Abundant Life Counseling
& Assessment Solutions
Katie Fleming-Thomas, MS, LPC
PSYCHOTHERAPY
PSYCHOTHERAPY
“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
Viktor Frankl
One of the most important things in therapy is making sure you work with someone who is a good fit for you. Here is some information to help you decide if you think you and Katie would work well together and of she provides what you are looking for.
Katie most commonly treats anxiety and depression. She also works with a variety of other concerns, including coping with mood dysregulation, grief/bereavement, significant life transitions, school adjustment concerns, learning struggles/ADHD, work/life balance, stress/burnout, health and wellness issues, and relationship issues. Katie also provides performance-based coaching for those experiencing less emotional distress and who have a desire to clarify, set, and achieve positive goals. Currently, she is only working with adults.
Having worked as a psychotherapist for over 15 years, Katie has come to learn and witness what techniques and tools tend to have the most profound impact in the therapeutic context and can foster well-being in between sessions and thereafter. While basic talk therapy, being heard, exploring past issues, and processing thoughts and feelings can all be very helpful, Katie believes folks truly need tangible tools to work with during a session and especially between sessions.
These tools and approaches she utilizes make up a holistic approach because life and being human is a multifaceted experience.
Such therapeutic work may involve the following approaches and tools:
CBT helps individuals identify patterns in their thoughts and behaviors, recognize inaccurate thoughts, and learn new ways of thinking to produce desired changes in behavior.
COGNITIVE BEHAVRIOAL THERAPY
CBT
Mindfulness-based skills help us become much more aware of ourselves mentally, emotionally, and physically.
EMDR
Mindfulness-based skills help us become much more aware of ourselves mentally, emotionally, and physically.
SOMATIC PSYCHOLOGY
Mindfulness-based skills help us become much more aware of ourselves mentally, emotionally, and physically.
SOMATIC PSYCHOLOGY
Mindfulness-based skills help us become much more aware of ourselves mentally, emotionally, and physically.
Mindfulness Based Psychotherapy
Mindfulness-based skills help us become much more aware of ourselves mentally, emotionally, and physically.
SOMATIC PSYCHOLOGY
Mindfulness-based skills help us become much more aware of ourselves mentally, emotionally, and physically.
SOMATIC PSYCHOLOGY
Mindfulness-based skills help us become much more aware of ourselves mentally, emotionally, and physically.
SOMATIC PSYCHOLOGY
Please keep in mind that not all of these modalities are used for everyone initially, however, they represent Katie's theoretical approach to therapy and area where she has spent the majority of her education and training.
Each individual is different, and she will use her best judgment to determine what is appropriate for you at this time and how your work together will progress and evolve. Her goal is to honor and respect your level of comfortability with these tools and approaches, work within your zone of tolerance and resilience.
Every therapy session is unique and caters to an individual and their specific goals.
Katie's overall goal is to teach people how to better care for themselves and how to use practical techniques to overcome challenges while fostering a stronger sense of self-mastery and self-compassion in the process.
COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY
CBT helps individuals identify patterns in their thoughts and behaviors, recognize inaccurate thoughts, and learn new ways of thinking to produce desired changes in behavior. CBT involves mindfully examining our thoughts and behaviors, how they are intertwined, and determining what can be improved by restructuring automatic and programmed thoughts. Such thoughts may be harmful, irrational, or limiting, which is common with anxiety and depression. Changing such thought patterns typically leads to more positive behavioral outcomes, which impact mood, overall well-being, and changes in perspective.
MINDFULNESS BASED PSYCHOTHERAPY
Mindfulness-based skills help us become much more aware of ourselves mentally, emotionally, and physically. Quite often, many of us are functioning on auto-pilot. This may result in tuning out, resisting, or repressing uncomfortable thoughts, emotions, behavioral patterns, and also what our body is trying to tell us. By becoming more aware, we can become more attuned to all that is and work compassionately with what is present for us. So much can change when we shift the way we pay attention to ourselves. Mindfulness also helps us live in the moment instead of the past or future. Mindfulness philosophy approaches being with a sense of non-judgment, curiosity, and self-compassion. A Mindfulness Practice provides tangible tools available to work with our awareness and discomforts. Thus, this generally leads to an increased ability to handle our lives in a more grounded, present fashion. While mindfulness is not a cure-all it certainly can help build the inner resources and awareness to start approaching, health, and healing, and achieve a more desirable level of presence.
SOMATIC PSYCHOLOGY
Somatic Psychology engages body awareness as an intervention in psychotherapy. Somatic interventions also address the connections between the brain, the mind, the nervous system, and behavior. According to somatic psychology, our bodies are the storehouse of all our experiences. For example, we may "hold on" to past traumas reflected in our body language, posture, expressions, or our breathing patterns. In some cases, we may manifest physical symptoms like unexplainable pain, digestive issues, hormonal imbalances, sexual dysfunction, immune system dysfunction, nervous system dysregulation, and other medical issues in response to certain psychological matters we are dealing with. For some, it takes time to be more aware of our bodies; however, simple tools are available to start working within this framework.
