On Long Island, in Suffolk and more specifically in the Village of Huntington, we are so fortunate to have such an abundance of helpers available in this region. There is a wide variety of treatment approach, a divergence of philosophy, and orientation. Most practitioners are generalists, like a doctor who practices primary medicine, basically covering a wide range of issues. There are fewer who have focused their practice on a particular population such as children, couples, families or elders. There are those who are specializing in a disorder or set of disorders. They may combine a disorder specialization with a population such as children with attention disorders. By have specialists among generalists we have more choice as we narrow down our options to what we need.
Let’s explore some broad ideas of approach to help you differentiate. We live in a time where the disease model what is generally accepted and applied. The disease model is where we identify and label a disorder (diagnose) by symptom. The treatment then is symptom focused. In medicine, treatment is most often in the form of medicine, a pill. In substance abuse it is behavioral prescriptions to behave in an abstinent manner. Ditto for the treatment paradigm regarding eating disorders, treating the symptom of disordered eating. The approach is helping people learn to eat in a way that is more aligned with the collective consensus of what is accepted to be normal. Cognitive Behavior Therapy combines a behavioral orientation with a cognitive approach to change behaviors that are maladaptive symptoms. Disease models are usually a longer term of therapy as symptoms re-manifest once the therapy is stopped. We see a high recidivism rate in substance use disorders.
An alternative to the disease model, is the causal model. This is much newer, not well known and still evolving. In the causal model symptoms are addressed by exploring why such symptoms exist and then treating the root cause. Treating the cause(s) results in permanently eliminating symptoms, as when you treat the cause, we are eliminating the reason for the behavior or symptom manifested. This approach rarely relies on medications, and is often more holistic in approach, utilizing processes that can work more somatically, neurobiologically and some times energetically as well. Working with cause may require working with memory as so much causal experience is stored there in a way that gets stuck. Working to create change by changing the brain, are usually briefer as brain changes are instant and thus have instant effects.
Thus, if someone presents with anxiety, a disease model my prescribe medication, or CBT to help mange the anxiety. But since the source of anxiety is not being addressed, then once such approaches are stopped the anxiety returns. In a causal model, effort would be made to discover the cause of anxiety, perhaps not being supported or validated as a child. Treating the cause would then require psychotherapies like EMDR, Hypnotherapy or Sensory- Motor and Somatic therapies. Once the treatment stops, the anxiety never returns unless a new source manifest.
I work primarily with adults and adolescents and specialize as a causal therapist in treating Trauma, Eating Disorders and Addiction. I consider myself a brief therapist as I do discharge and have a significant turnover compared to my generalist peers who see clients for years. I discharge because the symptoms have resolved and continuing such therapy is no longer indicated. Some choose to resume work as I also coach people in their spiritual development. I integrate EMDR and Hypnotherapy into one and also use energy and somatic approaches as indicated. There are no medications used as I believe we can heal ourselves. All I do is facilitate our mind and body to do what it needs. Amazingly when we just help the brain a little, it jumps on the opportunity and goes to town activating healing. An example of amazing is when I apply EMDR to treating addiction, the brain flicks a switch turning dependency off, stopping any withdrawal process from manifesting, in one session. No detox for active users and abstinence for treatment to be successful is not required. Causal memories are then targeted to complete therapy and make the release of addiction permanent. Changing the brain here is resulting in an instant outcome made permanent with continued causal work. I have found many chronic medical problems also may have a treatable causal condition. This is especially true in the area of undiagnosed chronic pain, headaches and migraines.