“I learned how to stop my eating disorder––something I never thought I could do. I have not engaged in that kind of behavior for about seven months now. This is so big for me.
“I feel as if I could do things in life I didn't think was possible before. I now have goals and dreams instead of just trying to hide and survive through the day. My relationships with my husband and my kids, and especially myself, are amazing now.
"As a result of our sessions, I feel like I got myself back and therefore I can set boundaries and make decisions without always second guessing myself. I am starting to believe in myself.
"In the past, I only worked on my issues superficially with other therapists. I feel like I really got to the core of my issues this time and that's why it worked.
"When I step into the office, I feel like I'm in a comfortable, safe place.
“My daughter was only three years old when I started to see some things about her behavior that worried me: her extreme shyness and difficulty making friends. Now, some people may think that’s normal but I didn’t. You suggested I bring her in for an evaluation to calm my fears. She worked with one of the therapists, and I began to see changes immediately. She actually said to me, ‘I’m a confident girl, and so are you Mommy.’ I almost started to cry. Who knew through play, she was actually learning new coping skills. Thanks for helping my daughter change the course of her life in just a few sessions. I am so grateful.”
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“After just two sessions, I’m so happy to be able to tell you that my anxiety has lessened. For the first time in months and months I didn’t feel anxious going to a store the other day. I actually joked with a friend that I was nervous because I wasn’t feeling anxious...lol! The therapy is really helping! Thank you very much for your skillful and caring help!”
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“I wanted to give you an update on how I've been sleeping since our first session. Immediately I noticed a huge change. I was taking a lot less medication to fall asleep and I was waking up refreshed and rested. I wasn’t falling asleep at my desk anymore. Thanks so much for your help.”
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“You are a great listener and you ask the right questions so as not to offend but rather to stimulate thought and answers to difficult questions. You seem to be nonjudgmental, which is good as we are often our own worst critics and would hate to believe that someone else thinks the same or worst. You've always offered a positive outlook on everything and been very encouraging.
“I’ve obviously had a positive experience with you and feel very comfortable talking to you even about difficult situations.
“I love walking into your office––the soothing sounds and peaceful decor is inviting and the candles in your office are like nirvana for me.
“The one most important thing I re-learned is to accept myself faults and all, and not be superwoman––spread some of that joy around! What I appreciate most is the rapport that we share––it doesn’t feel ‘clinical’. We have a human relationship where we exchange thoughts, ideas, etc.
“Thank you for the great experience.”
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“My 8-year-old son ‘opened up’. I didn't realize that he had so much pent up anger. The therapist was able to connect with him instantly and I have seen a positive change in his behavior from his very first session.
“Now, when he gets angry he uses this tool implemented by his therapist to assist him with relaxation and to calm down. She calls it ‘Mr. Crazy Face’ which I think is very kid-oriented. I love the way she is able to pull things out of him and get him to work when he doesn't even realize he's doing the work himself. She makes it so fun and stress free.
"Therapy has made him more relaxed, motivated to do the ‘right thing’ and think before he makes decisions. As a parent, I believe what benefits my child, benefits me.”
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“By the time my husband and I came into the Growth and Healing Wellness Center we were definitely on the brink of divorce. I felt so disconnected from him––like I've been living my own separate life for years. We tried everything and this was my last hope. Our therapist began to teach us how to listen to each other and change our expectations. I think I actually began to fall in love with my husband––maybe for the first time.
“We got married young, had children and never learned how to be together as a couple. We began to get to know each other and it became fun. Before we knew it, our therapist told us we didn't need her anymore and we agreed. We never thought we could have this kind of life. I will refer people to Growth and Healing Wellness Center whenever I see them struggling, because I want them to get the results we got. I still can't believe it's possible and it actually happened.”
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“The single most helpful thing I have learned in therapy is that when you change your mind you can change your life. Therapy has allowed me to see my strengths, release my destructive patterns and move past the childhood traumas that were haunting me.
“As a result of therapy at GHWC I have implemented positive changes in my life. I am present and enjoying my life, have said good-bye to toxic people and now see the beauty in me.
“Prior to finding the Growth and Healing Wellness Center I tried two different therapists. Both were kind and listened but that was where it ended. I sort of felt that I was just paying someone to listen to me vent. At GHWC I gained insight into who I am and what my strengths are. It’s more than just ‘venting’ past and present problems.
“Thank you for all you've helped me through. I really appreciate you in my life.”
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“Therapy has helped me learn to connect to myself. I am more aware of my behaviors and feel more in control of my life. I now am able to set boundaries, am learning to say 'no', and have stopped putting myself in unhealthy situations. I also feel much more grounded and am able to make healthier decisions.
