Dorit Miller, Psy.D, A Psychological Corporation

Individual Therapy

In individual therapy, the patient meets with our therapist one-on-one in fifty-minute sessions (typically). A working, therapeutic relationship may last for only a few sessions to a few months or years, depending on the needs of the client. Although talking to a psychologist for the first time can feel awkward or embarrassing, clients tend to become more comfortable with the process of talking to their psychologist or therapist during the first couple of sessions.

Clients come to therapy for a wide range of reasons, hoping to feel and function better. Common issues include: general anxiety and stress, depression, difficult childhood and family experiences (past and present), relationship struggles, divorce, parenting help or coaching, career and transition issues. Clients also come to therapy to work toward developing a better self-image, to grow to better the self in many ways, to explore existential themes (e.g. "What's my purpose?" or "Why am I doing this in my life?"), or to achieve personal growth. The approach to such treatment varies from person-to-person, but may include a good deal of initial work involving the client's past experiences, and for others may emphasize current experiences. At our center, Dr. Dorit Miller and her staff provide a strength-based, compassionate, empathic and supportive environment for clients to pursue this form of self-exploration. Each therapy style is tailored to the patient’s needs, concern and goals.  Psychotherapy is a collaborative process. Our work together will aim to assist you in increasing insight, in gaining deeper self-awareness and empowering you to make the choices that will lead to meaningful changes in your life.

Family Therapy

When one member of the family is having a problem or some form of instability, most often it can affect the whole family; it’s like a domino effect. In most cases, children and adolescents who are struggling in a family want to connect, but instead, they act out or push parents away because they don’t know how to get their needs met or how to verbalize their strong emotions.  At our counseling center we have  experienced and professional staff who are trained in working with children, adolescents or young adults, that are experiencing attachment struggles, anger, issues relating to traumatic events, family conflicts, as well as grief and loss related to divorce, illness, or other family losses.

Additionally, we work with behavioral problems that occur in the home, school, and social environments. We relate well to children and teenagers, utilizing their means of communication, and a playful approach to facilitate change and healing. Concurrently, we will work closely with the parent or caregiver to monitor and support the adoption of new skills developed in therapy to the affected environment.

With families, we tend to focus on how the maintenance of patterns in a family can perpetuate a long-standing problem. we try to loosen the cycle of blame and disappointment so that real connection, forgiveness and growth can occur. At our counseling center we balance the hard work and serious dialogue with humor and playfulness to bring about change through the most comfortable means possible. 

Couples Therapy

Couples who find themselves engaging in frequent conflict, experiencing unsatisfying communication patterns, having power or control struggles, experiencing betrayal, having sexual difficulties, or experiencing other threats to their relationship may benefit from couples therapy. They often feel that their relationship is stuck or in a negative cycle which does not improve. Couples come to therapy to reduce the intensity and duration of negative feelings within the relationship and to reconnect with their partner. Couples counseling is a reparative undertaking, requiring sincere motivation by the couple to engage in direct conversation, explore new patterns of relating, and formulating a solid foundation. At our counseling cetner, Dr. Dorit Miller and her staff provide a safe, supportive and non-judgmental forum for couples to discuss, listen, communicate and understand one another in order to connect again and build a stronger relationship with one another. Forgiveness, acceptance, growth and development of the couple and individual is stressed. 

Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy is helpful for those who are struggling with fear and anxiety, stress, pain, addictions, eliminating unwanted habits, and bringing about good healthy feelings.

Hypnotherapy is when a therapy is conducted in hypnosis.  Hypnosis is a state of relaxation when one is in a natural trance state, similar feeling to just before you fall asleep. In hypnotherapy the psychologist attempts to address the client's subconscious mind during the hypnotic or trance state.

When undergoing hypnotherapy, patients are conscious and aware, but are open to the power of suggestion that is given the psychologist. Patients cannot be induced to do anything against their will during hypnotherapy. By talking to their clients in a soothing voice and getting them to visualize relaxing and monotonous situations, the psychologist is able to send their clients into a state of very deep relaxation where they will still be aware of their surroundings but are very much more sensitive to suggestion.

Once the patient is in trance, the hypnotherapist deepens the trance by suggesting to the conscious mind to daydream or relax. While the conscious mind is inactive the subject is likely to respond to all suggestions literally. Positive suggestions are then introduced and absorbed by the conscious mind.

Group Therapy

Group therapy is a series of therapy sessions that usually include six to ten people and the facilitator. People in the group are encouraged to talk about what is bothering them and provide others with feedback and support. Feedback includes expressing your own feelings about what someone says or does. Interaction between group members are highly encouraged and provides each person with an opportunity to try out new ways of behaving; it also provides members with an opportunity for learning more about the way they interact with others. It is a safe environment in which members work to establish a level of trust that allows them to talk personally and honestly. Group members make a commitment to the group and are instructed that the content of the group sessions are confidential. It is not appropriate for group members to disclose events of the group to an outside person.

Family of Origin Therapy and Family Mediation

Dr Dorit Miller is an expert in Family Therapy, including problems relating to family of origin and extended family. In many cultures, including the Middle Eastern cultures, family of origin is an important part of our lives which we work with, live with and socialize with.  Often times due to our close tight relationships with our family of origin, even after marriage, we are faced with disagreements and issues arising or due to our family of origin.  At our counseling center Dr. Miller and her staff work very closely with families to repair old or new family wounds arising from new marriages, adult siblings relationship to one another,  tension or arguments in business partnership, in-laws over-involvements and money conflicts.  

When working with adult families we look for how each member has a role to play and rules to respect. Family members are expected to respond to each other in a certain way according to their past role, which was determined by relationship agreements. Within the boundaries of the family system, patterns develop as certain family member's behavior is caused by and causes other family member's behaviors in predictable ways. Maintaining the same pattern of behaviors within a system may lead to balance in the family system, but also to dysfunction which can then cause conflicts, arguments or detachments. 

At our counseling center, we pay close attention to how family members deal with:

• Triangulation (where one side in conflict and two sides in harmony, contributing to the development of clinical problems)

• Differentiation of the self: The variance in individuals in their susceptibility to depend on others for acceptance and approval.

• Nuclear family emotional system which includes: Marital conflict, dysfunction in one spouse, impairment of one or more children, and emotional distance.
• Family projection process: The transmission of emotional problems from a parent to a child.
• Multigenerational transmission process: The transmission of small differences in the levels of differentiation between parents and their children.
• Emotional cutoff: The act of reducing or cutting off emotional contact with family as a way managing unresolved emotional issues.
• Sibling position: The impact of sibling position on development and behavior.
• Societal and cultural emotional process: The emotional system governs behavior on a societal level, promoting both progressive and regressive periods in a society.

One of the best ways to begin therapy when working with adults families is to gain understanding of how the emotional system operates in your family system, to study your own patterns of behavior, and how they relate to those of your multigenerational family.  This will reveal new and more effective options for solving problems and for changing your response to the automatic role you are expected to play in your current relationships.