Counseling:

Energy Management

Simply put, at Epiphany!, we believe that our state of wellness is directly related to the effective management of our energy. Many things drain our energy, most notably: defeating thoughts, intense feelings, imbalanced nutrition, toxic relationships, self-judgment, and behaviors that occur as a result of our own fears and insecurities.

The more these things drain our energy, the less we are present in our daily like, and the less energy we have available to heal ourselves. This may make it more likely for us to develop physical and emotional illnesses, or make it more difficult to heal these processes once they have occurred.

Creativity

Remarkably important is our inability to be creative when we are energetically depleted. Many people equate “creativity” with art. This is only one means of expressing our creativity, and one need not be an “artist” in the conventional sense to be creative. Every individual is creative, and we were born to create. Our purpose in life is to express our unique gifts through our creativity. Creativity comes in many forms, and need not be associated with one’s job or hobby (although they may). Communication is a creative process, solving problems is creative, teaching, learning, seeking, loving, inspiring, among others, are all creative processes.

When our energies are blocked and depleted, and our creativity is thwarted, we feel unfulfilled. This is what often brings people to seek services, whether it be a major life problem or event such as a divorce or dissatisfaction on the job, or a more subtle “I am missing something” feeling.

Increased Consciousness

At Epiphany!, by offering support, non-judgmental feedback, and concrete tools such as coping skills, education, insight-oriented exercises, reading and action steps, and energy replenishment, we help you become more conscious of how you manage your energy, which assists you in reducing things that drain your energy, and amplify those that replenish or “charge” you .

The Healing Triad

Although absolutely essential to the healing process, we do not believe that support alone from a healer is enough. Many clients come to treatment stating that while they have been through weeks, months, or years of treatment, they don’t feel any better. This often results from one of two (or both) reasons:

1.)    the lack of concrete tools offered to the client

2.)    the lack of active participation of the client in the healing process

Clients may report an increased awareness of their situation from working with a healer, but then say, “So now what?” What they are asking for is the “how” skills to change what they so desire.

Clients also may experience limited benefit if they put all of their hope into the healer only, excluding their active participation in the healing process. Becoming conscious is challenging (yet extremely rewarding!) work. All change requires some action, whether it big or small. Movement in the direction of effectiveness is the key.

At Epiphany! we know that to get well, you need:

• Nonjudgmental Support of the Healer
• Concrete Tools Offered From Healer to Client
• To Participate Actively in Your Recovery

Non-Judgment

It is human nature to gravitate away from emotional and physical pain towards pleasure.  When we are not feeling well, we consciously or subconsciously seek temporary relief. This may lead us to participate in behaviors that are out of character for us, such as addictions, compulsions (repeated unwanted actions), self-injury, aggression, abuse, and infidelity, among others. At Epiphany! we know these behaviors are symptoms that serve a purpose (distract from the pain). We apply extreme non-judgment, and with compassion help you accept yourself, problem behaviors, and emotions, and help you replace these problem behaviors with healthier alternatives.

Readiness to Change

Change is hard. We become fearful of the unknown.

• “If I change, will I be accepted?”
• “I’ve had this problem so long…who am I exactly without it?”
• “Will I be able to make it without…(drugs, another’s approval, my marriage, self-injury, etc)?”
• “Will others go away if I change?”

These are all valid concerns. How many times have you heard:

“Just stop drinking/overeating/yelling/crying/sleeping…)! or “Just get a job/get up/eat…!”

If change were that simple, we’d all just do it. Let’s face it: no one sets out to be the “World’s Best Addict” or the “World’s Best Patient.” Out of fear, to “stall” the process, we often subconsciously sabotage our recovery, feel victimized and blame others, regress to child-like behavior, or sell our integrity for physical or emotional security. Since this is a subconscious process, we often need assistance to uncover it.

According to Prochaska in “Changing For Good,” there are five steps of readiness to change:

• Pre-contemplation (“I don’t have a problem or need help.”)
• Contemplation (“I think I may have a problem or need help.”)
• Preparation (“I am making small changes, moving towards a bigger change soon.”)
• Action (“I am making the change!”)
• Maintenance (“I am sustaining the change.”)

At Epiphany!, we recognize your fears, and continually assess your readiness to change.  This doesn’t mean we’ll enable you to stay stuck, but we will respect your fear, and compassionately support you to move along the continuum towards recovery.

