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INDIVIDUAL
THERAPY
AND
COUPLES COUNSELING
FOR
COMPREHENSIVE
WELL-BEING
(HOME PAGE)
WELCOME TO NATURAL THERAPY !
Natural
psychotherapy, developed by Drs. Eric and Miriam Riss, can help you
deal constructively with all your problems and stresses - from
the mildest to the most severe.
Natural therapy does not
use psychiatric diagnoses, psychiatric medications or
electro-shocking; it is completely safe.
In this totally natural
treatment - whether individual therapy,
couples therapy, couples counseling, or marriage counseling, something truly beneficial occurs:
First, you learn how to evolve a more satisfying
and happier life.
And secondly, this alternative
and positive therapy is a highly effective treatment for depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety,
panic attacks, post-traumatic stress, communication and
relationship difficulties, sexual concerns, trust issues, anger
outbursts, addictions, OCD, etc.
* * * * *
CONNECT WITH US AND LEARN HOW
you can thrive in
all areas of your life!
* * * * *
AVAILABILITY :
MANHATTAN
OFFICE HOURS: Mon.- Fri., Days and Evenings (By
Appointment Only)
TO MAKE AN
APPOINTMENT, just CALL: 212-988-4700 or 212-737-7683
If you prefer to email, just click
HERE AND CONNECT WITH US
HOLISTIC
NATURAL HEALING is available at
The Psychotherapy and Treatment Center in
New York City. It is used extensively by those
living in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx,
Staten Island, New York State, Connecticut, and New Jersey.
P R E S C R I P T I O N S
FOR
WELL-BEING AND
HAPPINESS:
1
*be constructive and
balanced in your daily life, eat nutritious, organic foods you
love, get enough sleep and exercise regularly*
2
*learn how to learn from your
mistakes; how to consistently avoid all
guilt, regret, self-blame and blame of others*
3
*learn how to attain your goals in
relaxed, positive, and calm ways*
4
*discover how to be successful and, at the
same time, consistently loving,
kind, and gentle with yourself and with those you love*
5
*be engaged in enjoyable, meaningful, and
constructive relationships and in work you love*
6
*stay with it; easy does it*
7
*thrive*
* * * * *
FAQ - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
1.
Which
problems, "mental illness" issues and symptoms does this
holistic, natural therapy help resolve?
2. * In
what specific ways is natural psychotherapy mind-freeing and self-empowering?
3.
How does a natural treatment differ from a psychiatric
one?
4.
What are
the main aims of natural holistic psychotherapy?
5. *How does
this holistic natural
therapy actually work? 6.
How are medical problems
dealt with constructively in natural treatment approach?
7.
How are chemical imbalances regarded in relation to life problems?
8.
How
does holistic natural psychotherapy view mind-altering drugs?
9.
What is it best to do if one has become habituated to mind-altering
street drugs or prescription drugs?
10.
What are some specific benefits of holistic, natural
psychotherapy?
Top of page
FOR CONTACT INFORMATION please click HERE
Answers to FAQ: 1-10
1.WHAT
TYPES OF PROBLEMS AND ISSUES DOES THIS TREATMENT HELP RESOLVE?
1 A - The "mental illness" issues natural therapy helps resolve:
If you are feeling
excessively depressed, anxious, angry, bored, "in a fog" or emotionally overwhelmed,
this solution-oriented
talk-therapy and effective non-drug healing can be of definite help.
Yes, you can definitely learn ways to
treat and cure depression, panic, anxiety
and the large variety of emotional problems listed below, with no
medication and no drugs.
Yes,
natural holistic psychotherapy is the best depression treatment,
the best anger treatment, and the best anxiety and
panic
treatment!
It is the road
to well-being, happiness and human dignity.
* * * **
As the
list below illustrates, natural therapy can successfully resolve
and cure issues and
problems such as the following:
troubled
relationships, emotional stress and poor
communication, as well as more complex issues such as
panic attacks,
bipolar disorders, post-traumatic stress, conflicts in identity,
and even, treatment-resistant depression, and
treatment-resistant schizophrenia.
* * * * *
FOR FULL LIST OF THE ISSUES THAT
CAN BE HELPED AND PROBLEMS THAT CAN BE SOLVED, OVERCOME
AND CURED PLEASE SEE THE COMPREHENSIVE LIST BELOW
FOR CONTACT INFORMATION just click HERE
WHAT IS OFFERED
At the Natural Therapy Center in New York City each of the
following is offered:
Holistic natural therapy, treatment,
life coaching and effective problem-solving for any issue
and symptom of the (so-called) "mental
illnesses."
Holistic, natural, alternative drug-free
help, therapy
and cure for any emotional
problem, stress, or crisis.
Holistic and natural treatment for depression works for mild, moderate, or severe depression, seasonal depression, holiday depression, holiday blues,
recurrent depression, postpartum depression, major clinical depression, bipolar disorder,
or any mood disorder or emotional ups and downs.
