Learn about Counseling at Epiphany in Murrysville, Pa.

Counseling consists of an array of treatments such as energy management, creativity, increased consciousness  the healing triad, non-judgement, readiness to change, pattern recognition, directive therapy, collaboration, discover relaxation within I, and discover relaxation within II.

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 life, 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

The counseling at Epiphany!, is 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). At the counseling in Murrysville 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. The counseling in Murrysville at Epiphany! is 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.

 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.

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:

Session Type	Session Length	Minimum Price
Initial Psychiatric Evaluation	45-60 minutes	$130
Individual Therapy	45 minutes	$105
Family/Couples Therapy	45-60 minutes	$120
Group Therapy	60-90 min	$50
Discover Relaxation Within I or II	Four Week Session	FREE for Highmark members with no materials fee Non-Highmark members: $50 + $15 materials fee for each four week session

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Discount Packages:

Session Type	Session Length	Basic Package	Enhanced Package
Individual	45-60 minutes	$96-$110 per session	$90-$96 per session
Family/Couples	45-60 minutes	$110 per session	$96-$100 per session
Ongoing Group	60-90 minutes	$45 per session	$40.50 per session

No cash refunds on pre-purchased discount packages