Feeling overwhelmed, stressed out, unbalanced, unmotivated, or hopeless that life is never going to get better? No matter how you are feeling in this moment, hope and change are possible! Let me teach you the skills to help you live a more balanced life.
I've worked with Sandy for several years and she has helped me deal with a variety of issues most notably having a spouse with an eating disorder. During our sessions, Sandy puts me at ease and is a very good listener. Sandy exhibits a high level of care and compassion but when necessary is firm and at times challenges me. Rather than telling me what I need to do, she guides me in understanding the situation and helps me reach an outcome that I am comfortable with. My work with Sandy has made me a better person in so many aspects of my life!
We did EMDR work together, and it changed my life, I accomplished more in a few months than I had in 14 years of talk therapy. I gained new insights and reframed deeply held beliefs that had come from my abuse and were still limiting my growth. Her gentle and supportive manner made it comfortable to do deep work, Sandy is a warm and caring professional.
Sandra is a compassionate and committed therapist that I’m so blessed to have met. Sandra, came into my life when I needed someone to talk to the most and is professional, trustworthy, and caring. She has also given me so many tools and coping mechanisms that I will value throughout my lifetime. I truly don’t know where I would be today without the support, guidance, and commitment she brings to the table throughout all the years I’ve been her client. I’m truly blessed and there truly are not enough positive words to describe just how good of a person Sandra Is and how blessed we are that she not only chose to be a therapist but truly found her gift in life to offer support and kindness to each client she meets.
I have been working with Sandy for six years and she has helped me with everything from my eating disorder and past trauma to how to have difficult conversations and how to not get overwhelmed so easily. I can always trust her to be open and non-judgemental and as a result I’m comfortable being honest and vulnerable in every session. She has taught me a myriad of coping skills and I can now move through the world with more confidence and ease.
My work and my personal life are guided by a strong desire in supporting others when they are feeling stuck in life and are looking for solutions to make their lives better. Some people have a sense that they are being held back but do not always know the reasons why. I take an action-oriented, eclectic approach to help people unlock what has been holding them back from living life to their fullest.
I have 11 years of experience working with individuals, groups, and families who seek to improve their overall well being or to further enhance the quality of their lives. My approach is collaborative, supportive, nurturing, and I strive to empower people with skills that they can utilize throughout their lives.
When I am not in my office helping clients, I can be found exploring and taking photos in nature, fooling around with acrylic paint & water-color, spending time with family & friends, creating baked goods, or just relaxing at home with my furry friends.
My approach is warm, down to earth, practical, and non judgmental. My practice is devoted to helping people connect with their inner strength & wisdom, to gain insight, personal growth, and encourage you to make the changes you desire. I specialize in the treatment of Eating Disorders, Anxiety, Depression, and Trauma. My work is guided by my training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Acceptance & Commitment Therapy ((ACT), Motivational Interviewing, as well as Eye Movement Desensitization Therapy (EMDR). My approach is also influenced by Health at Every Size, Principles of Intuitive Eating, Body Positivity, as well as Mindful Eating.
There’s a fine line between stress and anxiety. Both are emotional responses, but stress is typically caused by an external trigger. Triggers can be short term such as such starting a new job, deadlines for work or school, a fight with a loved one or long-term such as chronic illness, or discrimination. People under stress can experience physical and mental symptoms, such as fatigue, muscle pain, irritability, anger, digestive troubles, and/or difficulty sleeping.
Anxiety, on the other hand, is defined by persistent, excessive worries that don’t go away even in the absence of a stressor. Anxiety leads to a nearly identical set of symptoms as stress: irritability, fatigue, muscle tension, insomnia, and difficulty concentrating. This anxiety can impact every aspect of our lives – school, work, home, and/or social relationships.
More and more people these days seem to be struggling with anxiety. Unfortunately, the fact that anxiety is common leads many people to think they shouldn’t need therapy to work through this struggle. Even though anxiety is common, it doesn't mean that it has to be your “normal and it doesn’t mean that you have to struggle through it alone.
Anxiety is the body’s way of alerting us to possible dangers. Our ancient ancestors needed anxiety to warn them about a possible attack from a wild animal and other life-threatening danger. Today, anxiety doesn’t necessarily stem from need to protect yourself from a man-eating wild animal, but our minds and bodies are not always able to tell the difference.
The thing about our body’s healthy anxiety response is that it’s not supposed to be on all the time; we’re meant to recognize and process a source of danger, and go back to a restful state. However, in today’s busy world, more and more people find themselves always on high alert.
Many people try to ignore, avoid, or just deal with their anxiety, these tactics work but typically not in the long run. Unfortunately, without really dealing with the sources of your anxiety, you will continue to experience all the same negative effects. The goal of therapy for anxiety is to help people recognize when the body is experiencing elevated levels of anxiety and learn how to cope with the anxious feelings to experience greater joy in your day to day life.
Eating Disorders are a unique and challenging set of thoughts and behaviors that can make it difficult to be present and fully engaged in life. In America, it is estimated that 20 million women and 10 million men will have an eating disorder at some point in their lives. Eating Disorders are serious yet treatable and can affect people of any gender, sex, age, race, ethnicity, or socio-economic status. Eating disorders are insidious and often impact people’s every day lives by making it difficult to engage in work, school, or socializing. The three most common types of eating disorders are:
Anorexia Nervosa Is defined by the following criteria:
Bulimia Nervosa Is defined by the following criteria:
Binge Eating Disorder Is defined by the following:
In addition, there are many symptoms that people may be experiencing due to engaging in eating disorder behaviors:
It is not uncommon for people to struggle with more than one type of eating disorder throughout their lives. And not everyone that struggles with eating disordered behaviors meets the criteria for an eating disorder. Many of my clients have struggled for years with yo-yo dieting, have a preoccupation with their body shape and size, and/or are tired of thinking about food.
