There are many different types of therapy and therapists. The strategies and techniques, as well as therapists that are available, range from  absolutely absurd and dangerous to extremely productive.

In response to the countless number of times I have been asked “what kind of therapy do you do?”, “how does it work?”, and “how long will it take?” I will do my best to answer at the risk of the explanation being  too clinical.

Berent Associates therapy is eclectic, meaning that it draws from many different sources. Therapy is presented in a systematic and developmental format customized to individual needs as much as is possible.

When an individual has “initiative” for the process of healing and seeks help at the office in Great Neck, New York or via telephone for problems such as performance anxiety, public speaking anxiety, fear of being noticeably nervous such as blushing (or facial hyper-hydrosis), obsessive-perfectionism dysfunction, or relationship problems, he or she is involved in a process that involves emotional, physiological, cognitive and behavioral dynamics.

Emotional Dynamics

• Supportive insight regarding the learning of toxic emotions (shame, embarrassment, humiliation, fear of rejection, anger)
• Channeling emotional “energy” productively
• The use of “Transactional Analysis” to identify and restructure     “mind-ego states” for the purpose of developing a “high performance mind”

Physiological Dynamics

Many individuals with social anxiety have “autonomic hypersensitivity”, meaning the nervous system is over-reactive. This is the physiological component of anxiety and the biological root of panic. When appropriate, biofeedback and other self-regulation techniques are utilized.

Behavioral-Cognitive Dynamics

Patients are taught to create a “map” for change. This is the behavioral component of treatment. In order to develop behavioral productivity cognitive work is integrated. “Cognitive” pertains to the mental processes of perception, memory, judgement, and reasoning.

Medicine

Medicine is prescribed only when clinically indicated and only in conjunction with therapy.

Group

When appropriate, depending on individual issues and functioning level, group therapy is utilized in conjunction with individual work.

The average participant attends sessions weekly until levels of success are attained and sustained; then cuts back methodically. In certain cases patients participate more frequently. This depends on the severity of the problem and functioning level of the individual.

Parenting and Family Therapy

When an individual is incapable of “initiative” for the process of healing – examples of which include children with social anxiety and selective mutism, resistant teenagers with anxiety and social handicaps, and young adults who are pervasively socially challenged and over-dependent – parenting therapy and family therapy are used (in addition to individual).

Eclectic strategies are used to empower the individual’s potential. This is accomplished via re-structuring “enabling behaviors” on the part of caregivers.

Length of Treatment

The length of treatment depends on a number of variables including:

• The severity of the problem
• The length of the problem
• The patient’s expressive ability
• The patient’s cognitive functioning level
• The patient’s degree of motivation, cooperation, or “resistance”
• The patient’s ability to learn and integrate new concepts
• The patient’s readiness to face fear.

After the evaluation process (one-three sessions), the patient can be provided with reasonable expectations.

Another extremely important factor is the “chemistry” between therapist and patient. While supportive, and obviously sensitive to individual needs, Jonathan and his staff employ a very directive style.