Strength for Change, LLC
Specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

We are a team of caring, knowledgeable, and experienced therapists specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. We treat adolescents, teenagers, and adults experiencing depression, anxiety, ADHD, substance abuse, relationship difficulties, family problems, academic underachievement, and other life difficulties.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT was developed in the 1960’s by Dr. Aaron T. Beck out of the University of Pennsylvania. It is based on the idea that our thoughts and beliefs are the cause of our emotional and behavioral reactions. When our thoughts and beliefs are distorted or inaccurate in some way, we are prone to overreacting to unpleasant or stressful situations and developing mental health issues.

The goal of CBT is to teach clients how to become their own therapist, capable of using a variety of coping strategies to effectively manage their feelings and reactions. Clients learn a step-by-step system for self-motivation, restructuring negative thought patterns, changing unhealthy behaviors, and living a “solution-focused” lifestyle.

Research indicates that CBT is one of the most highly effective treatments for depression, anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Personality Disorder, and a variety of other mental health conditions. To confirm this information, please visit www.nimh.com (National Institute of Mental Health) and do additional research online.

What Distinguishes Strength for Change
From Other Treatment Providers

Attention to Motivation

The field of psychology has made many advances over the past two decades. From talk therapy to medications and holistic treatments, doctors and therapist now have a much better understanding of how to effectively treat mental health conditions. Despite these advances, why do so many people still struggle?

For treatment to be effective, the individual receiving treatment must be a willing participant in the process. Simply put, the best treatment plan means nothing without the client’s motivation for implementing it.

Unfortunately, most mental health conditions impair an individual’s motivation for school, work, social life, and self-care. When family and friends try to intervene, they are frustrated by the individual’s lack of responsiveness and view it as a willful act of resistance. Once the individual’s support system is frustrated in this way, conflicts arise and the individual’s mental health gets worse.

At Strength for Change (SFC), we have a treatment model that takes into account the individual’s impaired motivation. Our guiding principle is that motivation is the key to treatment success and that we are responsible for helping clients cultivate the motivation that is needed. With this in mind, we have developed numerous motivational strategies that we implement throughout the treatment process.

Customized & Research-Based Treatment

While we specialize in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, we do not have a one size fits all approach to treatment. Instead, we match our treatment plan to the client’s symptoms, diagnosis, age, personality, and level of motivation.

This individualized approach is based on the American Psychiatric Associations Best Practices Guidelines which advocates the use of researched-based therapies. For example, anxiety disorders are most often treated with individual CBT, while ADHD is most often treated with a combination of academic coaching and family therapy. The condition is matched to the therapy that is shown to be most effective in its treatment.

In addition to raising the effectiveness of treatment, our individualized approach also helps the client feel more deeply understood and valued. These feelings enhance the trust and collaboration between the client and therapist, and make for a more worthwhile treatment experience.

Committed to Providing Exceptional Care

We are committed to providing our clients with the highest quality of care and service possible. This is not just a slogan that appears on our letterhead, but rather a self-imposed expectation that we strive to achieve with every client interaction. This is evident in many ways including our commit to specialized training, ongoing peer supervision, and the use of various client feedback forms.