Often people seek a therapist (outpatient provider) after they have been in a higher level of care for eating disorders such as partial hospitalization or intensive outpatient levels of care. However, for many people seeking help, I am the first person they have talked to about these issues. If I am the first person you have reached out to, I will ask you questions about the frequency and severity of behaviors so that I can assess how I can best support you. If you have other outpatient providers such as a registered dietitian, I will often work collaboratively with them on your behalf.
Many people delay seeking support for eating disorders for several reasons that might include: feelings of guilt, shame, embarrassment or perhaps you don’t think you are sick enough because you’re not underweight or you only throw up sometimes – whatever the reason is that you ended up here on my page, you are in the right place and the time is now to seek support and guidance. Call or send me an email so that we can chat about how I can best serve you.
People seek individual therapy for a variety of reasons. Some people pursue treatment due to mental health conditions that are interfering with one's ability to function. On the other hand, people also attend therapy for personal growth and to further enhance quality of life. Whatever the reason, the fact that you have landed on this page and are thinking about making this commitment puts you in the perfect spot to chat with me about how I can help.
There is no one proven method of therapy – no one-size-fits-all approach to treatment because no one person is like the other. It is incredibly important that you feel connected to your therapist. In fact, research suggests that the best outcome of therapeutic success is the relationship one has with the therapist, independent of the specific type of therapy used.
It is terrifying thinking about trusting someone with your most private and personal aspects of your life. As a therapist it is truly a gift and honor to be in this role; I value the relationship between you and me and I like to provide people the opportunity to chat with me before they commit to the first session. We will start with an initial 15-minute consultation so that I can better understand your goals and how I can best support you as a therapist.
Once you decide you would like to meet with me, I will email you relevant initial paperwork before we begin our first session. The first session is an intake session where I will ask you some general questions about your life and background so I can get to know more about you. This session is typically 50-55 minutes long and I like to use this time to be sure I have a clear understanding of your goals so I can best serve you.
Next Steps:
After the initial intake session, individual psychotherapy appointments will be about 45 minutes in length. In the beginning I typically see clients for weekly appointments; however, the time you spend in therapy will vary greatly depending on your needs and goals. I will often recommend small assignments in between sessions e.g. tracking thoughts, behaviors, and/or emotions to help identify specific triggers for eating disordered behaviors or situations that prompt anxious thoughts. My goal is to be of service to you and I strive to support and empower you through your healing journey. Call me today at 413-230-0508 if you would like to learn more about the process of therapy and how I can help you. If you’re not quite ready to take that leap, feel free to email with any questions you might have at skellylicsw@gmail.com I look forward to connecting with you.
This is a common question and I understand that this can be an important decision when seeking a healthcare provider. I do not do direct billing for insurance companies. The reason for this practice philosophy is that I truly value your privacy and confidentiality. Most people don’t know that when mental health providers bill insurance companies, they are required to list a diagnosis as a reason for your visit. I believe that divulging this kind of personal information to insurance companies to receive reimbursement is not in the best interest of our clients.
I value privacy and want my clients to have the ability to choose whether or not they want to share this type of information with their insurance companies. Lastly, many insurance companies dictate the length and type of treatment that fits into your health benefit package, which is not always what is best for my clients. As a fee-for-service practice, I prefer to dedicate our time and attention to my clients rather than spending time navigating insurance paperwork.
If you are interested in seeking reimbursement from your insurance company, I recommend that you call your insurance provider prior to scheduling. Refer to the back of your insurance card for the phone number to connect with your insurance carrier and ask the following questions to a representative:
For counseling to be effective it does require a commitment of both time and finances, I accept credit/debit cards. I can also provide a receipt called a “super bill” that you can submit to your insurance company or health or flexible savings account (HSA or FSA) for reimbursement.
Because each person has different issues and goals for therapy, therapy will be different depending on the individual. My goal is to tailor the therapeutic approach to your specific needs. I find that my clients get the most out of therapy when they are engaging and implementing skills in between sessions.
Unfortunately, this is not possible to answer in a general FAQs page. Everyone’s circumstances are unique to them and the length of time therapy can take to allow you to accomplish your goals depends on your desire for personal development, your commitment, and the factors that are driving you to seek therapy in the first place.
Research does support that weekly sessions are the most effective at the onset of treatment in order to get the most therapeutic benefit and build up momentum towards your goals.
I understand everyone has unexpected changes to their schedules and will be accommodating within reason. With advance notice of at least 24 hours, I will attempt to reschedule your session within that week if possible. If notice is not provided in a timely manner, clients will be charged for missed/cancelled sessions.
People seek individual therapy for a variety of reasons. Some people pursue treatment due to mental health conditions that are interfering with one's ability to function. On the other hand, people also attend therapy for personal growth and to further enhance quality of life. Whatever the reason, the fact that you have landed on this page and are thinking about making this commitment puts you in the perfect spot to chat with me about how I can help.
Social supports are not the same as mental health professionals. The difference is between someone who can do something, and someone who has the training and experience to do that same thing professionally.
A mental health professional can help you approach your situation in a new way– teach you skills and tools, gain different perspectives, listen to you without judgment or expectations, and help you listen to yourself. Furthermore, therapy is completely confidential.
You won’t have to worry about others “knowing my business.” Lastly, if your situation provokes a great deal of negative emotion, if you’ve been confiding in a friend or family member, there is the risk that once you are feeling better you could start avoiding that person so you aren’t reminded of this difficult time in your life.
skellylicsw@gmail.com
+1 (413)-230-0508
"The first and most important person you must believe in is yourself"
- Toni Sorenson