Comprehensive psychotherapy and life
coaching for lasting resolution of couples problems and marital and
family anger management.
Sex therapy for sexual addiction problems,
sex coaching and sex counseling for ways to
increase love, intimacy, erotic excitement, spiritual closeness
and joyful interaction.
Life coaching and
executive coaching for personal, career, spiritual, situational
and financial stresses.
In-depth holistic therapy and remedies for catastrophic
disasters, post-traumatic stress
and current emotional stress reactions related to
experiences and situations of suffering, abuse (abuse and
trauma in
one's early or later family life, general
other abuse, sexual abuse,
etc.) cruelty, hunger, oppression, disasters, terror,
bombings, torture, kidnapping, mutilation, or other horrors of life.
Natural therapy and holistic role-playing
for excessive
fault-finding and habits of blaming and being impatient
with oneself and others.
Learning how to balance creativity,
work and
career issues
with one's spiritual well-being and personal happiness.
Natural therapy, stress
management and holistic executive coaching for difficulties in concentration,
organization and focus.
Workable
solutions for outbursts of temper and especially for lack of
effective anger management.
Alternative treatment for chronic fatigue,
immune, allergic and somatic reactions.
Holistic
and in-depth natural therapy for panic attacks:
mild or severe panic disorders.
Comprehensive and in-depth
holistic therapy and
constructive changes in life-style for drug addiction,
alcoholism patterns, problem drinking,
cigarette smoking, eating disorders, and computer addictions.
Natural sex therapy and holistic
sex coaching and sex counseling for issues of sexual satisfaction,
"too little" or "too much" sex, sexual
addictions or
antisocial sexual
behavior.
Natural therapy,
symbolic clarification, and effective therapy for nightmares.
Natural therapy for sleep problems,
sleep disorders, insomnia, sleep deprivation, early awakening
and excessive tiredness.* * * * *
FOR CONTACT INFORMATION and for a much better way of life, please click HERE
Top of page
1 B - How natural
therapy resolves the issues and stresses listed:
As this evidence-based
alternative Web site will show you,
every
issue or problem listed above, actually is not - as
psychiatry claims - a mental illness or
mental disorder.
Rather, they are all very real
psychosocial problems, but not "psychiatric disorders" or
"mental diseases."
As Thomas Szasz M.D.,
demonstrated long ago, the idea of mental illness is a myth.
Depression is
not a medical disease.
Anxiety is not a medical
disease; a bipolar pattern is not; schizophrenia is
not; nor are any of the
other problems and issues listed.
Rather, what the
scientific evidence shows is that each listed issue is
a problem in living - an understandable (though sometimes self-defeating) natural
bio-psycho-social and spiritual reaction to a problematic, painful, depressing or emotion-arousing situation.
YES, your problems and issues
are learned emotional reactions, but not permanent conditions.
As you will realize in you
natural therapy, your
stresses and problems (no matter how severe) are not conditions for which you "need" to be drugged,
electro shocked, or worse.
In sharp contrast with
psychiatric drugging or electro-shocking or magnetic tinkering, the focus of this
positive treatment is
always on new self-understanding and the constructive resolution
of personal and
relationship
issues.
In natural psychotherapy you gain natural and holistic prescriptions for
constructive
change. For positive changes that last!
* * *
If you want more specific clarification, please go to READINGS AND REFERENCES
Carefully examine the strong evidence behind the
questioning of the prevalent psychiatric treatment of so
called mental illness presented by Mary
Boyle, Ph.D., Paula
Caplan, Ph.D., Peter Breggin, M.D., Grace Jackson, M.D., Lucy Johnstone,
Ph.D., B.P.Karon, Ph.D., Lauren Mosher, M.D., Thomas Szasz, M.D.,
Robert Whitaker and others.
* * *
And most
important: The incontrovertible
hard scientific fact is that
not one of the problematic
reactions listed is a permanent "mental illness"!
The facts
actually show that all the troubling aspects of
a so-called mental illness are learned patterns and behaviors
rather than physical genetic illnesses.
They
were learned and with natural holistic psychotherapy they can all be unlearned!
1 C - What
natural therapy can do for you:
Your natural,
no-drugs therapist can show you specific ways to make constructive changes
in your life.
You learn
how to really
help yourself!
You actually
find the healing solutions that work for you.
* * *
This is done by
means of comprehensive, psychological treatments that include:
cognitive, psychodynamic, bio-social, eco-psychological and humanistic concepts and practices.
What the variety
of natural treatments include:
These
natural and positive treatments include: relaxation therapy,
stress management, anger management, holistic and spiritual life
coaching,
financial planning, executive coaching,
nutritional guidance and positive life-style enhancement.
* * * * *
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1 D - What
is a NATURAL approach?
A NATURAL
HOLISTIC APPROACH is a
way of life in accordance with nature and "reality," without
falseness and artifice.
