TREATMENT TEAM INTERVIEWS

IDENTIFYING TRAUMA VS GRIEF

SARAH DOUGLAS, LMFT

“What I tell people is to recognize the difference between trauma and grief is that the trauma is fear-based. It’s terrifying. There’s distress. Grief feels sad. It feels heavy, but it’s not terrifying.”

IDENTITY WORK + A PREFERRED WAY OF LIVING

DR. NAZNEED NIZAMI, PSYD, LMFT

“My take with identity work is always coming back to the preferred way of living. …My target with a lot of young adults is really coming back to who do you prefer to be and what’s the life that feels most comfortable for you?”

HOLDING SPACE FOR EXPLORATION

DR. TONY MEINERS, PSYD

“It’s never underestimate the power of just holding space for an individual, especially for a queer population where there really is a lack of safety or in my experience, a lot of people really go through all of this internally without any sort of like external sense of support.”

HEALTH AT EVERY SIZE INFORMED

ELIZABETH CAPPS, RDN

“Being a Health at Every Size informed practitioner is incredibly important”, shares Elizabeth Capps, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. Capps follows up with, “…health can come at any size, and that’s incredibly important, especially in our diet culture focused world.”

STRESS FOR A HUMAN. GOOD OR BAD?

STRESS FOR A HUMAN. GOOD OR BAD?

DR. KRISTEN ZALESKI, PHD, LCSW

Chief Clinical Officer, Dr. Zaleski is asked to share her views on stress in 2023. Dr. Zaleski opens with the statement that stress is both good and bad. Click in for her full explanation.

Therapeutic Strengths

THERAPEUTIC STRENGTHS

DR. TONY MEINERS, PSYD

As Staff Psychologist, Dr. Meiners reflects on his own therapeutic strengths at The Collective. Click in to hear his thoughts on the necessity for collaboration and curiosity.

 

CORE ORGANIZERS + SENSORIMOTOR PSYCHOTHERAPY

BRIAN GOLDSTEIN, MA, LMFT

Listen to Brian’s perspective on how he might bring a client back into their body and the present moment with core organizers within Sensorimotor Psychotherapy.

CHANGE BEGINS WITH SAYING YES TO LIFE

IRIS G-THRASH, LCSW

Iris encourages everyone to say, “YES” to life! Click in for her therapeutic perspective on how to direct change in your everyday life.

VIRTUAL DATING + MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH

DR. NAZNEEN NIZAMI, PSYD, LMFT

Dr. Nizami’s research on virtual dating and mental health analyzes the modern day struggles young women are encountering in 2023. Listen to her perspective on the obstacles and benefits of virtual dating.

 

FAMILIES + INVALIDATING ENVIRONMENTS

DR> DORIT SABERI, PHD

Dr. Saberi starts by saying that inadvertently we all create invalidating environments for our family members. Click through to learn how to improve family relationships.

BRAIN CHEMISTRY + HEARTBREAK

IRIS G-THRASH, LCSW

Iris discusses brain chemistry and how it physically causes heartbreak. Click through to listen to Iris’ therapeutic guidance for overcoming the withdrawal of love.

 

TRAUMA PSYCHOTHERAPY AND NEURO-INFORMED CONCEPTUALIZATIONS

TRAUMA PSYCHOTHERAPY AND NEURO-INFORMED CONCEPTUALIZATIONS

DR. KRISTEN ZALESKI, PHD, LCSW

As Clinical Director of The Mental Health Collective, Dr. Zaleski speaks to her strengths with how Trauma Psychotherapy and Neuro-Informed Conceptualizations support evidence based mental health treatment. Click on her interview below.

HOLOGRAPHIC REPROCESSING + TRAUMA TREATMENT

HOLOGRAPHIC REPROCESSING + TRAUMA TREATMENT

SARAH DOUGLAS, LMFT

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Sarah Douglas, is one of Orange County’s leading therapists. She often turns to Holographic Reprocessing, a theory developed by Dr. Lori Katz, when treating clients struggling with trauma to reveal a timeline of patterns manifested for one’s survival.