Pattern Recognition

The first step to any change is awareness.  We all have patterned ways of behaving that interferes with our growth. Our inability to detect them keeps us in pain, and often keeps us participating in patterns of ineffective behavior.  Counseling provides the opportunity for gentle and direct feedback about your behavior and thinking patterns, and assesses how well they do or do not serve you. At Epiphany! we are constantly searching for patterns of ineffective (and effective!) behavior, in order to increase your awareness of such, so that we can help you to begin to live a fulfilling life.

Directive Therapy

If we had all the tools we needed to figure out our problems, we would not need to seek help. People come to counseling often dismayed by past experiences. While support and listening helped them feel better temporarily, they did not seem to change much from the “listening only” approach. Lasting change also requires insight and direction.

At Epiphany! we provide concrete tools to help you get from where you are to where you want to be.  We use the coping skills and philosophies of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), a treatment concept outlined by Marsha Linehan from the University of Washington for use with very challenging patients.  Additional research has demonstrated that DBT is also useful for addiction, depression, and eating disorders.

Essentially, DBT takes a non-judgmental stance towards problems to be solved, and offers specific outlined coping skills to help you better manage your feelings and behaviors.  These tools include mindfulness (staying in the moment), distress tolerance (crisis survival strategies), emotion regulation (self care, building positive experiences, and reducing suffering), and interpersonal effectiveness (communicating assertively). These skills are helpful for everyone, and are a true gem for the learner. This type of directive therapy requires commitment, willingness, and active participation from both the counselor and the patient.

Collaboration

Effective counseling cannot occur in an environment where you feel inferior and intimidated. The most effective results occur when you and your therapist have an equal, collaborative relationship. At Epiphany! we view you as the expert on your life, and the counselor the expert on providing you non-judgmental feedback and support, while offering suggestions and tools for change. This relationship is never hierarchical, and always collaborative.

Pricing

Insurance may cover your in-person attendance for individual sessions, group sessions, and family, & couple’s counseling sessions.  Please call to inquire*.

Single Session Self-Pay Rates:

Discount Packages:

No cash refunds on pre-purchased discount packages

Bodywork Services (Massage)

Healing can occur in many domains. Sometimes we are unaware of stressors, or we just don’t feel up to talking about them. Enter bodywork. By stretching, rubbing, and putting pressure on muscles (massage), gently directing the head and spine cord (Cranio-sacral) , or directing energy to and from the body (Reiki), skilled practitioners at Epiphany! Professional Counseling Services will help break up and rid your body of toxins, help you feel more relaxed, and promote healing.

Bodywork has many benefits and uses, such as:

• Promote well-nourished and healthy skin
• Improve circulation
• Relax muscles and improve joint mobility
• Encourage general relaxation
• Improve immune system functioning
• Improve energy flow
• Encourage general relaxation and healing

Pricing

Wellness

We invest a lot of time, effort, and money into quitting behaviors that help in the short-run, but make us unhappy in the long-run: drinking, overeating, smoking, yelling and screaming, over-working.

So why don’t they work?

Simple.

To capture your attention and dollars, most programs and products on behavior change focus on helping you see instant results, not sustainable ones.  They hope you keep coming back to purchase their programs or products and reapplying what initially gave you promising results…even if they didn’t last.

Most people can change behaviors for a short period, but sustaining these changes is crucial to your long-term success. Most programs don’t take into consideration where you are on the readiness to change continuum, and very few focus on the last stage of this continuum: maintaining your gains.

Enter Healthy Lifestyle Solutions.

At Epiphany!, we know that in order to sustain behavior changes, you need a program that offers tools and solutions that are adaptable to your lifestyle, and meets you where you are on the readiness to change continuum.

East Suburban Biggest Loser Contest

Lose weight to gain money!  Mirroring the popular TV series “The Biggest Loser”, this program uses deposit incentives to lose weight.  Awards are also given to the biggest loser at the time of the final weigh-in.  The entry fee is $20, and a $50 deposit is collected up-front to account for any missed weigh-ins or pounds gained; remaining balance will be refunded upon completion of the program.  The program begins January 5, 2012, and concludes on March 29, 2012.

Drop 10 in 10

Tired of the same old weight loss programs that want you to pay expensive fees for temporary results?  Our Drop 10 in 10 program will teach you how to live healthier.  Maintaining a balanced lifestyle will help you feel better than being tied down to the same old diet plans.  This program is FREE for Highmark members, plus $18 materials fee.  Non-Highmark members are also urged to join for a fee of $117 (includes materials fee).