A
natural holistic approach is consistently focused on in-depth
understanding of what is going on in your life.
It is an
approach
that can be relied on
to make your life better!
* * *
1 E
- How to become free and self-empowered:
By gaining in-depth understanding of
your self and your situation you
can learn to become
free; free
to get on - and stay on - roads of self-discovery and positive change!
FOR CONTACT INFORMATION click HERE
* * * * *
2. DISCOVER
IN WHAT SPECIFIC WAYS NATURAL AND HOLISTIC
PSYCHOTHERAPY IS MIND-FREEING AND SELF-EMPOWERING
2 a.
In
natural psychotherapy you learn how to take a variety of
fresh, new roads that lead to self-empowerment and freedom to
become
your unique self.
These
natural roads to freedom
can
take you from a life of emotional distress, depression and anxiety
to an authentic,
self-assertive and productive life of well-being and joy.
* * * * *
You learn to attain a kind
of excellence!
As Aristotle so clearly said it:
"Excellence is an art
won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly
because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have
those because we have acted rightly. We are what we
repeatedly do. Excellence, then is not an act but a habit."
And in natural therapy one
learns that the habit of excellence can indeed be
acquired.
You will come to see that excellence is nothing more and
nothing less
than the habit of being truly alive!
* * * * *
In the words of
Howard Thurman,
"Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and
go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive."
* * * * *
Please
click here for
CONTACT INFORMATION and find out how natural therapy can help you "come alive."
Top of page
2 b.
THE SPECIFIC GOALS OF FREEDOM, AWARENESS and CREATIVE SOLUTIONS:
In this holistic, gentle and truth-seeking talk-therapy and positive action-therapy, you
learn to free your mind from stress and worry.
You develop the ability to free yourself from stress by freeing yourself
from paralyzing inhibitions, negative attitudes, emotional
impulsiveness and self-destructive behavior patterns.
* * * * *
2 c.
The SEVEN STEPS TO BECOMING MORE AWAKE
TO REALITY:
First, you gain creative and constructive insights.
Second, you develop abilities to perform positive acts based on these
insights.
Third, you gain the power to free
your mind from mind-altering medications or street drugs.
Fourth, you practice
to free yourself from
an array of distractions and ways
you may have acquired to "block out" reality.
Fifth, You learn to focus on practical plans to
do something positive for
yourself - every day.
Sixth, you start to focus on the here and now: not on guilt or regret over a past that cannot be changed, nor on worry about a future
that is always unknown.
Seventh, you practice, practice and
practice performing positive, constructive actions on a daily basis - 24/7.
And as you move away from practicing blame (of
yourself and others) you start to feel the freedom of being truly in the
constructive realm of choosing - and working for - a life
that is truly good for you.
A fresh and wholly better life!
And significantly, during this natural healing process you
acquire and consistently increase the power to free yourself from
the damaging influences of irresponsible, negative, harmful people.
* * * * *
In natural therapy
and counseling you can
learn how to
free yourself from ever being a victim of toxic
relationships
with others.
You discover the benefits of focusing on the practice
of truth-seeking, self-emancipation and creative self-realization
on a regular (24/7) basis.
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* * *
2d.
In this holistic psychotherapy you become skilled in both stress
management and stress reduction.
Asa
result of living a productive, responsible and fulfilling lifestyle
you stop feeling "tired," "fatigued," or "hopeless."
Rather, to
your surprise, you start to
develop a much happier and emotionally exciting life.
You start - and continue - to
experience the "natural highs" of well-being!
FOR CONTACT INFORMATION please click HERE
3.
HOW DOES A
NATURAL HOLISTIC VIEW DIFFER FROM A PSYCHIATRIC ONE?
3a) Natural therapy is an
alternative treatment and that
does not approach psychological problems as medical illnesses.
Natural psychotherapy
and couples counseling,
in fact,
are highly effective: they are part of a growing number of creative, and positive psychosocial
treatments that have completely and successfully resisted the medicalization of psychotherapy.
Natural therapy has successfully avoided
and actually has protected many from the
attempts of biological psychiatry to practice "mind control"
masquerading under the name of "psychiatric treatment" or
"medical treatment of mental illness."
* * *
HOW NATURAL PSYCHOTHERAPY
SUCCESSFULLY HEALS AND AVOIDS PSYCHIATRIC TREATMENT
Natural
holistic psychotherapy is a therapy of no psychiatric theory and
practice, no psychiatric labeling and none of psychiatry's risky
treatments:
No psychiatric
medication and drugs, no ECT
(electro-convulsive shock therapy), no surgical body implants,
no surgical brain implants, no magnetic
interferences with your brain, no
neurological and brain surgery, no laser brain surgery and
no forced psychiatric
hospitalization, falsely called
"psychiatric treatment."
What natural psychotherapy offers instead, is an
effective "psychological, creative talk and problem-solving
therapy."