CONTINUING BONDS THROUGH GRIEF THERAPY

CONTINUING BONDS THROUGH GRIEF THERAPY

DAWN JOOSTEN-HAGYE, PHD, LCSW, MSW, GC-C

Grief therapist, Dr. Dawn Joosten-Hagye, explains the need for continuing bonds after the loss of a loved one. In moments of death, Dr. Joosten-Hagye states, “That relationship doesn’t end, it continues in a modified form”.

Secondary Stress and Vicarious Trauma

SECONDARY STRESS + VICARIOUS TRAUMA

DR. KRISTEN ZALESKI, PHD, LCSW

Dr. Kristen Zaleski talks about the mental health issues an individual may struggle with after experiencing Secondary Stress or Vicarious Trauma. Click into the interview to hear Dr. Zaleski address why teaching self-care strategies is important for preventing long-term stress responses.

RESEARCH LEADS RESILIENCY BUILDING FOR LGBTQ MENTAL HEALTH

RESEARCH LEADS RESILIENCY BUILDING FOR LGBTQ MENTAL HEALTH

JACK SENESE, IV, MSW

Therapist and researcher, Jack Senese IV, MSW, shares his passion for research and clinical work. Jack is currently supporting studies to lead resiliency building for long-term LGBTQ mental health. 

TOP-DOWN VS. BOTTOM-UP THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS

TOP-DOWN VS. BOTTOM-UP THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS

IRIS G-THRASH, LCSW

Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Iris G-Thrash, aligns her individualized therapeutic approach for each client with the Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up Therapeutic Intervention philosophy. The Mental Health Collective is grateful to have Iris’ skillset supporting care for clients struggling with mental health issues.

 
Attachment + Neuro Informed Therapy Image

ATTACHMENT + NEURO INFORMED THERAPY

DR. KRISTEN ZALESKI, PHD, LCSW

Providing Attachment Therapy and Neuro Informed Therapy is the core of the mission at The Collective as discussed by Clinical Director, Dr. Kristen Zaleski, PhD, LCSW in a recent interview. Click in and listen to Dr. Zaleski explain why the two forms of therapy go hand in hand.

Therapeutic Narrative Writing and Exploration

THERAPEUTIC NARRATIVE WRITING + EXPLORATION

DR. NAZNEEN NIZAMI, PSY.D, LMFT

Dr. Nazneen Nizami reflects on leading the narrative writing and exploration group at The Mental Health Collective. Dr. Nizami believes that creativity can oftentimes unlock the change individuals struggling with mental illness are hoping for.

SHOULD I GET MENTAL HEALTH HELP?

SHOULD I GET MENTAL HEALTH HELP?

SARAH DOUGLAS, LMFT

If you’re struggling with mental health issues, when should you seek therapeutic support? Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Sarah Douglas, addressed the need to step out of avoidant behaviors and engage with therapy or residential treatment sooner rather than later. Click below and listen to her video interview and learn why.

Grief, A Natural Response to Loss

GRIEF, A NATURAL RESPONSE TO LOSS

DAWN JOOSTEN-HAGYE, PHD, LCSW, MSW, GC-C

What is grief? What should we do about it? Orange County therapist, Dr. Dawn Joosten-Hagye, PhD, LCSW, MSW, GC-C gives her insight on this natural response to loss. Click in and listen to Dr. Joosten-Hagye’s recent interview on how the global pandemic’s collective grief will be experienced differently worldwide.

Parenting + Mental Health

PARENTING + MENTAL HEALTH

DOUGLAS PIERSON, LMFT

Douglas Pierson, Orange County Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, discusses why parents must allow space for a child to experience cause and effect in the real world.

THROUGH SURVIVAL WE ARE ALL RESILIENT INDIVIDUALS

THROUGH SURVIVAL WE ARE ALL RESILIENT INDIVIDUALS

IRIS G-THRASH, LCSW

How do we heal and move forward after loss, tragedy, and trauma? Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Iris G-Thrash, believes through survival we are all resilient individuals. Iris discusses the need to tap into protective factors in order to engage with our resilience even in the most trying times.

BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER + DBT SKILLS

BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER + DBT SKILLS

SARAH DOUGLAS, LMFT

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Sarah Douglas, is one of Orange County’s leading Borderline Personality Disorder therapists. The Mental Health Collective is grateful to have her skillset leading treatment planning for clients needing Dialectical Behavioral Therapy skills.

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION?

Send our team a message or call 888.717.9355

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