The Road Less Traveled (M.Scott Peck)
It takes a lot of courage to reach out and ask for help; that is the first step. Admitting one needs help in addressing a painful issue is not a weakness, it is a strength.
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I believe that personal growth from therapy makes life more interesting and meaningful. The focus is about growing into someone who is more whole, more insightful, as well as more compassionate to yourself and others. The end result could be to live one's life more vulnerable and in the present moment.
About Me
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Dr. Longo
- received his undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst (1975), his Master's (1979), and his Doctorate (1991) from American International College.
- worked for several years in the Department of Psychiatry at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts, providing counseling to individuals and couples on their inpatient adults and children psychiatric units, as well as part of the Crisis Team in the Psychiatric Emergency Service.
- is licensed as a psychologist by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (#6395)
- worked as the Director of Psychology at Glavin Regional Center in Shrewsbury, Ma., as well as a consultant to select area offices for the Department of Developmental Disabilities.
- completed level one certification in sensorimotor psychotherapy. Sensorimotor Psychotherapy is designed to specifically address somatic and autonomic symptoms as well as cognitive and emotional ones. It is a mindfulness-based body-oriented therapy that incorporates approaches from psychodynamic psychotherapy, gestalt therapy, cognitive-behavioral, mindfulness-based cognitive treatments, as well as the Hakomi method of body psychotherapy.
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-completed training in EMDR. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress resulting from disturbing life experiences. EMDR therapy shows that the mind can heal from psychological trauma much as the body recovers from physical trauma.
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- completed level one certification in the developmental model of couples therapy. This model integrates attachment theory, differentiation theory, and neuroscience to develop and apply effective treatment to distressed couples.
- completed training for discernment counseling. Discernment counseling is a type of brief couples therapy designed for couples uncertain whether they want to continue their marriage. This counseling aims to help partners consider all options before they decide to work on or terminate a relationship.
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- completed level three training in Relational Life Therapy (RLT). RLT is a different form of couple therapy that not only teaches healthy and important relational skills but directly targets the behaviors and underlying reasons that the problems exist in the first place.
Individual Psychotherapy
Individual therapy is a collaborative process between a therapist and a person in therapy. Common goals of therapy can be to inspire change or improve quality of life.
As a psychologist with over 40 years of clinical experience, I will help you learn more effective strategies to succeed in your life and relationships. Some areas of interest include relationship issues, supporting individuals suffering from anxiety, depression, grief, anger issues, and feelings of loneliness and inadequacy.
One person in a relationship can sometimes make a difference in the course and health of a relationship. Some people want to improve their marriages, but their spouses cannot join them in therapy. Some others wish to help change their responses to their partner's style. Others want some help understanding why relationships or marriages might have failed or is in the process of dying.
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Couples Therapy
Couples therapy is a type of psychotherapy in which a therapist with clinical experience working with couples helps two people involved in a relationship gain insight into their relationship as well as resolve conflicts to improve lives together. I use a form of couples therapy that is drawn extensively from the Developmental Model developed by Dr. Ellyn Bader and Dr. Peter Pearson. This form of therapy suggests that couples can move through various stages of growth throughout the course of their relationship and problems can occur when for various reasons the couple is not able to move a stage.
One of the guiding principles for the couple's therapist is to help the individual partners "differentiate" from each other so they are able to better tolerate and express their differences. In addition, communication differences, attachment styles, and the role of the brain and physiological arousal will be examined in detail.
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For more information about Couple's Counseling click below.
What can you expect to learn in Couples Therapy?
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learn how to understand your thoughts and feelings better
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learn to define and express your thoughts, feelings, and desires
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learn how to express yourself clearly and with honesty
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learn how to define and express your thoughts, feelings, and desires
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learn to establish and maintain healthy boundaries
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learn to accept and manage your differences with your partner
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learn effective coping strategies that allow you to better manage conflicts with your partner
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learn to understand you and your partner's attachment style
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learn how to make "repair attempts" when conflict or harm between partners occur
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learn how to apologize when you are wrong
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learn how to move forward in your relationship and let go of past perceived injuries
Couples on the brink of divorce: Discernment Counseling
(Used with permission from the Doherty Relationship Institute)
If you or your spouse are considering divorce but are not completely sure that’s the best path, you are in a tough spot. Discernment Counseling is designed for you. It’s a chance to slow down, take a breath, and look at your options for your marriage.