* * *
3b) In
this holistic therapy one is given Psychological Prescriptions for Constructive
Change: one learns how to become more curious, how to let
the truth make one free.
Instead of getting
psychiatric prescriptions of risky and hazardous psychiatric
medication and drugs, one gets psychological prescriptions for
constructive change.
Peter Breggin, M.D. contends
that in counseling and psychotherapy, one should "avoid starting
patients on medication or to referring them for medication
evaluation..."
As he puts it, "When people
are already feeling emotionally overwhelmed in the extreme, the
last thing they need is a big dose of brain dysfunction."
(Breggin, Peter. (2008). Practical Applications: 22
Guidelines for Counseling and Psychotherapy. Ethical Human
Psychology and Psychiatry, 10, 43-57.)
Therefore, in
natural psychotherapy one
finds out how to free oneself completely from the mistaken psychiatric
idea
that there is something biologically wrong with people who
have psychological problems or who behave in ways which others find
not acceptable.
One learns
the truth that distressing and troubling psychological reactions or
socially unacceptable behaviors are
not the
results of a non-existing brain disorder, chemical imbalance
or mental disease.
One gets
to see clearly that one's emotionally upsetting and disturbing
experiences are transitional emotional reactions to problems in
living or to self-defeating and damaging life styles.
*Again, please see the strong evidence supporting this view presented by
Mary Boyle, Ph.D., Paula
Caplan, Ph.D., Peter Breggin, M.D., Grace Jackson, M.D., Lucy Johnstone,
Ph.D., B.P.Karon, Ph.D., Lauren Mosher, M.D., Thomas Szasz, M.D.,
and Robert Whitaker
by clicking READINGS AND REFERENCES!
Of course, actual neurological,
physical, organic, medical problems that should be medically treated
do exist. And they should be diagnosed and treated with
competent and suitable medical methods.
Real medical
conditions can, of course, actually be verified by physical,
neurological, physiological, and laboratory tests. And then such
actually verified medical conditions can be
treated and hopefully cured by appropriate medical procedures.
But
the hard fact is that such
verification is not possible for what psychiatrists label mental
illness.
The so-called mental illnesses are
not real medical
conditions.
What are they then?
They are:
psycho-social and spiritual crises that can be resolved
and cured by
appropriate natural and healing psychological methods!
* * *
The fact is that
none of psychiatry's so called mental illnesses can
be verified as biological diseases by means of any scientifically and medically valid procedures.
There exist no blood tests, no x-rays, no lab-tests, no physical
examinations to do this!
* * *
* * *
3c) Too many psychiatrists miss the
simple and obvious fact that human beings do indeed have
psychosocial problems and issues that
result in biological
disturbances, but are not caused by biological disturbances.
In fact, there are numerous
neurobiological and neuropsychological studies that demonstrate
that psychological processes selectively alter the
way the brain reacts to and uses emotional and
psychosocial stimuli. (e.g. Mario Beauregard: Evidence from
neuroimaging studies of emotional self-regulation,
psychotherapy, and placebo effect. Progress in
Neurobiology, 81, (2007), 218-236.
* * *
Each person is an ever-changing and
ever-growing
being who has complex feelings, thoughts and values, and who lives in
complex human situations and interactions.
What a troubled person does
not
need is to have her or his brain or body chemistry tinkered
with or assaulted by the mistaken theories and
harmful practices of current psychiatry.
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3d) The Psychiatric View is Reductive and Pathologizing:
* * *
Natural therapy regards
most of psychiatry's ideas and procedures of treating "mental illness"
as scientifically unsound, logically flawed, therapeutically harmful and
morally bankrupt.
* * *
Therefore, the natural therapist does
not
ever resort to psychiatry's damaging ways.
Troubled people are seen, and learn to see themselves,
as what they really are: basically healthy, but often perplexed, frightened, or troubled human beings caught up in transitional or
long-standing emotional situations of suffering - situations and contexts
that need to be understood and dealt with openly - not masked or hidden by psychiatric drugs.
* * *
In this
effective, evidence-based
holistic alternative to the disempowering methods of
psychiatry, people get to realize the
following:
One just
does not need to get endlessly, and too often forcefully and
brutally, labeled, drugged, electro-shocked, get devices
implanted into one's brain and body, get a variety of risky "patches," get the vagus nerve electrically stimulated,
be given magnetic brain stimulations, or
be subjected to destruction of vast numbers of brain cells by means of
lobotomies, brain implants or laser brain surgery. Especially, since safe,
constructive and self-empowering natural methods are available,
and have been proven to work.
* * *
FOR CONTACT INFORMATION please click HERE
3e) A Psychosocial
Empowering Perspective Rather than a Psychiatric
Disabling One:
Besides making those who
are emotionally stressed feel even more disabled, helpless and hopeless, current
psychiatric practices too often are downright damaging!
