Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving from everyone here at Star Point Counseling! We are especially thankful for having such a great staff, and for our two co-founders Sam DiFranco and Clarissa Crystal-Belle. Without them StarPoint would not thrive and continue to grow into one of the most efficient and credible counseling agencies in the Tampa Bay area. We hope everyone has a great holiday!!!

Star Point Counseling Welcomes Carrie Schroeder

Star Point Counseling welcomes new counselor Carrie Schroeder. Carrie graduated in 2011 from the University of West Florida in Pensacola, Fl. Carrie is currently a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern working towards licensure. She is under the clinical direction of Clarissa Crystal-Belle.

Carrie is just one of many great therapists we have on staff here at Star Point Counseling Center. For more information on our staff and counseling services, visit our website at http://www.starpointcounselingtampa.com.

Happy Veteran’s Day!

To all of those who serve and have served and their families, we wish you a Happy Veteran’s Day! We are grateful to you for our freedom!!

Star Point Counseling center offers therapy services to veteran’s of war and their families. Often times soldiers have a difficult experience adjusting back to family life after being in a war situation for an extended period of time. Here is a little information from our Clinical Director on how we may be able to help you!

We work to make our veterans’ homecoming as rewarding as possible. We will help you identify and find relief from signs and symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Major Depression (MDD), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAS), etc., and provide the services necessary to assure the adjustment to civilian life.

We work to reverse the dissociation and desensitization that was, in war, a source of strength, which otherwise at home may contribute to a sense of detachment, estrangement, and/or an inability to give, express, or receive love.

Star Point Counseling has offices in both Brandon and Tampa Fl to better serve you! Visit our website for more information http://www.starpointcounselingtampa.com

Religion and Counseling

Religion and Spiritual Orientation are topics asked about during the therapy intake, and throughout counseling sessions. Counselors must heed their own personal bias of the subject, so they do not influence the client’s opinions or beliefs on the subject. It is unethical for a counselor to force or encourage any religious or spiritual beliefs on a client because the therapist is sometimes seen as an authority figure by the client. (Exception is given to Christian counseling centers and therapists who label themselves as such, as the client is in full knowledge of the therapy’s spiritual base). But why are spiritual beliefs, or lack there of, important to the counseling process? Are they essential or just a small part of the story? In the coming blogs we will attempt to give you some empirical data and researched information regarding how this aspect of being may or may not influence counseling and the therapeutic outcome. But first, we want to know what you think? Is spiritual orientation and/or religious denomination important aspects of mental health counseling?

We look forward to hearing from you!!!!

For more information about Star Point Counseling and our services, visit our website at http://www.starpointcounselingtampa.com.

im

There’s a Word for That? Pt. 3

In The Gift of Therapy, by existential therapist Irvin Yalom, a whole chapter is devoted to conducting therapy with a couple in the beginning stages of love. Although he doesn’t make reference to “limerance” specifically, it is implied in much of the text. He describes that couples in this state may not make the most logical choices, and often act off of the intense emotions that pair with romantic love. He also urges the therapist, “don’t try to joust with love anymore than you would powerful religious beliefs- those are duels you cannot win…” Well spoken advice from an expert in the subject matter. What he is describing is a feeling that will not be contested, and any advice given to the couple may fall on deaf ears. They are not at this point ready to receive any “advice” or “words of wisdom” that challenges the beauty and goodness of their relationship. But, why did the love struck individual or couple come to therapy? We have to assume that there is some problem with the relationship dynamics if someone is introducing their problems within the therapeutic relationship, and the therapist has to be crafty as to how he or she introduces this subject.

The question posed in our last blog, “Is limerence healthy/unhealthy, bad/good, or rational/irrational is still difficult to answer. But a conclusion can be drawn from some of the information that we already have. While limerence feels good, it may ultimately be irrational. Thinking can sometimes be distorted and therefore the euphoric state can be considered illogical. But, it is sometimes an emotional captivity that we do not seemingly have control over. This is dangerous because it ultimately affects our decision making processes, and we all know that each decision we make has some sort of consequence (negative or positive).

However, limerence does have its positive side. Who can deny that the sensation of being in love is wonderful? Who can say that they would ever give up these intense sentiments and emotions? It is a state to be reflected upon and to admire, that we as humans are capable of deceiving ourselves to such a degree that it affects our whole lives at times. No other animal is capable of doing this. The positive, as Yalom describes, from limerence is a sense of hope that may not exist in skepticism and that is uniquely present in the euphoric state. So the answer really lies in the individual. Each action and situation that a person is in, or has been in, can be reflected upon to create a better awareness of the self, to learn about life and all of its components. The label, good or bad cannot realistically be put upon the idea of limerence. Rather, it may be for the individual to decide how beneficial it is for him/her to experience this state and to learn and grow from it. Or, to avoid it and its potential negative consequences.

What do you think? Have you ever felt limerence before? Star Point Counseling wants to know! Comment below…

Also, be sure to check out our website at http://www.starpointcounselingtampa.com