Older Blog Entries
Children and Therapy
Shiri Shapira-Simchi 8/19/2021
Kids therapy is a process of healing that takes place according to the child and his needs through the language he uses. Child therapy is conducted through play, conversation, expression in drawing with material, water, or any other means of communication and expression that the child finds appropriate to bring themself through. In its principles, the psychological treatment of children is similar and different from the psychological treatment of adults. It is similar to treating adults in the principle of a healing process as related to developing the ability to express emotion, combining and connecting emotion to logic, finding patterns and choosing whether to continue or change them. At the same time, there are some significant differences. For a child, it is sometimes difficult for them to define exactly what is bothering them. Second, an adult comes with their memories and what we psychologists will define as “his introverted characters”. Their parents influence them (more or less) but are not actually raising them now. The child has real, influential, present parents, who are an essential part of their upbringing and therefore any process of change in them will involve the parents to one degree or another. Therefore, if you have brought a child for treatment, expect to take part, depending on what the child needs for their development. Third, a child is in a developmental process and therefore the guarantee must be adapted to the stage in which they are in. Beyond that sometimes the changes in it will be rapid because of the natural developmental processes.
When To Ask For Help
Shiri Shapira-Simchi 8/3/2021
Each of us experiences emotional difficulties throughout our lives. These difficulties can manifest in different ways: we may experience feelings of anxiety (general, anxiety attacks…), depression (from mild depression to real depression, postpartum depression) or changes in the sense of worth and difficulty functioning in the face of life demands.
Sometimes we understand the source of our own distress, especially when we are dealing with difficult times following life events and situations over which we have little control. Sometimes we feel mental distress without knowing what caused it. Furthermore, it is possible that even when turning to a specific problem, after a while we find that the cause is actually different from what we first thought of, and in fact behind the thing that led us to treatment there was a deeper and more complex cause that was less conscious before treatment.
It is important to know that there is no good or justifiable reason to seek treatment. When we feel emotional distress, which does not pass and worries us, whether we know how to point out the cause of our distress or not, therapy can greatly help to achieve a profound and long-term change in the way we experience ourselves, manage our relationships and face the various life challenges.
Anxiety and Therapy
Shiri Shapira-Simchi 7/26/2021
Each of us has an "inner raven", the raven of thoughts. The raven that speaks to us from our head… At the end of the day we turn off the light, go to bed, close our eyes, but sleep does not come immediately, instead the raven comes. He prefers to fill the silence of The night with endless thoughts and reflections. For some reason he prefers to meditate on unpleasant things and has a strong tendency to be quiet and worried. , Says they are full of dangers, never expected and no one can be trusted "(From the book 'Wisdom of the East' by Nissim Amon)
All human beings suffer from tensions, stresses, fears, and anxieties. Anxiety response is a natural and normal response to a situation of danger and is even important for human survival. If we were not afraid of danger, we would, for example, drive at 200 km/h without a seat belt and endanger ourselves. At the same time, there are people who experience too high levels of anxiety. Their anxiety can appear even when there is no danger or be excessive and disproportionate. Their anxiety may be paralyzing to a level that already impairs functioning or causes a great deal of suffering manifested in unpleasant physical symptoms (rapid pulse, feeling of distress, tremors, sweating, etc.) and bothersome thoughts. In these situations, it is advisable to seek the help of a professional. Therapy can help patients with high anxiety learn how to overcome anxiety through sedation techniques (such as breathing technique, muscle relaxation, mindfulness and more) and through cognitive tools, such as CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), for changing their negative thinking patterns, as negative thinking patterns can increase anxiety.
Meet Our New Therapist!
Emily Ringle 7/01/2021
Hello Everyone!
Welcome to the Aiding Therapy Blog! We'll be more active on this blog than we have been in the past, allowing our clients and general public an insight into Aiding Therapy Services, LLC.
Aiding Therapy Services, LLC is a private practice in Broomfield, CO. We see kids ages 6-18 and their families, along with adults through age 65. We have a wide range of expertise, particularly trauma, anxiety, and depression. To kick off this month, I'd like to introduce one of our lovely therapists: Shiri Shapira-Simchi.
Here she is in her own words:
My name is Shiri, I was born and raised in Israel. I received my bachelor’s degree in social work in 1995 and started working at a treatment center for children and youth, where I worked for a decade. In those years I got a lot of experience in individual, family and group therapy. My clients were juveniles and their families, and suffered from a wide range of problems in the field of trauma, addictions, depression and anxiety. I also supervised new employees. During those years I studied in a two-year program for child and adolescent therapists, with a specialization in adolescents, after which I went on to study for a master's degree in clinical social work, which I completed in 2000.
In 2005 I relocated to the US with my husband, as part of his work. Our dog and two cats also came with us. We first lived in Connecticut, where I did other things than what I did in Israel, like being a preschool teacher. After about a year and a half we moved to California. Our two children were born there, and after spending their first years with them, I returned to the therapy field and worked with the big Israeli community in the Silicon Valley area, where we lived.
In 2019 we moved to beautiful Colorado, and here I worked at a treatment center with adults suffering from addictions, depression and trauma. I did individual and group therapy and was trained to treat using the CBT method. I recently started working at Aiding Therapy Services and I am very excited to return to work with children and adolescents as well.
I believe that therapy is a gift that anyone can give themselves, in order to improve their life. I see therapy as an opportunity to develop self-awareness to who we are, and an opportunity to develop communication skills and deal with different life situations. I believe that every person can make a change on their own, if they have self-awareness and motivation for it, and of course the right therapist.
I live in Lafayette with my husband, our two children, dog and three cats. My passion is to meet and communicate with people as I believe every person has a fascinating life story. In my free time I enjoy reading, writing, hiking in nature and spending time with my family.
