NEW YORK, Oct. 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — As desirable as therapy is, when the choice is between a high out of pocket fee or having your counseling history documented in a government database, therapy may seem problematic for both the clinician and the patient. Clinicians do not aim to steer patients into situations that put them at risk and participating in a national database for mental health records, by definition is risk. As medical and mental health professionals suddenly struggle more to meet operating overhead, patients are torn between wanting to receive mental health counseling and their trepidation about the new consequences of overall increased healthcare costs and the component of the national database for physical and mental health records.
To adapt to the climate of increased operating fees for the clinician and increased deductibles and privacy risks for patients, New York licensed psychotherapist Pamela Garber, LMHC is providing online therapy at reduced session costs.
"I am able to facilitate sessions with less overhead, and in turn, I am able to adjust my rates. Recent economic changes are a shared burden that trickles down to all aspects of our lives and all socioeconomic groups. Most of my clients, as well as many of my colleagues report an increased struggle to make ends meet and express concerns about the overall economy and higher insurance premiums. My goal is to provide effective therapy in a cost effective and convenient structure," she said.
Pamela Garber, LMHC provides online sessions to busy clients from various industries. Appointments are from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday. Worksheets and writing exercises are utilized as an adjunct to therapy.
Ms. Garber is eclectic in her approach with clients and while sometimes a portion of the session is dedicated to letting a client vent and explore the layers of their feelings, she often incorporates the Rational Emotive Behavior worksheets created by Dr. Albert Ellis, the founder of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy/REBT. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, known as CBT was later developed from REBT and is often requested by new clients.
"When the focus is strictly on the feelings, the specifics of the event and/or situation are lost as well as the meaning you gave it, and so no learning can take place as to how to navigate the situation in the best way possible for you long term. Dr. Ellis's REBT worksheets provide my motivated clients with a tangible means of identifying, challenging, and changing their beliefs," she said.
"I'm comprehensive in my clinical approach, structuring the client's work in therapy by first fully mapping out their presenting problem, its link to biographical data, when appropriate, and at what point they first made the decision to seek help. Once my client and I are confident that their events, feelings, and overall circumstances have been fully clarified, I guide the client to gaining an awareness of what they were saying to themselves during key aspects of their circumstances. This begins the process of discovering their beliefs which are the catalysts for emotions. My clients that work in financial services respond quickly to the concept of having leverage over their emotions even when they have zero leverage over their time, conditions and tasks," she said.
For information, call 646-745-6709, or go to www.Grandcentralcounselinggroup.com
About Pamela Garber
Pamela Garber has been in private practice for over 15 years. She is the author of "Recovery Maintenance Workbook: A Tangible Guide for Discharge Planning," which she presented at the New York State Mental Health Counselor annual convention in 2008. She holds Mental Health Counselor licenses in New York and Florida.