"Every beginning has an ending,
and every ending has a beginning"
Communication/Relationship Counseling
The ability to have a conversation with ease about “anything” is something that may seem unthinkable, yet with some simple skills that are easy to learn, this can be anyone’s experience. People who have done this work with me report greater fulfillment in all of their relationships. Not only does good communication improve relationships, but it boosts self-confidence and self-awareness tremendously. It’s empowering to know that you can express yourself and handle any conversation that you want to have with anyone!
I teach couples and individuals how to communicate in ways that help them convey clearly and kindly what it is they want to say. This ability creates trust, and when there is trust between two people in a conversation, both parties experience greater satisfaction. This makes for a deeper connection in important relationships, as well as a greater ease in professional and casual relationships. Having these tools is nothing short of life changing!
Losses & Life Transitions
I have assisted many individuals in their grieving process. The loss of a loved one can result in anxiety, depression, and even loss of motivation when the pain doesn’t subside over a long period of time. The emotions that surface from loss can feel agonizing. With respect for this very vulnerable experience, I help the bereaved to access coping skills and hope, that then allow them to regain balance in their life and thrive again.
In addition to the death of a loved one, the pain of loss can be experienced for a variety of other reasons. Some life transitions can bring a greater experience of loss than one might expect. For instance, divorce, the ending of any important relationship for that matter, loss of health and even some changes that accompany the aging process can stir grief. The COVID 19 Pandemic brought with it yet more experiences of loss. Many have lost financial security, loss of a general sense of safety (previously enjoyed), and even cancelled milestone events.
I have helped individuals in all of these situations. While it might feel impossible to move through heartache of these sorts at times, healing from such losses occurs and often leads to newly discovered strength and confidence.
Trauma
A dictionary defines Trauma as a deeply distressing or disturbing
experience. Divorce, life altering illness, the death of a loved one,
poverty, an assault may all be considered “traumatic,” however it can
be more subtle than is realized at times. This is sometimes true in the
formative years of life, when coping mechanisms and a child’s ability to
understand dynamics in their environment has not yet matured. In
either case, the result of trauma may be experienced as a sensitivity
and reaction to certain “triggers,” which interfere in a person’s quality
of life.
Talk therapy alone may not heal deep rooted or prolonged trauma. In
such cases, as an EMDRIA trained therapist, I offer EMDR (Eye
Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) as a modality of treatment
that has been long studied and proven to offer healing of traumatic
symptoms at the deepest level. This safe form of treatment leads some
individuals to say that it feels as if they “got their life back.”
Debra DeMartino, LCSW-R
New York State Licensed Clinical Social Worker
License # R069433