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Services

Overview | Professional Services | Fees | Special Events


Overview

Statement of Purpose

The Loss Counseling Center has as its purpose to provide a setting where people feel okay about asking any question about their feelings, to obtain support (at all levels) for as long as needed, to explore issues and their feelings in as much depth as they feel capable and willing to do.

There is no experience of loss that Dr. Celia does not consider valid and important! Here are some examples of the wide range of loss experiences that you may encounter in your life: Separation, Divorce - Death of Parent/ Spouse/ Friend - Pet Loss - Miscarriage - Pre-Natal/Infant/Child Death - Loss of a Job - Retirement - Relocation - Career Changes - life changing/ threatening health problem - preparing for death (one's own or a significant relationship) - infertility - loss of a body part (e.g., hysterectomy, mastectomy).

For those in the Washington Metropolitan area, professional services are available on a weekly basis. For people out of the area, professional services are available that consist of a weekend of intensive psychotherapy (ten hours). In addition, various Special Events are offered, such as bi-monthly discussions on a loss topic, workshops (one or two days) and seminars.

On-Line Psychotherapy

I do not do psychotherapy on-line or by e-mail except with current or former patients. To be most effective in helping you heal from your loss involves getting to know you and what you are all about. You are much more than your written words. Getting comprehensive knowledge of you requires many different levels of observation and listening and includes the emotions with which you express yourself, nuances, physical expression, and so much more that is provided in the cues that you give in person.



Professional Services

How to know what services are best for you?

The following guidelines may help you decide. But nothing is rigid. You may start with one type of service and find that another is more suitable.

1-You believe that you're going through your loss in a way that feels very right to you, but want some professional support so that you don't feel quite so alone: your friends are tired of listening to you, you feel pressured to shove feelings down (which you know isn't right), your responses are different than what everyone seems to expect from you-like "get over it, pull yourself up by your bootstraps" etc. etc.

    Consider -
  • Coping with Your Loss Evaluation
  • Short-term Counseling
2-Your primary focus is your current loss. You are not particularly interested in deep level probing or exploration of historical patterns, except, perhaps, in some limited ways. You are primarily interested in support, being listened to, reality-oriented counseling with techniques and strategies to help you cope on a daily basis. You may or may not want to do this with others.in a group setting. Some historical exploration may be okay, as long as it's not too much.

    Consider -
  • Short-term Counseling in an Individual or Group Setting
3-You sense or are aware that your grief is the tip of your emotional issues, and that your history is impacting on your capacity to cope well with your current loss. You know that in order to heal NOW it means that you have to open up and explore your previous losses that have not completely healed, your history and how you learned to cope with feelings.

    Consider -
  • Individual Psychotherapy - intensive
  • Group Psychotherapy - intensive

Specific Services

Coping with Your Loss Evaluation A 90 minute evaluation and summary that helps you review your loss and how you are coping.

Individual Counseling Short-term/ time-limited. Support oriented. Emphasis is on using your cognitive skills in dealing with your emotions and reality situations. Limited in-depth exploration of your history. Development of skills and strategies for coping on a daily basis.

Individual Psychotherapy Intensive psychotherapy with no specific time limit. This incorporates the approach in Individual Counseling but also involves exploration of your life in breadth and depth with the goal of growth and change in your basic view of yourself in your life.

Weekend Intensive Psychotherapy This is intended specifically for people living outside the Washington Metropolitan area. Ten hours of therapy, structured to be intense and probing, are structured from Friday through Sunday.

Couples Therapy
Family Therapy
There are many losses that affect not only the single individual but have devastating impact on the couple or the family. It is important to address the effect of loss on these others.


Therapeutic-Support Groups

Healing from Loss and Grief Group - for all types of loss experiences Separation and Divorce Group
  • Check here in the near future for the start day and times for these Groups.
  • Special interest Loss groups may be started at any time if there is sufficient interest. Please let Dr.Celia know of your interest.
In this type of Loss & Grief Group, the approach is primarily reality-oriented:
    Our goals include:
  • Providing support while constructively working through your grief
  • Helping to identify blocks that impede healing
  • Working on developing coping strategies and tools
  • Promoting a sense of joy and optimism in living
    Therapeutic interventions at a deeper emotional level will occur if you are willing and interested in exploring issues as they emerge.
    Information about the Therapeutic-Support Groups:
  • Group size is limited
  • New people may enter on an ongoing basis and as space allows
  • Group is time-limited but you must commit to 16 sessions. You may also stay as long as you want.
  • Groups are entered after an Individual Consultation. Individual Psychotherapy or Counseling will be recommended if the need for it becomes evident

Intensive Psychotherapy Groups

Men's Intensive Therapy Group
Women's Intensive Therapy Group
Healing from Loss and Grief Group (Intensive) - Check for Starting Date and Time
    Check the Group Schedule (below) for Starting Date, Days and Times of these groups.
In these Intensive Psychotherapy groups, the approach includes the goals of the Therapeutic Support Groups combined with a holistic approach and an in-depth, psychodynamic exploration of past and present life issues as they impact on your current loss.
    Information about the Intensive Psychotherapy Groups:
  • Group size is limited
  • These groups are ongoing and have no specified termination date
  • New people are admitted on an ongoing basis and as space allows
  • Groups are entered after an Individual Consultation. Individual Therapy must be ongoing with a minimum frequency of one time per month, with either Dr. Celia or another therapist.
  • A minimum commitment of one year is required.
In the process of group therapy, issues significant to you as an individual emerge through the topics you bring in, through your engagement with other group members and through the nature of the group process itself. You will be worked with both as a member of the GROUP and as an INDIVIDUAL in the group.

Group Schedule*

Day
Group
Time
Monday Therapy for Men 5:45 - 7:15 PM
  Therapy for Women 7:30 - 9:00 PM
Thursday Therapy for Women 7:30 - 9:00 PM
*Group Days and times are subject to change

For further information and to make an appointment, you can contact Dr. Celia
by e-mail or call (202) 342-0124


Fees

Fees vary depending on which professional service or Special Event you participate in. There is a Sliding Fee Scale but Dr. Celia reserves the right to obtain sufficient financial information to determine your fee. Many of the professional services are insurance reimbursable. Some insurance policies cover counseling for bereavement. Please check your policy for mental health or bereavement counseling benefits.

Please note that this is not a managed care fee based practice. We are pleased to work with you and provide the necessary forms for insurance reimbursement but we do not base our fees on those established by a particular insurance company. We believe it is important to protect your privacy, rather than have out patient treatment reports filled out about you for a managed care reviewer's approval for insurance reimbursement. Rather than your needs being determined by the insurance company, you need to determine what your needs are. Dr. Celia always tries to work with you. Please contact us to discuss fees and your specific situation.

Special Events

Bi-Monthly Discussions - on a loss topic (two hours)
  • Coping with the Death of a Parent - October 2001. Check Announcements for more information.
Workshops - one or two days
  • Caring for the Caregivers - This is planned for early December 2001. It is intended for people working in a professional capacity with any type of loss situation. If you may be interested in this workshop, let Dr. Celia know. Watch Announcements for further information.
Seminars

Fees - Vary, depending on the event.

Let Dr. Celia know if you have a suggestion for a particular discussion, workshop or seminar. For all Special Events, check Announcements on the Welcome page. Details will be found here.

Overview | Professional Services | Fees | Special Events