Too often people undergoing such thoroughly inhumane "psychiatric treatments" are disabled for life.
3f) Why Upset and Troubled People are Never Classified With
Psychiatric Labels:
Why are persons
in natural therapy never stereotyped and classified by means of psychiatric
labels?
Because human beings are unique; their minds and spirits are much too
complex and individualistic for that kind of naive oversimplification.
Troubled human beings don't
need to be classified by a psychiatrist; they don't need to be
insulted and negated by being called "mad" or "crazy".
What people called "mad" are
actually
doing, is fighting control by others.
What they are seeking is power to control and
to
shape their own lives.
Because of this, they
need to be encouraged to be proud to be themselves in their difference and uniqueness. In
fact, they need to be treated with dignity, with utter
respect for their uniqueness.
They must be
given gentle encouragement, and afforded steady
promotion of their resilience and natural powers to heal themselves.
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3g) From Passive Patient to Active Self-Healer
In non-drug psychotherapy people are made
psychologically stronger by learning how to use problem-solving
solutions that last.
* * *
Rather than being
told to rely passively on psychiatric medication for life, they
are shown by their therapist how to change in positive ways, how to make better
and healthier choices in life and relationships.
They learn how to use their inner
strengths, to heal, and actually to become their own healers for the rest of their
lives.
* * *
In natural
therapy people learn that when they are anxious, troubled, depressed, etc. they, of course, produce natural chemicals in their bodies that are harmful and
that upset them even more.
However,
when people learn to live a balanced, healthy and
productive
life their bodies naturally produce chemicals that make
them feel good and that enhance their well-being.
Psychiatric or
street drugs don't truly help! They may make one
temporarily feel better. But the good feelings
don't last!
However, learning
how to live a healthier, more productive
and balanced life and having fulfilling, positive
relationships always helps! And not only temporarily, but on a
long term basis. * * *
FOR CONTACT INFORMATION please click HERE
h) The Central Approaches of
Natural Therapy:
The approaches
that are always focused on in natural therapy are the
following:
Learn
how to choose and get
engaged in a way of life that you
value and that you find emotionally and spiritually
satisfying.
Become
involved in goals and relationships that you find morally worthwhile, that you desire from your heart and the
depths of your soul!
Learn
how to help your true spirit come fully alive!
FOR CONTACT INFORMATION please click HERE
4. IN ADDITION TO THE AIMS
MENTIONED BEFORE, WHAT ARE
SOME OF THE OTHER AIMS and SOLUTIONS OF NATURAL PSYCHOTHERAPY?
In addition to helping you resolve
your problems, the main aims of natural psychotherapy are to enable you to
value and respect your complexities and to develop your ability to
change for the better.
What Natural Therapy Can Help One Accomplish
In the
course of resolving your problems, this
very practical therapy
can
show you how to:
(1) be in charge of your relationships and life in balanced,
productive ways
(2) eliminate
self-defeating unconscious habits and automatic reactions
(3)
achieve what is meaningful and important to you
(4)
bring more love
and joy
into your daily existence
(5) attain and then maintain comprehensive (physical,
emotional, spiritual) well-being
* * *
* *
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5.
HOW DOES NATURAL THERAPY
ACTUALLY WORK?
5a.
IN NATURAL THERAPY THE FOCUS IS ALWAYS ON NATURAL SELF-HEALING, SELF-REALIZATION AND THE ATTAINMENT OF SATISFYING RELATIONSHIPS AND THE GOOD LIFE.
Natural psychotherapy works by being
not only a psychological talk-therapy but also a psychological
action-therapy.
Its
truth-seeking, jargon-free and down-to-earth approaches
for positive change work for all ages.
People learn - one day at
a time - to
live in better ways. Ways that maximize
self-actualization and the attainment of greater happiness
by natural means.
And as that happens they get to feel better -
not just once in a while, but on a regular basis.
The focus of natural therapy is always on constructive in-depth talk and constructive actions:
The Talk Therapy
The talk-therapy involves:
(1) in-depth,
natural conversation
- a collaborative search by means of straightforward,
honest, open and bold dialogue
(2) creative brainstorming for constructive, new,
completely original solutions.
And the
therapeutic atmosphere that always fosters
such talk is one that is positive, gentle,
calm and thoroughly realistic.
* * *
The Action Therapy
The
actions-therapy
involves your actual practice of actions, behaviors and ways of
thinking and communicating that you find truly constructive.
This means giving up old destructive
patterns of acting and of communicating you may have learned (and over-learned) in
childhood.
In natural
actions therapy, you learn to become bold
and actually try out the completely new and more productive ways of behaving you have evolved in the natural talk therapy.
* * *
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* * *
FOR CONTACT INFORMATION please click HERE
5b)
THE INTERPERSONAL AND PSYCHODYNAMIC PERSPECTIVE:
From the interpersonal viewpoint, natural therapy regards human experience as
always related to one's situation, interactions, and relationships.