Live: in Season with Lindsey Barton RD, LDN

A workshop designed to help you LIVE healthfully, deliciously, locally, sustainably, actively- in SEASON.  Details coming soon.

Personal Nutrition Coaching

A perfect fit…
Find your perfect fit and reach your nutrition goals with Personal Nutrition Coaching. This one-on-one counseling service with a Registered Dietitian is designed to help you make healthy lifestyle and nutrition choices for better health or to address specific concerns, such as weight management, heart health and diabetes.

Discover Relaxation Within I

Let go of stress, take hold of life…
This lifestyle improvement program helps you manage everyday stress through practical relaxation techniques and innovative stress management strategies. From coping skills, to visualization, to progressive muscle relaxation and humor therapy, you’ll acquire effective tools to deal with stress.

Discover Relaxation Within II

Refresh, Renew and Rediscover…
This lifestyle improvement program takes stress management to the next level. Explore additional ways to integrate relaxation, time management, self-insight and creative skills into your life through this action-oriented program that will help you live more and stress less. Participation in Discover Relaxation Within I is recommended prior to this program.

Eat Well for Life I

Better living…not dieting…
A lifestyle improvement program that champions optimal health, vitality and long-term weight management through the power of good nutrition. You’ll discover easy meal planning tools, smart shopping strategies and healthy ways to cook great tasting foods.

Eat Well for Life II

More tools to live it, not diet…

Get the inside scoop on balanced meal planning, dining out, listening to your body and making the connection between food and mood. You’ll discover new ways to maximize your energy with high quality nutrition and more tools you can use for lifelong health and wellness. Participation in Eat Well for Life I is recommended prior to this program.

HOPE (Osteoporosis Prevention and Education Program)

Building better bones at any age…
Develop stronger bones for a lifetime! This take-action lifestyle improvement program focuses on making healthy choices to improve bone health and prevent or manage osteoporosis. You’ll learn how to establish a comprehensive bone-building plan that includes nutrition, supplements, strength training exercises, stress management and much more.

Health on the Menu

Serving up better health through education…

Health on the Menu is a series of one-hour wellness workshops that promote healthy lifestyles and taking an active role in your own health. Whether new to wellness or a wellness pro, you’ll discover new ideas, the latest advice and motivational strategies for having a greater hand in your health.

Coaching

“What was I thinking?  This wasn’t what I had in mind when I started my business!”

Sound familiar?  Many start businesses, and quickly think they’ve lost their minds. We think we’ll have more freedom and money, but we find ourselves working 12-hour days and making less money than we did before we started! Headaches, responsibilities, exhaustion, and definite work-life imbalance riddle our lives.

After completing this eight-session series with Business Development Coach Diane Dean, you will:

• Develop your business vision and rekindle your passion for it

• Avoid drain by determining your ideal client and develop strategies to attract them

• Understand the value of working  on your business instead of in your business

• Understand the top five elements of creating a successful business, in order of importance

• Understand the value of your time

• Empower yourself to be an effective leader

• Attract a staff to become a team of success instead of a team of sabotage

Begins: Tuesday, January 24th at 12 Noon (lunchtime phone teleclass) 

Investment: 2 easy payments of $225!  As always, current individualcoaching clients may attend absolutely FREE.

Worksites

Reach out to Schools & Businesses

Schools & businesses in the Pittsburgh area have the opportunity to hire our professionals for:

Wellness assemblies and fairs; trainings; consultations; psychological assessments; team building; individual or group coaching; nutrition & health drives; weight-loss programming; in-services; student assemblies; employee or student screenings and assessments; relaxation days or hours for appreciation or in-service days or student or employee incentives, and more!

With over a century of combined experience, Epiphany! Counseling & Wellness Center’s dietitians, counselors, psychologists, massage therapists, and coaches can meet most any educational, leadership, or wellness need that you have.  Sample topics include:  substance abuse, domestic violence, building a personal foundation, weight loss, pain management, parenting, discipline & behavior management, school and life transition adjustments, coping skills training, stress reduction, enhanced work performance, effective communication, mindfulness, and many more.

We will develop a customized wellness program based on your needs & your budget.

Please call 724-387-1650 today for a professional, complimentary, no-obligation consultation & quote.

Proudly serving the Murrysville, Monroeville, Plum, Export, Delmont, Greensburg, Harrison City, Irwin, Jeanette, Penn Trafford, Penn Hills, Verona, Oakmont & other Pittsburgh areas with massage, counseling, nutrition & weight loss, wellness & coaching services.

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