Adrienne Adelberg, LPC

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Therapy allows us to uncover who we really are, who we want to be, and what is getting in the way, both for ourselves and in our relationships. Therapy cannot take away the challenges life brings, but it can help us navigate them and overcome obstacles to create a life that feels meaningful, purposeful, and fulfilling. I strive to nurture a genuine connection with my clients, and to create a nonjudgmental space for you to get in touch with what’s important to you. I draw on a broad range of therapeutic modalities including cognitive-behavioral, EMDR, humanistic, ERP, family-systems, DBT, acceptance-and-commitment, and existential theories.

With so many different modalities and approaches out there, here's a little more information about the approaches I have found to be most helpful:

Cognitive-Behavioral therapy - CBT is one of most well-established, evidence-based, and effective approaches in therapy. While it can often be overlooked in trade for newer and more exciting modalities, it turns out that most new modalities (EMDR, hypnotherapy, etc.) are actually based on the fundamentals of CBT. In using this approach we can examine how the stories you have been telling yourself, and your responses and behavior patterns are impacting your experience of life. As we start to work toward flexibility and openness, we can make small changes that build on themselves, and step by step, life starts becoming more of what you want, and less of what has been keeping you stuck!

Mindfulness - We cannot change our past but we can develop a better and healthier relationship to our present. Mindfulness is about learning to tune in, experience life in the present moment, gain awareness, and experience peace and acceptance. “The more I am able to live in the present moment, the more I find my real self.”

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) - ACT is a therapy that focuses on helping us to accept our thoughts and feelings, rather than fighting with them. We learn to embrace our experiences without judgment or resistance, identify what truly matters, and use these values as a guide for decision-making. This is a rich modality and I have yet to meet a client who didn't appreciate the inherent fun in learning to react to our own thoughts and feelings differently. 

Existential Therapy - Using this approach we explore what makes your life meaningful. Existential therapy focuses on understanding the deeper aspects of life, such as meaning, purpose, the nature of being human, and your freedom to make personal choices. This modality is less about fixing problems, and more about confronting uncomfortable truths and learning to move toward a greater sense of clarity, empowerment, and self-understanding, so that you can live with intentionality, embrace your potential, and make choices that reflect who you really are.

ERP - Exposure and Response Prevention - This is the gold standard for treating anxiety disorders, OCD, phobias, and panic attacks. Together we will help you to understand your nervous system, overcome your fears, build tolerance and resilience to intense emotions, and develop healthy responses to anxiety that can bring a greater sense of freedom and control to your life. ERP involves systematic desensitization through exposure exercises. Don't worry, we start small, sometimes really really small. This work is incredibly empowering and effective. 

EMDR - Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing- This is a therapeutic technique best utilized to help with PTSD when traumatic memories continue to disrupt life in the present. EMDR allows us to gain distance from trauma, and re-organize traumatic memories to reduce their intensity, and generate new perspectives.