ADAPTIVE BREATHWORK
Breathwork is a general term used to describe any type of therapy that utilizes breathing exercises to improve mental, physical, and emotional health. Many forms of breathwork therapy exist and can be helpful tools for regulation and self-support. Breathwork or breath awareness is also a mindfulness-based tool that can help anchor us in present moment awareness. Breathwork is also a component of nervous system regulation and can also be considered somatic as it works directly with our physiology. Different methods of breathing styles can be used for various purposes. For instance, some breath patterns can help calm the nervous system (helpful for anxious folks), while others can help activate the nervous system (helpful for those who struggle more with depression and low energy.)
NERVOUS SYSTEM REGULATION
Your nervous system governs everything – your cells, your blood vessels, your immune system, your endocrine system, your muscular system, your digestive system, your brain, and your brain signaling pathways. Nervous System regulation informs folks on learning how to recognize "stress or distress" by attuning to and becoming more aware of physical signs and signals that indicate activation, dysregulation, and the eventual settling or homeostasis of the nervous system. Being constantly on edge, chronically exhausted, or having little motivation, can often be signs of nervous system dysregulation. We can learn to notice how our own nervous system functions regarding our environment, interactions, daily life, and thoughts and feelings with time and kind awareness. As a result, we can learn to cultivate greater resiliency and adaptability in response to life stressors.
TRAUMA SENSITIVE/INFORMED THERAPY
Trauma-informed therapy recognizes the impact of experiences that threaten a person’s sense of safety and wellbeing. Trauma changes how people regulate their thoughts and feelings and their ability to care for themselves emotionally and psychologically. A trauma-informed therapist knows that the mind and body of a person with unhealed trauma may be functioning in a more complex fashion. That person may be easily triggered to feel too much emotional intensity (hyperarousal) or shut down and unable to feel much at all (hypoarousal). Therefore, adaptations with specific approaches are typically made to help the client feel safe while still working within their "zone of tolerance" with the tools presented in therapy.
ATTACHMENT PSYCHOLOGY
In short, attachment psychology can involve looking at patterns we possibly developed at a very young age in relation to our parents or primary caregivers or our society/environment. Some patterns may have been developed as a way to cope and relate. They might also inform our own sense of safety (or a lack thereof) with others or ourselves. Additionally, many "root issues" or core beliefs (ex: I am not lovable or worthy, things never work out, I can’t trust anyone, I must take care of everyone else at the expense of myself, my feelings don’t matter, etc.) developed as a result of early attachment dynamics. These issues can often profoundly impact our relationship with ourselves, others, and how we see the world.
Additional resources regarding attachment theory and therapy can be found here.
INSIGHT ORIENTED EXISTENTIAL & EXPERIENTIAL
This context focuses on universally applicable concepts to human existence, including death, freedom, responsibility, and the meaning of life. Of particular importance, it involves taking a "real look" at the "big picture" regarding our lives and our experiences, fostering some meaning behind it all, and perpetuating working towards those experiences that define what is meaningful to us.
-
Contact the office to set up your initial appointment. Katie offers a complimentary 15-minute consultation to get acquainted, discuss what you are specifically seeking from therapy, and how she can best help you.
-
Upon your confirmation of an appointment, you will receive "intake paperwork" via email to complete and bring to your session.
-
Upon our first visit, you and Katie will get acquainted, discuss your background, and go over informed consent, policies/procedures, and confidentiality.
-
Your goals for therapy will then be explored.
-
You and Katie will also discuss the duration and frequency of your time together as it pertains to achieving your therapeutic goals.
-
You will also explore and discuss what successful "termination of therapy" will look like for you and what this process will entail as far as future goals and resources.
Insurance:
-
Katie currently does not accept insurance. Please contact your insurance company and ask what coverage you have to see an out of network provider. It is good to get this in writing. Payment is expected at time of service but she can provide a detailed receipt for you to submit to your insurance company for you to request reimbursement.
-
Please check your coverage carefully and ask the following questions?
-
Do I have mental health benefits?
-
What is my deductible and has it been met?
-
How much does my plan cover for an out-of-network provider?
-
What is the coverage amount per therapy session?
-
Is approval required by my primary care physician?
-
Out of Network:
-
You might want to check your benefits and each month Katie will furnish you invoices to file with your insurance company.
-
If you want an easier way, we also suggest using Reimbursify, a website and app, which will use an image/screenshot of the invoice we provide to you and file the claim and follow up with it for you. They charge around $1 per claim.
-
If you have a Health Savings Account, it makes out of network even easier as your pre tax dollars pay your deductible.
Good Faith Estimate
-
You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any health care items or services upon request or when scheduling such items or services. Learn more here.
Common Concerns
-
Depression
-
Anxiety
-
Mood Related Concerns
-
Self -Esteem
-
Stress/Burnout
-
Grief/Bereavement
-
Suicide Survivor
-
Caregiver Issues
-
Relaxation Training
-
Emotional Regulation
-
Major Life Transitions
-
Relationship Difficulties
-
Family Issues
-
Adjustment
-
Attachment
-
Spiritual and Existential Issues
-
Integration Work
-
Health Concerns
-
Distraction
-
ADHD
-
College-Life Matters
-
Time Management
-
Setting & Achieving Healthy Goals
-
Finding Purpose and Clarifying Goals