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Discernment Counseling is a new way of helping couples where one person is “leaning out” of the relationship—and not sure that regular marriage counseling would help--and the other is “leaning in”—that is, interested in rebuilding the marriage. The counselor will help you decide whether to try to restore your marriage to health, move toward divorce, or take a time out and decide later.
Unlike couples therapy which assumes that both people are willing to work on saving their marriage, Discernment Counseling helps partners decide whether it's appropriate to work on their marriage at all or to keep moving towards divorce.
The goal is for you to gain clarity and confidence about a direction, based on a deeper understanding of your relationship and its possibilities for the future. The goal is not to solve your marital problems but to see if they are solvable. You will each be treated with compassion and respect no matter how you are feeling about your marriage at the moment. No bad guys and good guys.
You will come in as a couple but the most important work occurs in one-to-one conversations with the counselor. Why? Because you are starting out in different places. The counselor respects your reasons for divorce while trying to open up the possibility of restoring the marriage to health. The counselor emphasizes the importance of each of you seeing your own contributions to the problems and the possible solutions. This will be useful in future relationships even if this one ends.
Number of Sessions: A maximum of five counseling sessions. The first session is usually two hours and the subsequent are typically 90 minutes.
Discernment Counseling is not Suited for these situations:
• When one spouse has already made a final decision to divorce
• When one spouse is coercing the other to participate
• When there is a danger of domestic violence
Dr. Longo was trained directly under Dr. Bill Doherty of the Doherty Relationship Institute.
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To learn more about Discernment Counseling click here:
To watch a video about Discernment counseling Click here:
How to start
Rates
The cost of Discernment Counseling. The initial assessment to help determine if Discernment Counseling is appropriate for your situation typically includes a 30-minute phone conversation per person at $160.00 per hour. The first session is a 2-hour session with both spouses at $320.00. Any additional 90-minute sessions at $240.00. Discernment Counseling is not billable under your insurance. Many couples think of Discernment Counseling as a far less costly alternative to separation and divorce (if applicable) without considering all options through this process.
Depending on your financial situation, fee reductions are available for clients without insurance coverage. I will bill Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, and Medicare insurance. Other therapy rates range from $125.00 to $200.00 for a 55-minute session. When mutually agreed upon, longer sessions are based on an agreed-upon hourly rate. Longer extensive sessions for EMDR therapy are available upon request.
Clients are expected to pay for services or copays at the time of service unless we make other arrangements. Most major credit cards are accepted as well as cash or checks.
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Appointments
Appointments are available seven days a week by mutual agreement. I can usually see people within a day if needed. If you would like to schedule an appointment, please call (413) 519-1960 or email me at least two times you are available. Because email is not a secure communication method, please do not leave any details of your situation in an email.
Client Information
Everyone who enters this office for (therapy/counseling) needs to fill out an intake questionnaire, informed consent for psychotherapy, practice policies, a notice of privacy practices, and a financial responsibilities form before the first session. This can be done online and usually takes less than 10 minutes. You need to be sent a link to a client portal where you read and sign the forms. If you prefer, this can also be done in the waiting room before your first appointment. If you plan to fill them out in the waiting room, please plan to arrive 15 minutes early to have enough time.
Cancellations
There is no charge for cancellation when there is at least 24 hours notice. If you fail to show up for a scheduled appointment or cancel with less than 24 hours' notice, unless there is an unavoidable emergency, you could be charged the full fee for the session. No-shows and cancellation fees are not reimbursable by insurance.
Contact
For any questions you have, you can reach me here:
Richard T. Longo, Ed.D.
200 N Main Street
Suite 4, Unit 9
East Longmeadow, Ma. 01028
