ADOLESCENTS

Confidence | Awareness

I've been working with adolescents throughout the entirety of my career, and truly enjoy working with this age group. Adolescence is a difficult time and presents several challenges. It is a time of growth and independence, while also seeking connection through friendships. I meet teens where they're at, offering support and creating a safe space to discuss all topics. I help teens by treating individual symptoms or issues (such as, anxiety, self-harm, depression, or trauma) while also addressing any relationship issues that exist (family members, friends, partners). I provide psychoeducation on substance use/experimentation, safety in relationships, coping strategies for mental health symptoms, and more. Additionally, I aid teens with confidence building and increasing awareness of one's emotions and how this impacts behaviors to enhance impulse control.

FAMILY THERAPY

Relationship Improvement | Life Cycle Stages

Families are complex and each come with unique intricacies. Families experience several Life Cycle Stages, with each stage requiring adjustments in terms of boundaries and ways of interacting. Families often become stuck in old patterns of interacting that create a negative cycle that can be difficult to "break out of." I help families develop different ways of interacting, with the goal of improving relationships and becoming "unstuck" from negative interaction patterns. Therapy with me can be a jumping off point for new, effective ways of interacting not only in session, but also when you return home.

Family%2520at%2520a%2520Beach_edited_edited.jpg

COUPLES COUNSELING

Conflict Resolution | Communication

Intimate relationships can be one of the most wonderful connections we make. At the same time, they also come with their own set of challenges, which is normal! When working with couples, I balance the room, assuring both you and your partner are heard and validated, while also pivoting the conversation towards agreed upon change. Sometimes we need a third party to interrupt, intervene, and redirect the conversation to foster connection, healthy communication, and mutual understanding.

CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS

Growth | Recovery

Evidence-based treatments have found the most effective way to treat substance abuse and addiction is by treating underlying mental health symptoms concurrently. Another component influencing using behaviors can be a history of trauma. I can help increase awareness and understanding of one's using patterns, while also developing healthier coping strategies.

SOLUTION-FOCUSED & NARRATIVE THERAPY

Changing Thoughts Changes Our Perspective

Two of my most used interventions are solution-focused and narrative therapy. Why? Because of the long-lasting change that can result from when we change our thought patterns. Changing our thought patterns changes our reality. Shifting our perspective in this way enhances our ability to tackle challenges and obstacles of the day (and in general!). Reminding ourselves of our strengths and abilities

.

"Some of the kindest souls I know have lived in a world that was not so kind to them. Some of the best human beings I know have been through so much at the hands of others, and they still love deeply, they still care.

Sometimes, it's the people who have been hurt the most who refuse to be hardened in this world, because they would never want to make another person feel the same way they have felt. If that isn't something to be in awe of, I don't know what is."

Bianca Sparacino