In natural psychotherapy
people start to explore both conscious and
unconscious influences on their everyday behavior, and
especially on their emotional reactions to events.
This simply means that the nature of the relationships one has
with oneself and others is influenced by aspects one is aware of and also
aspects one is not aware of.
And through greater
self-understanding one comes to see how totally unconscious influences have their roots in one's
present psychosocial situation as well as in one's past.
And once one explores how that happens,
one's problems become much more understandable and more manageable.
* * *
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5c) THE GOAL OF EACH THERAPY SESSION:
In fact, under the umbrella of such a
perspective, the purpose of every therapy session is to show one how to
become aware
of, and be able to use, one's inner freedom
and power to attain the good life: responsible, reasonable, fulfilling
and joyful.
Throughout,
each therapy session is
focused on gaining self-understanding of one's own complexities as well as
of the complexities of the psychosocial situation related to
one's suffering.
The focus is on clear understanding of all the
complexities of one's choices.
One steers clear of "foolish choices"
and "quick fixes"!
One avoids the easy
escapes and distractions of blame, regret, anger, passivity,
irrational attachments, addictions and infatuations
- all of which are self-destructive acts that can prevent
self-understanding, self-growth and spiritual self-enhancement.
And during, as well as between sessions, the
focus of all natural psychotherapy, is on clarity of vision.
5e) EFFECTIVE TEAMWORK - COLLABORATIVE AND CREATIVE
BRAIN-STORMING:
What
open, natural, and positive dialogue really becomes when it works well is
effective teamwork.
The teamwork is effective
when both the person seeking therapy and the therapist work
together cooperatively and patiently on all the issues and problems a person
faces. Then such teamwork becomes a
naturally creative kind of joint brainstorming by
the person seeking creative solutions and the natural therapist.
* * *
One of the many reasons such
brainstorming conversations have to be collaborative is
that you are the only one who really knows - even though you may not be
fully in touch with that knowledge - what your conscious and unconscious
perspectives and assumptions about life are, what your basic healthy goals
are, which human values you want to develop and foster.
* * *
And the natural
psychotherapist with a global holistic approach, is the one with the
know-how to enable you to become fully aware of that knowledge and use it
constructively.
* * *
And as you
make your own life better in truly constructive and realistic ways you inevitably
increase your self-confidence and
self-reliance and become able to actualize your true self. And as you
keep doing that you start to feel better and better!
* * *
TO LIVE BETTER IS A SKILL:
Learning to live well and productively,
and in ways that you truly feel are responsible and in your best
interest, is a skill like other skills,
only more complex. That is why it is so important to persist and prevail in
the open, totally honest therapeutic and natural conversations despite the time and
the effort they may take.
Your emotional concerns, upsets, and any psychological disabilities you may have
developed in the past, as well as the spiritual despair you may have
experienced, are seen as
transitional wake-up calls.
They are all experiences that can help
you finally to get rid
of misconceptions, of blind spots, and destructive patterns.
And as that happens, you
develop the ability to understand yourself better
and become more and more skilled in living well!
5f) WHAT TO DO WITH NEGATIVE FEELINGS:
Unpleasant and
distressing feelings,
when approached with curiosity and patience, are
always opportunities for greater self-understanding
and for positive reorganization of yourself and your relationships.
You learn not to run away
from negative feelings but to use them to gain greater
self-understanding and self-empowerment!
* * *
FOR CONTACT INFORMATION please click HERE
6.
HOW ARE MEDICAL
PROBLEMS DEALT WITH IN A NATURAL THERAPY APPROACH?
A person, of course, may have a specific medical disease, actual
medical symptoms, illnesses, or impairments that require
proper medical
evaluation, diagnosis and treatment.
Therefore, if
any concern about
an actual physical illness, impairment, or problem exists at the time one starts
or is in the process of natural psychotherapy, one should always have a physical
diagnostic checkup
by one's regular personal or family physician.
And
one should also, always, have a consultation with someone
who is expert (e.g. board certified diplomate) in the areas of one's concern,
whether it be an experienced specialist in cardiology, internal medicine, neurology,
endocrinology, pediatrics, geriatrics, oncology, otolaryngology,
ophthalmology, physiatry, or in any of
the various medical specialties that may be relevant to one's
concerns.
Competent, compassionate, expert medical diagnosis and treatment
should never be avoided when any concern about
physical illness is present!
Physical, medical disease or impairment always requires suitable medical diagnosis, intervention and
treatment.
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7.
HOW ARE CHEMICAL IMBALANCES REGARDED IN RELATION TO
LIFE PROBLEMS?
Do people develop chemical imbalances when
they get upset?
The answer is: yes, after
they get upset.
As a result of getting upset people develop
adaptive chemical changes. These changes and imbalances
are the result of the emotional and physical distress they have
experienced.
The body is
exquisitely sensitive to any kind of stress, even mild stress; and it reacts
accordingly.
