Brain scan research in the last 10 years has suggested that the amygdala and hypocampus areas of the brain are very involved in preventing and later resolving traumatic memory. EMDR therapy is thought to possibly stimulate this mechanism. Whatever the mechanism, there are more controlled effectiveness studies on EMDR than for any other form of treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Many of the Oklahoma bombing survivors were treated using this technique.
If interested, more background information on EMDR comparison studies can be mailed to you. Call Dr. Kaye at 467-1180 if you want this information. He is the only current staff member using EMDR in therapy. You may also be interested in his related therapy technique "IDR" which is explained below.
(Interactive Desensitization & Reprocessing)
IDR or interactive desensitization & reprocessing is a type of therapy that Dr. Kaye has pioneered in his own research. It builds upon the basic components of EMDR therapy (see above) but adds additional complex interactions with sensory stimuli. In the therapy, the client is asked to interpret the essential personal meaning of his/her associations to a traumatic event in their history. The client then invents a short phrase that captures the connotative meaning of their experience. The therapist shows the patient different reaching and grasping movements while rhythmically weaving their phrase into different questions. This unusual exercise is designed to stimulate lower brain structures along with unconscious dimensions of the traumatic memory. While this therapy is taking place, Dr. Kaye also monitors certain non-intrusive physiological readings being analyzed on a computer monitor to check how the client's nervous system are responding. Dr. Kaye has observed this variation of EMDR therapy to produce rapid soothing of painful memories for many clients who were not responding well to the standard EMDR protocol. When enough "core" disturbing memories are processed in this way, clients often find that their general anxiety is lowered and their interpersonal relationships can improve.
Dr. Kaye has a professionally oriented website detailing some of his early findings from IDR therapy. Although it is quite technical, it clearly shows how the involved exercises increase cortical arousal to produce their effects. You can view this evolving paper online at www.interactivedesensitization.com .
Call Dr. Kaye at 919 467 1180 if you would like more information on this unusual but powerful kind of therapy.
Currently, individual psychotherapy for adults is being offered by Dr. Bryce Kaye, Ms. Mary Bratton, Ms. Jill Coghran-Uttridge, and Ms. Maureen White. Each of the therapists can be reached by calling the Center’s main number 467-1180 and leaving your name and telephone number. There are many different ways of performing individual therapy. To get a sense of a certain therapist’s "style", you would best read about what they have to say on their own page.
Marriage and Relationship Counseling
Many therapists employ a communication model for couples work that assumes that most couples’ problems derive from dysfunctional communication. The assumption seems to be that teaching better communication should resolve their difficulties. Unfortunately, most well-controlled studies show that only about one-third of the couples going through marital therapy are reporting significant post-treatment benefits. Those are not impressive statistics and they do not give much support for a simplistic communication therapy model. A couple’s communication usually breaks down because of more complex emotional dynamics. Those dynamics can involve historical shame issues, personality deficits, knowledge deficits, and boundary interactions. These issues can be quite complex but are still understandableAt Cary Counseling Center, teaching effective communication is only one small piece of a more comprehensive strategy. Even more emphasis is placed upon teaching a couple principles of effective emotional regulation. This may involve learning how to influence one’s own emotional state before projecting rage or behaving in a way that is toxic to the relationship. Old shame issues are clarified so that they do not unconsciously disrupt the relationship. Principles of "tact" are taught so that both partners experience less threat to their psychological boundaries while negotiating their needs. Couples are also taught about how "ego states" are often critical to getting their needs met and how to anticipate and schedule getting together so that both parties are receptive to each other. Sometimes, other forms of therapy will be a necessary first step in couple’s work. For example, sometimes group therapy or individual therapy is necessary to change a person’s internal emotional responses before the couple’s external interactions can constructively become the main focus.
While teaching is often employed in good couple’s work, an emphasis is also placed on homework between sessions. The therapist often assigns homework in the form of communication or behavioral exercises. For example, a couple may be assigned homework to re-enact a recent argument but to do it in a newly agreed upon way. An individual may also be given homework to practice self-talk or guided imagery to deal with irrational beliefs or old feelings of shame that are intruding into the relationship. There are many other forms of homework that are too numerous to list here. The main point is that Cary Counseling therapists place an emphasis on practice and implementation in addition to insight.
Currently, Dr. Bryce Kaye, Ms. Maureen White, Ms. Christie Sobczak and Ms. Jill Coghlan-Uttridge are accepting internet referrals for marriage counseling. You can leave either of them a message at 919 467 1180.
At Cary Counseling Center, substance abuse counseling is only offered for people who are voluntarily seeking help with their chemical dependence. Where there is a court-ordered mandate for evaluation or treatment, we recommend for those clients to contact Recovery Partnership at 782-6554. For clients who have a history of physiological withdrawal and need medical management, we recommend contacting Keys to Recovery at 954-0004. When inpatient treatment is advisable, we recommend Fellowship Hall in Greensboro at 336-621-3381.
Knowing the right level of treatment for substance abuse is often difficult. You may gain assistance by calling 467-1180 and asking for one of the following professionals who are trained in substance abuse treatment: Dr. Bryce Kaye and Ms. Mary Bratton.
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The Affective, or feeling-based theories include Person-centered counseling and Gestalt therapy. Through these approaches, the therapist develops a trusting relationship with adolescents, provides empathy and positive regard while helping them develop insights into their problems that may involve past or present relationships or traumatic events.
Through the Behavioral theories such as Behavioral Counseling and Reality Therapy, the therapist assists adolescents in developing strategies to modify harmful or unsuccessful behaviors and to identify and make positive choices in their lives. Within these strategies, an emphasis is placed on responsibility for choices and the acceptance of consequences for behaviors.
Cognitive theories involve the thinking process of the client. The theory base most utilized is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy where the therapist and adolescent identify the adolescent’s irrational belief systems that influence negative feelings about him/herself and consequently often provoke negative behavior. The adolescent develops new self-statements and thoughts about him/herself that influence the overall development of self-esteem and positive behavior.
Clinicians currently offering this service are Ms. Christie Sobczak and Ms. Jill Coghlan-Uttridge. Please contact Cary Counseling Center at (919) 467-1180 and leave a message for one of these therapists to discuss these therapies in more detail.