliency and increase confidence in approaching difficult situations
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Reclaim control over your life from fear and anxiety
Frequently Asked Questions About PE
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What is your pricing?15-Minute Consultation - Free Initial/Intake Session - $150/50 min Individual Therapy Session - $135/50 min Cancellations require at least 24 hours' notice or you will be charged the full session fee.
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Where are you located?My office is located at 99 Weatherstone Drive, Suite 950 in Woodstock, Georgia, just outside of Atlanta, but I am licensed to practice virtually across both Georgia and Florida.
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With what populations do you work?I work with individuals aged 18+ and specialize in the treatment of trauma and personality disorders. If I feel your presenting problems are outside of my scope of practice, I will suggest that you see a different clinician who can better meet your needs.
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How do I know if I need therapy?You may benefit from therapy if you feel your quality of life has been affected by trauma, depression, anxiety, grief, self-esteem issues, or stress. You may come to this conclusion on your own or someone close to you may have brought it to your attention. In some cases, you may have only realized there was an issue after having an adverse experience or being referred to therapy by a physician. Sometimes you may not even know what is affecting you, but just know that you don't feel like yourself anymore. If this is the case, we can work together to find out what might be causing the symptoms you've been experiencing and how to manage them. I believe therapy can be of use to anyone, regardless of what issues they're dealing with, as long as they are willing to put in the hard work necessary to make progress.
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How does online therapy work?Online therapy is very similar to in-person therapy, however instead of meeting in the office we meet in a virtual setting, via a link sent to you prior to your first appointment session. Online therapy is a great option if you like convenience, flexibility, and the comfort of being in your own space during sessions.
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What can I expect from therapy?The first session mainly consists of getting to know one another and building trust. I'll have some paperwork for you to complete prior to your first session and then we'll complete an intake assessment in session. This is comprised of discussing your goals for therapy and areas of your history that you're comfortable sharing. You will also be able to ask me any questions you may have and we will discuss a preliminary treatment plan for how to meet your therapy goals. Not every therapist is right for every person, so this first session provides us with an opportunity to determine if we're a good fit to work together moving forward. We may be able to determine a therapy modality to utilize moving forward in the first session or it may take a few sessions to determine which modality is the best fit for your needs. As we move forward in therapy, we will check in on your goals and treatment plan to make sure we're making the progress you want to see. If not, we can adjust our approach as many times as needed to find what works. I will ask you for feedback on whether you feel there is anything I could do differently to help you achieve your goals and will incorporate your feedback to the best of my ability. We will work at your pace to meet your goals, but I will provide you with encouragement to push yourself in the therapeutic process. True progress in therapy occurs when you are able to remain in the zone in which you are both uncomfortable and still emotionally/psychologically safe. Although I will encourage you to venture into this zone, you always retain the right to decline discussing certain issues or processing certain memories. As it starts to feel that therapy is less necessary for you due to your symptoms decreasing or being more well-managed and that you have processed what you needed to process, we will begin to discuss terminating therapy. This period will focus more on reflecting on your progress and preparing you for the future. Please know that if therapy is terminated but you find that you need to resume therapy in the future, you are always welcome to return as a client.
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How long will I need to be in therapy?This is dependent on each individual person and is influenced by factors such as history, goals, and life circumstances. I trust and empower you to recognize your needs in therapy and provide me with feedback. We will regularly check in to see how you’re feeling about your progress and the work we’re doing together and to determine if changes need to be made to your treatment plan.
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Do you accept insurance?I accept private pay as well as Aetna, Optum, United Healthcare, and most of their partner insurances in both Georgia and Florida. I am considered an out-of-network provider with many insurances, meaning I don’t accept payments from those insurance companies directly. However, you may contact your insurance provider to see if you have out-of-network coverage, as some insurance plans may reimburse your out-of-pocket costs.
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What if I have out-of-network benefits?If you have out-of-network coverage, I can provide you with a superbill for you to submit to your insurance provider so you can possibly receive reimbursement. Please note that reimbursement by your insurance company is not guaranteed and you may need to cover some or all of the charges out-of-pocket.