One's psychological problems in living
can therefore cause chemical changes, as well as
musculoskeletal and other physical changes.
Thus it is important to remember that
there is overwhelming research and clinical evidence that psychological experience causes changes
in body chemistry and physiology.
However, research shows that
generally it is
not the other way around:
it is not
that people have "mental diseases" or "genetic defects" that
cause their chemical imbalances.
When
their psychological and social problems are resolved, so is
their mental upheaval, their suffering, and their chemical
imbalance.
Thus drugs do not eliminate the psychological and psychosocial reasons
that caused the chemical changes in the first place !
* * *
And furthermore, the crude "treatments"
by means of psychiatric drugs not only can have serious and
damaging side-effects, but also tend to impair the mind's and body's
natural healing and reparative responses to stress.
So what is one to do if told by a
"professional" that one has a chemical imbalance not related to
and caused by one's
psychologically upsetting situation?
If that happens, one should
always ask what
specific laboratory tests one can take to demonstrate and determine exactly and clearly what
the imbalance is.
* * *
And remember
this:
No
medical examinations or laboratory tests exist
showing that chemical imbalances precede mental distress!
Not even one!
There are no laboratory tests
or medical findings in
existence today that can point to actual medical and laboratory findings with regard to
chemical imbalances causing
mental problems, as exist with other problems such as diabetes, TB,
cancer, infections, actual vitamin or mineral deficiencies, etc.
* * *
And one must not forget either
that psychiatry has promised definitive medical tests for
"mental illness" for over 150 years. And it has still not
delivered!
* * *
Why?
Because, as Thomas Szasz M.D., has so clearly pointed out in his many books: the
task of finding such tests is hopeless.
This is so because the very idea of "mental illness" is
a mistaken idea, a myth.
Or, to put it more
bluntly - a
false idea, a completely erroneous idea.
Actually, the idea of
mental illness is a delusion of psychiatry.
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FOR CONTACT INFORMATION please click HERE
8.
HOW DOES NATURAL THERAPY VIEW MIND-ALTERING
STREET DRUGS AND PSYCHIATRIC DRUGS?
(a) The choice:
Whether people choose to take or not to take mind-altering
drugs relates to the culture, religious influences and the laws under which they live.
All, of course, should arrive at the
choices they make regarding the use of mind altering drugs in well-informed
and carefully thought out ways.
In a democratic society probably the less the government
actively interferes with, prohibits or punishes such behavior the better.
Thus people should have the legal right to take drugs if they choose to do
so, whether the drug is cocaine, ecstasy, Prozac, "grass", alcohol,
nicotine, Xanax,
heroin, Zyprexa or any other
mind-altering substance.
But under no circumstances should they be
coerced, cajoled or pressured to take these chemicals!
And the reason for this is clear: all
mind-altering chemicals can have serious and damaging
side-effects.
Educated about these chemicals, YES.
Pressured or coerced to ingest them, NO!
(b) OK to start natural therapy while still drinking,
smoking
or using mind-altering drugs:
Even though drugs may make it easier
to avoid dealing constructively with one's problems, experience over the past three
decades has shown that one can benefit from natural therapy even while still using
them.
Thus the use of excessive alcohol,
nicotine, or drugs, whether one uses them out of choice, habit, because one is in the
process of weaning oneself off them, or because one is committed to their
use for recreational, tranquilizing or analgesic purposes is never a
reason not to start natural therapy.
It is always beneficial to
explore psychologically the pros and cons of one's risky life styles.
It is always beneficial to explore specific ways to stop taking
risky drugs and chemicals.
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(c) Limited use of drugs in special
emergency situations:
In natural psychotherapy medication is hardly
ever used. And if a person wants it, it is used in minimal amounts in
order to reduce
acute upset in emergency situations.
However the emphasis always is on therapeutic dialogue
and therapeutic problem solving..
Constructive dialogue is encouraged and
reliance on cigarette smoking, alcohol and drugs is discouraged.
If someone is acutely distraught and
agitated, or in the throes of deep depression, tranquilizing and mood
altering drugs may be advised if
quick calming down is necessary and serious health or management crises
exist.
Clinical evidence demonstrates that a safe,
structured, caring, personal and compassionate therapeutic environment is
mostly sufficient
to bring about a general calming down.
But if a safe, loving, caring and
structured environment is not
available and potentially dangerous emergencies exist, psychoactive drugs are prescribed
and should be prescribed. Ideally,
by
someone who is
expert in, or at least congenial to, alternative, holistic medicine -
either a prescribing holistic psychologist, psychiatrist, internist, psychopharmacologist,
or psychiatric
nurse-practitioner.
Thus, in certain serious
situations, judiciously prescribed use of
psychoactive drugs may be of help on a temporary basis and may
definitely be required.
Each individual's safety,
welfare and comprehensive well-being are always of prime
consideration!
