Phyllis Nasta Licensed Professional Counselor 520 203-4968 phyllisnasta@yahoo.com
COUNSELING IS FUN
Got your attention ,didn't I ? Yes, if you consider that Fun is a state in which we feel free and easy, can laugh and enjoy ourselves - , then getting through difficulties to achieve a sense of emotional freedom is Fun.
What is the essence of my counseling approach?
It is to help people get through to their inner consciousness, their authentic selves, their true feelings about things going on. After connecting to these feelings, the client can evaluate options on how to act, in accordance with their values, and in light of their situations.
In our world, there is no shortage of information about psychology and how to handle problems. It is all a click away. So the value of counseling has evolved to be a place where you can talk confidentially, express your truth, confront your feelings, and have a safe haven in which to figure things out. It goes deeper than simply having information. That's pretty much it. Sounds simple, doesn't it? But when we consider how much information we are bombarded with, it's easy to see that we can benefit from a quiet, self-oriented space in which to sort things out. Counseling is not for everyone, but if you want to give it a try, my approach will help you get in touch with your inner self, on psychological, emotional and philosophical levels. In addition to dealing with the array of real life issues that come up for just about everyone, I am able to help people develop their intuitive selves, interpret dreams, and benefit from active visualizations that produce results.
I have always loved the approach of Gestalt Therapy which I learned in the beginning of my journey as a counselor.
GESTALT THERAPY and DREAM WORK
I was introduced to Gestalt Therapy by the founder of the Gestalt Institute of Phoenix, Dr. Robert Mosby, who had trained at Esalen with Jim Simkin who was a protege of Fritz Perls, the founder of Gestalt Therapy. Bob Mosby retained all of the brilliance of Gestalt, but didn't carry forward the crusty communication style that was associated with Fritz Perls.
I participated in four years of intensive training at the Gestalt Institute, while I was in graduate school counseling program at Arizona State University. Gestalt has held me in good stead over the years of working in agencies, schools and private practice. I added my studies of meditation, guided imagery, and then, wholistic bodywork. to be able to enhance the Gestalt techniques with mind-body integrative therapy to my clients.
GESTALT DREAM WORK
Fritz Perls created an approach to dreams that is based on the premise that all of the symbols and dynamics in a dream are projections of the dreamer, therefore there is no objective interpretation of the dream. The dream therapist guides the client to experience the dream in the present, and helps them work out what's important in the dream, which leads to insight and the "aha" moment of clarity. Fritz believed that if you completely analyze one dream you'll know exactly where you're at in life.
I can help people with one dream, recurrent dreams, and other subconscious expressions such as art , 'daydreams', poetry etc.
SOME OF THE GESTALT TECHNIQUES AND APPROACHES
Fritz believed that working on issues in the present was effective, rather than talking 'about' the issue. In Gestalt we often use the empty chair technique which brings the subject of the person's issue, into the present. So, rather than talking about the death of a loved one, we have you put that loved one in the chair and speak directly, The therapist watches for the feelings, conflicts and other aspects of the communication and helps the client work through it. This is hard to describe in words. Suffice it to say it effectively gets to the heart of the issue rather quickly.
Another dynamic he figured out how to help people overcome is "top dog vs under dog" , within a person who has conflicts between what they want to do and what they feel they should do. Often this conflict results in stagnation, Gestalt guides people in working through the stuckness to come to a workable agreement between the two opposing sides.
Gestalt Therapy burst on the scene of counselor education in the 1970s and many counselors were able to learn the techniques which are still holding strong today, a testament to Perls' brilliance.
FEES
My counseling fee is $100 for a session. I work with Individual Adult Clients only. A ten minute free introductory talk is recommended to see if we are a good fit.
I don't file insurance. I can give you a receipt though, and you can try filing for reimbursement,. Keep in mind
that Insurance claims for mental health counseling require a psychiatric diagnosis.
Employee Assistance Program You may have an Employee Assistance Program available to you through your employment. This is an employee benefit. It's free to you , confidential counseling for everyday problems. Check it out under your Benefits. page or contact HR.
Many employees have this benefit but aren't aware of it. It provides free confidential counseling with licensed counselors who contract with the EAP to serve the employees. I've had contracts with several EAPs in the past. Usually they provide counseling for all members of the employee's household, and they don't require psych diagnoses, and they give you several sessions per problem you have.
Phyllis Nasta 520 203-4969 text or call phyllisnasta@yahoo.com
