How do I know if I need mental health services (counseling, psychotherapy, etc.) vs. Unintentional Death Re-Visioning (UDRV)?

First and foremost, if you are depressed or anxious to the extent it is interfering with your daily life (work, family, etc.), you should promptly seek mental health services. Your primary physician or other licensed health care professional should be able to direct or refer you to local mental health resources. In the event you feel your personal safety is at risk (e.g., you are having thoughts of hurting or killing yourself), you should immediately call 911 or go to your nearest hospital emergency room. In an initial screening, which I will conduct when we first have contact, I will also provide, if needed, a recommendation that you seek mental health services prior to or alongside any UDRV work with me.

OK, but what’s the difference between mental health services and UDRV?

UDRV uses an educational curriculum-based emotional learning approach with strategies and practices customized to individual needs. Mental health services, while also addressing psychoeducational information, differ in that these may additionally employ needed in-depth initial assessment/testing and history-taking; diagnostics; treatment planning; exploration of past issues and root problems contributing to present-day problems; remedial approaches for certain behaviors; and specific targeted therapeutic modes (i.e., cognitive behavior therapy, EMDR, etc.).

What have you learned from your years of professional work in trauma recovery?

My learning continues, and a few lessons thus far include:

• Human beings are unimaginably and deeply resilient — a quality that can be tapped into and cultivated.
• The human (thinking) mind innocently performs non-stop shenanigans, making up stories it (mistakenly thinks) will be helpful. It can be a wonderful servant but is a poor master. There are many ways of helping it back to its necessary place.
• Human beings cannot control the arising of their thoughts. Human beings cannot control the arising of their emotions. Human beings CAN control and direct their attention — and how they respond — to the thoughts and feelings that arise.
• An emerging worldwide network (accidentalimpacts.org) of people who have unintentionally caused another person’s death is serving as a powerful and mutually supportive community.

How many appointments will I need for UDRV?

We will discuss this at the start, based on the particulars of your situation. I am committed to an expeditious process that continues only for as long as either of us deems it to be of present and continuing benefit.