“I’ve been to other therapists, and feel this is much better. I accomplished so much more here. I really feel like I learned something and I'm getting somewhere. Plus, I feel relaxed. It's very serene here––like a spa with the candles and soothing colors.”
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“Therapy taught me many things about myself I didn’t know before or know I had the strength to do. I've learned a healthier way to deal with situations that have negatively impacted my life. And I now have the patience to help my children go through a difficult transition. I feel calmness and warmth whenever I come here.”
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"I am learning how to stop abusive, destructive thoughts and how to practice healthy self-love. This means being ok just being with myself in my own skin, and listening inside to ALL my thoughts and feelings without judging or condemning myself. Doing this creates a sense of safety, wholeness, health."
"And here is where my therapist shines. She shows me how to recognize symptoms, understand the underlying reason for them, and helps me see that it is possible to release them by replacing them with healthy behaviors. And she supports me through the entire process."
"Therapy has been very stabilizing as I learn new, healthy skills to replace old, negative and unhealthy patterns and symptoms. My therapist creates an environment where I feel safe expressing and exploring my issues, experiences, family patterns, and current interpersonal situations. Therapy has been a place I feel comfortable going to, especially on those days (and we all have them) when I just don’t want to go."
"Being an incest and trauma survivor, I’ve had so many things taken from me. Therapy is helping me reclaim all that belongs to me, to stand up and appropriately ask for what I need, to create a healthy family of choice, and be able to do something as simple as just look in the mirror and love who and what I see there. I’m learning to value myself, and see the gifts and talents I have to contribute. Therapy is teaching me that it is ok that I survived, and that there is so much more to me than just being an abuse survivor. I’m learning to re-create myself by exploring myself, my likes and dislikes, to make my own choices and mistakes, to have a voice, and to trust – not only others, but myself, first and foremost. I’m learning to trust my gut, my instinct, my system, whatever you want to call it, and just be comfortable and at peace – AT HOME—in my own skin, heart and mind."
"I am an incest survivor, which led me into a teenaged marriage full of violence and abuse that lasted over 14 years. I had been diagnosed with clinical depression, PTSD, D.I.D. and then Bi-polar disorder. Various doctors placed this ‘alphabet soup’ of diagnoses on me, making me feel more and more damaged and hopeless. Amazingly, my therapist at the Center never saw me as damaged or hopeless. No matter which symptoms I was displaying at any given time, she never seemed overwhelmed or exasperated. She just patiently mirrored the “healthy” me, and it slowly began to sink in. I began to see that these diagnoses didn’t define me, and they have evaporated."
"Now, the challenge for me is creating the life I choose. It’s a work in progress, and I’m learning to be ok with that."
"So, what has changed is that I learned that I am not my symptoms or diagnoses, and that I have the right to make my own decisions, I have the right to speak, and I have the right and ability to create how I want to live. By focusing on the healthy patterns I’m choosing, these grow and expand, and crowd out the old, destructive symptoms."
"When I was looking for a therapist, it was really important that I felt at ease and accepted, and that there was compatibility and trust. That’s a tall order to fill when you’re feeling tremendous pain and fear, and you don’t trust anyone, including yourself. I’ve known my therapist since October 2000. From day one, she had the unique capacity to create a calm, stabilizing atmosphere, in either private session or in groups. I have always found her to be very kind, patient, non-judgmental and professional."
"I had two other therapists before seeing her, besides perhaps a dozen in group settings. The biggest difference I’ve seen is consistency. I’ve never gone into session wondering “how is she going to show up today?” like I have with other therapists. And she is honest––she really calls me on my ‘stuff’. She has great follow-through and persistence. She doesn’t drop issues when the going gets tough. I have come to appreciate that she is really willing to get into the trenches with me when I’m in a dark place, feeling overwhelmed, hopeless or even rageful. She is the voice of reason when I feel out of control. I have seen first-hand in groups the depths of her insight and ability to de-escalate volatile situations."
"She has always seen the healthy me, and she focuses on that, even when I haven’t been able to. I truly believe she sees in me the person I would have been without the abuse. And she teaches me to see her, too. She has always treated me with dignity and respect, even when I didn’t feel I deserved it. She is ALWAYS professional, and yet very warm and personable, willing to share of herself, never stand-offish."
"Most important to me, is that she ALWAYS shows deep respect and support for my religion and spirituality. She has made it clear that she considers my love for Jehovah God as one of my greatest assets in recovery, and has never in any way tried to undermine that relationship.
Over the last almost 4 years, we have done amazing work together, and I have reached a level of health I never thought possible. You owe it to yourself to accept the challenge to find out who you really are underneath all your symptoms. My Wellness Center therapist is a genius at helping people do just that."
