Online Therapy at Reach

Pfeiffer Institute Reach is proud to offer a new service: Online Therapy. Sometimes called distance therapy or video therapy, this means of offering mental health services helps eliminate a couple of potential barriers to attending face-to-face sessions.

Breaking Down Barriers

One advantage to online therapy is that it eliminates the need to travel to a specific location to meet with a therapist. Instead, a client can be in a confidential location of his or her own choosing, be it a bedroom, a home office, or a private room reserved at the library. Many clients also find it more convenient, as it cuts down on driving time and dealing with traffic (no small consideration in the Raleigh/Durham area!).

Another advantage to online therapy is that potential clients in rural areas can have access to services they would otherwise have to travel great distances for, or else do without. Many of our rural communities lack mental health services, or those services are offered at inconvenient times or locations.

Requirements for Online Therapy at Reach

Although there are several advantages of online therapy, there are also some concerns, so we have put some safeguards in place. In order to participate in online therapy at Pfeiffer Institute Reach, a potential client must meet the following criteria:

• The client must physically reside in North Carolina, and be within state lines during all online therapy sessions.
• Individual therapy only. Online therapy is not available for couple or family therapy. 
• The client must attend the first session face-to-face. During that first meeting, the therapist will evaluate the client to make sure he/she is appropriate for online therapy. The therapist will assess for issues such as suicidal or homicidal ideation, domestic violence situations, and comfort using technology.
• The client must identify an emergency contact and sign a release for the therapist to confirm with that person that they are willing to serve as the emergency contact during online therapy.

Want to Try It?

If you're interested in Online Therapy and you fit all the requirements above, contact Reach today to schedule your appointment (remember, the first one is face-to-face): 919-941-2900 or contact@pfeifferreach.org.

June Wedding, Lifetime Relationship

June is here, the most popular month for weddings. Did you ever wonder why? According to The Old Farmer's Almanac, "the goddess Juno was the protector of women in almost all aspects of life, but especially in marriage and childbearing, so a wedding in Juno's month was considered most auspicious." Plus the weather is generally cooperative, many people take vacations, and there are plenty of flowers to choose from!

If you're getting married - congratulations!! Planning a wedding takes a lot of time, coordination, and MONEY! The average cost of a wedding is $25,200, although most couples spend less than $10,000 (see http://www.costofwedding.com/). Thousands of dollars and thousands of hours spent on making this most important of days as perfect as possible, as "auspicious" a start as could be imagined.

What if more of that time, effort, and yes, even money, went toward preparing for the marriage? Think about it - the wedding is a single, albeit very important, day, but it's the start of a lifetime commitment. What if couples were able to learn more about how to manage the "for worse" that life will bring, before it actually arrives? That's the idea behind Prepare/Enrich, an online relationship assessment. Each member of the couple completes the assessment separately, then meet together with a trained facilitator to review the personalized results. 

Prepare/Enrich is great for premarital and newlywed couples as a "preventive" measure, and it's also helpful for couples who have been together for a while. Prepare/Enrich highlights areas of strength as well as issues that need attention, then builds skills to manage those issues. The assessment is only $35/couple, and sessions with a trained facilitator at Pfeiffer Institute Reach are only $30 (sliding scale available; see more here). Put your time and resources toward strengthening and improving your relationship - Reach for a better tomorrow...today! 919-941-2900 or contact@pfeifferreach.org. 

Happy Memorial Day!

A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.   - Joseph Campbell

Our hearts and thoughts are with those who sacrificed their lives so we could live free.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all who mother!

Couples Therapy According to Kristen and Dax

For a change, some great news is making the social media rounds: Couples therapy can be good for relationships! Real-life couple Kristen Bell (Frozen, Veronica Mars) and Dax Shepard (Parenthood) gave an interview to Good Housekeeping where they candidly spoke about attending couples therapy. It's a fun interview, and I particularly wanted to point out a couple of quotes.

Kristen said "I didn't realize that I needed a much bugger toolbox to have confrontations and disagreements with people." Being in a relationship can be wonderful, but it also means that person will be able to make you more upset than you ever thought you could be! Couples therapy is a safe place to discuss difficult topics and emotions, and get "tools" (e.g., communication skills, specific behavioral strategies) for dealing with inevitable conflict. Kristen also compares going to therapy to using a personal trainer or a recipe - note that you're doing hard work, but the results are worth it!

Dax said "In my previous relationship, we went to couples'therapy at the end, and that's often too late. You can't go after nine years and start figuring out what patterns you're in." It's true that most people treat couples therapy as a last resort - what you try before hiring a lawyer. It's much more effective to use couples therapy as a preventive and maintenance strategy - learn what to do before things get bad, and then get regular boosters, since it's easier to get lazy!

Kristen said "There may be something that really hurt your feelings that you're scared to bring up. Go talk about it with a therapist who can mediate. You'll walk out of the room feeling like you're [on the same] team." The ultimate goal of therapy is to have partners working together for a healthy relationship, knowing that they can always come back if needed!

Remember, you can get low-cost couples therapy at Pfeiffer Institute Reach. Call 919-941-2900 or email contact@pfeifferreach.org today for your appointment!
Laura Bryan, PhD, LMFT
Clinic Director, Pfeiffer Institute Reach 

Child Abuse Prevention Month

April is designated Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time set aside to focus our awareness on the importance of a happy, healthy childhood. Children thrive when there are loving and supportive adults in their lives, and thriving children result in a healthy and balanced community. When children are neglected or abused, it affects their development for years to come, causing personal and community cost. 

This month, learn what you can do to make your home and community safe and supportive for children. You can find a lot of great information at Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina. If you need support, remember you can always reach out to Pfeiffer Institute Reach for low cost individual, couple, or family therapy. We want to help you make the changes you need.

Reach for a better tomorrow!

Happy Easter!

For I remember it is Easter morn,

And life and love and peace are all new born.

~Alice Freeman Palmer

All of us here at Pfeiffer Institute Reach wish you a joyous and peaceful Easter,

 spent with loving family and friends. 

Take today to relax and celebrate. 

If you need us, you can Reach  for a better tomorrow...tomorrow!