(d) Response to drugs varies:
Some individuals respond very
quickly (even in minutes or hours) to psychotropic medication.
Some respond slowly, over weeks.
Some don't respond to drugging or
medication at all, or respond minimally. Some respond negatively
with negative side effects.
Prescribed mind-altering drugs can thus
sometimes be of help in jumpstarting someone into
psychotherapy or in helping them overcome an acutely disturbing transitional
episode.
Once some
stability has been achieved, the
tranquilizing or mood altering drugs are used to the minimal degree necessary
to maintain focus on the psychosocial issues that caused the emotional
disturbances and upsets in the first place. This should be done in consultation with those professionals familiar with the person's psychosocial
and medical history and background.
(e) The focus in natural
therapy is always on one's natural healing
powers:
In holistic natural psychotherapy
one focuses on the organism's natural ways of healing, on its
natural inner healing powers and resilience. These natural
powers to heal oneself are consistently encouraged and
stimulated in natural psychotherapy.
It is self-empowering to go through the process of
natural therapy since one gradually learns how to make use of the
hormones and chemicals naturally produced by one's own body.
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FOR CONTACT INFORMATION please click HERE
9. WHAT IS IT BEST TO DO IF ONE HAS BECOME HABITUATED OR ADDICTED
TO MIND-ALTERING STREET DRUGS OR PSYCHIATRIC PRESCRIPTION DRUGS?
In the event one has become habituated
or addicted to street drugs, psychiatric drugs, or toxic levels of alcohol, it is
not
advisable to stop impulsively or abruptly.
The reason not to stop abruptly is that some
people can have very
serious negative physical and psychological reactions and
side-effects if they do so.
As Peter Breggin, MD has put it: "Most
psychiatric drugs can cause withdrawal reactions, sometimes
including life-threatening emotional and physical withdrawal
problems. In short, it is not only dangerous to start
taking psychiatric drugs, it can also be very dangerous to
stop them." (www.breggin.com)
It is therefore important to
remember that some psychiatric prescription drugs can be far
more addicting, damaging, and habit forming than many biological
psychiatrists and psychopharmacologists are willing to admit.
If one decides to stop excessive
alcohol or excessive taking of prescription
or non-prescription drugs, it is important to wean
oneself off carefully and slowly.
And such a decision should only be carried out with the help, the planning, the guidance
and the supervision of a caring, responsible, knowledgeable and
experienced, licensed professional clinician.
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10. WHAT ARE
SOME SPECIFIC BENEFITS OF NATURAL
THERAPY?
Natural
psychotherapy
is a therapy in the old sense of the word (from the Greek
therapein,
to
attend to, to heal, to make whole):
In Natural Psychotherapy
you learn how to
attend to and heal your psychological wounds and become
whole.
* * *
And this therapy, this attending to your
self, consists of care for your self: truth-seeking, constructive conversation and
creative brain-storming for positive and lasting solutions.
* * *
In natural psychotherapy you acquire the skill of
being realistic - to see things, yourself, and
others as they actually are.
You become able to give up "spacing out"
and just passively "hoping" that "things will
get better" or that "others will one day change for the better."
You become able to achieve realistic,
constructive changes:
You
learn how to actually
make your life better in active ways!
* * *
In natural
therapy you gradually acquire the skill to become
your own
therapist.
You learn how to become
truly responsible for the direction and quality of
your life.
Throughout the
natural psychotherapy process you learn how to come alive, how
to love, care for, and find joy in yourself, in others, and in the natural world.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Appointments
can be made either by e-mail or
by telephone.
Office hours are: Mon. - Fri., days and evenings.
Click here to send e-mail for an appointment
for therapy, counseling, coaching, and emotional support.
If, you prefer to telephone for an appointment,
just
click here also.
If the line is busy or you
get the answering machine, don't worry. Just click
here and send the e-mail
form in. You'll get a quick response - generally within a day.
* * *
IF YOU LIVE FAR FROM NEW YORK CITY OR DO MUCH TRAVELING:
Though the office is located in New York City,
natural psychotherapy is also available
-
nationally and internationally
-
via telephone and e-mail.
Persons who live in Manhattan, Brooklyn,
Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, or Long Island, Connecticut and New Jersey
generally come to the office for therapy.
Persons who live far
from the New York
City office often have a session in person and then continue their natural
therapy sessions by e-mail and telephone.
Natural therapy sessions work well by
telephone and bring productive and positive results. This
is borne out by over thirty years experience of using such
"long-distance natural therapy."
E-mail and telephone therapy
sessions are also very useful
to persons who do a lot of
world-wide traveling and only occasionally can stop in New York City
for a personal natural therapy session.
GETTING STARTED:
So whether you live in New York, in the United States, or
in any country in the world,
any of the ways of natural, holistic psychotherapy can be
especially useful.
Find out how natural therapy can help you get started on the road to a more
meaningful and productive life, better
relationships, and more consistent general well-being!
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