Joan E. Stein specializes in Imago Relationship Therapy, anxiety disorders and much more.
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Imago Relationship
Therapy Workshops


Call, E-Mail , or you can use our convenient online Request Info form for additional information about Joan E. Stein, MSW, ACSW, BCD and services offered.

Specialties

Joan specializes in the treatment of a broad range of medical and emotional difficulties. Our services include, but are not limited to, assisting individuals who are experiencing:

Anxiety Disorders   Weight Loss Support
Obsessive/|Compulsive Disorder Depression
Panic Disorder Stress Reduction
Self-Esteem Issues Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Neurofeedback

 

Anxiety Disorders:

Everyone experiences life's stresses from time to time. Meeting deadlines, raising kids, or driving in heavy traffic are three examples of situations in which normal anxious feelings can occur. While mild anxiety helps us remain alert and focused in challenging situations, anxiety disorders cause just the opposite. Severe distress over a period of time can keep you from having a life at all. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States. An estimated 19 million American adults are affected by anxiety disorders each year. This is not about being a 'worry wart' or being 'stressed out.' This requires professional care, and Joan can help.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder - Excessive anxiety and worry about everyday life activities that occur more days than not for at least six months. The anxiety and worry are associated with at least three of the following six symptoms: restlessness, easily fatigued, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, and sleep disturbances.

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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Recurrent and persistent thoughts or behaviors that seem impossible to control. Obsessions are thoughts that are experienced as intrusive and inappropriate and cause marked anxiety or distress. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors (e.g. hand washing, ordering, checking) or mental acts (e.g. praying, counting, repeating words silently) that the person feels driven to perform.

The good news is that anxiety disorders are highly and effectively treatable and respond well to behavior modification, EMDR, and clinical hypnosis.

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Panic Disorder

Repeated episodes of intense fear or discomfort develop abruptly and peak within ten minutes. Symptoms often include heart palpitations, trembling, sweating, shortness of breath, dizziness, fear of dying, abdominal distress, and chest pain. Living with panic disorder is extremely difficult because the individual is always in a constant state of anxiety waiting for the next episode thus limiting their ability to lead a productive life.

As debilitating as panic disorder is, it responds well to psychotherapy including behavior modification, EMDR, and clinical hypnosis.

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Depression

Everyone feels sad or "down" on occasion. Most people grieve when major life events such as death, divorce, illness, or loss of job occurs. These feelings tend to lessen as time passes. Depression, however, occurs when despair or extreme sadness are present for two weeks or longer and interfere with everyday living such as work, sleep, eating, or pleasure.

Clinical Depression is an illness and not a character flaw or weakness. Unfortunately, many people have the misconception that depressed people are weak, failures, or simply don't try hard enough. A surprising number also believe that the depressed person can just "snap out of it." On the other hand, some clinically depressed individuals blame others for their disorder, such as parents, society, or God. This desire to blame others is similar to the weakness mentioned above. The only difference is that blame is projected outward rather than inward.

Three factors contribute to the development of depression:

  1. Chemical/psychological
  2. Genetic
  3. Environmental

Research indicates that depression is associated with an imbalance that leads to a variety of symptoms that affect the whole body, including physical symptoms, moods, and thoughts. The following list of symptoms can occur in depression: down mood, lack of interest or pleasure, weight gain or loss, too much or too little sleep, abnormal restlessness or drop in physical activity, fatigue, difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions, negative self-talk, feelings of helplessness or hopelessness, thoughts of harming oneself.

Depression affects over 19 million Americans each year and less than half seek treatment. The good news is that depression is highly treatable. A large majority of people with depression can be successfully treated with psychotherapy, antidepressant medication, or the combination thereof. Antidepressant medications correct the chemical imbalance in the brain and provide sustained relief from symptoms. Antidepressants are NOT habit-forming and therefore are safe to use.

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Stress Management

Stress is an important protective emotion. When the brain recognizes a dangerous situation it sends signals to the adrenal glands thus releasing adrenaline. This increase in adrenaline raises blood sugar and other physiologic responses allowing the person to react to the danger. Once the danger is past the brain turns off the flee signals and the body physiology returns to normal.

Stress becomes a problem when it continues for long periods of time thus becoming a chronic situation. Evidence shows that chronic stress weakens the immune situation, is a contributing cause of hypertension, heart disease, stroke, anxiety, and depression.

Like anxiety disorders, the good news is that stress reduction techniques such as behavioral modification, clinical hypnosis, and other therapeutic interventions have proven to be highly effective treatments for chronic stress.

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Self-Esteem Issues

People who suffer from poor self-esteem are limited in every area of life. They generally believe they are useless, stupid, and inferior to others. Because they see themselves as failures and unworthy of success and happiness, they rarely experience fulfillment and happiness in their lives.

Many people with poor self-esteem suffer from childhood experiences that have reinforced feelings of powerlessness and negativity. These issues are best addressed in a therapeutic setting.

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Irritable Bowel Syndrome

IBS is an intestinal disorder leading to cramps, pain, bloating, excessive gas and changes in bowel habits. Although stress can worsen symptoms, medical science has determined that the colon muscles of a person with IBS begins to spasm after only mild stimulation and are more sensitive than those who do not suffer from IBS.

Although stress is not the cause of IBS, stress reduction techniques such as clinical hypnosis and EMDR can greatly relieve symptoms.

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Weight Loss Support

So many times people go on diets to lose weight only to gain that weight back within months of going off their diet. A “diet” is something you go on…and then go off once the target weight is reached. That’s the problem! What is really needed to lose weight and keep it off is a lifestyle change.

Believe it or not a lifestyle change can be accomplished through three simple yet important steps:

  1. Increase in knowledge about how your body works.
  2. Understanding of why there needs to be an attitude change.
  3. Setting of a realistic agenda to accomplish your goals.

Know that there are therapeutic methods to help. Through the use of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), Cognitive Behavioral Techniques, and/or Clinical Hypnosis you can be on your way to taking charge of your life and your weight.

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Neurofeedback

Neurofeedback is a form of biofeedback that facilitates change at the cellular level of the brain. It is a self-regulating holistic and non-invasive skill that helps clients to improve their brain metabolism, thus helping the brain to work more effectively.

In Neurofeedback frequency and amplitude of various brain waves are measured by the use of small sensors that are placed on the surface of the scalp. These sensors, filled with a small amount of conductive paste, allow the biofeedback machine to listen to the client’s brain activity. As the client trains she/he receives feedback in the form of audio-rewards or graphic-rewards every time the brain functions more effectively.

Research shows that Neurofeedback has been successful in helping individuals with depression, anxiety, AD/ADHD, and other emotional and cognitive issues. It has also been used in peak-performance training.

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Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

PTSD is a condition that most often occurs after an individual is exposed to a traumatic event in which eminent physical danger is threatened, or has occurred, such as physical or sexual abuse, disasters, accidents, or situations involving military combat experiences.
Although people with PTSD attempt to avoid situations that remind them of the traumatic event, they relive the event in the form of flashbacks, memories, and nightmares. People with PTSD may experience psychological difficulties such as depression, anger, irritability, anxiety, or substance abuse difficulties as an attempt to self-medicate themselves.

Researchers and clinicians believe PTSD responds well to both hypnotherapy and psychotherapy.

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Joan E. Stein
LMSW, ACSW, BCD, P.C.
6831 West Ridge Drive
Brighton, MI 48116-8866

(810) 220-2385

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