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Take A Step For Change Today!
Hi, I am Dr. Allen Novian. I have been helping caregivers of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease since 2001. I have my PhD in Marriage & Family Therapy from St. Mary's University. I have been in private practice since 2008. My primary passion and experience is to assist caregivers although I do see a variety of clients in my office on a daily basis including (but not limited to) anxiety, couples counseling, and adults and children with ADD/ADHD. Prior to going into private practice I worked as the program coordinator for a large NIH and VA funded grant at the VA Hospital and UT Health Science Center. This program entitled the Stress-Busting Program for Family Caregivers assisted and researched the effect of this program on over 200 dementia caregivers and 50 Parkinson's caregivers between 2000 and 2008.
If you are facing struggles in your life, and looking at the possibility of seeing a therapist for the first time, you are probably curious about who I am and what it will be like to talk with me. If you are already familiar with the therapy experience, you might be wondering how I can help.
Mental health is composed of your physical, emotional, spiritual, behavioral, social, cognitive, and environmental health. It is effected by your ability to think and feel clearly, and it can be effected by relationship conflict, anxiety, learning disabilities, situational stress, and transitions in your life. In addition to current mental health issues, struggles can be rooted in issues from childhood or patterns of behavior that give your relationships a rocky foundation. Other reasons to seek therapy can include chronic pain or coping with family members who struggle with dementia or other factors that cause stress in their lives.
I pay attention to all sides of your mental health, including the spiritual aspect. I wrote my dissertation on spirituality, and believe that it can help you heal. Prayer and faith can have incredible results, and I am happy to integrate prayer into our time together. We can discuss spirituality as much or as little as you are comfortable with, but know that this avenue of healing is open to you. In my office, you are safe and secure. I do not judge, and I do not preach. I am here to help.
I know that each person has a unique situation and I will do all that I can to make our therapy sessions highly personal and as effective as possible. My goal is always to maximize your chance for success in overcoming your struggles.
My door is open. Come in and find peace in a caring, professional environment.
Have a terrific day!
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Philosophy of Counseling
Probably the biggest reason you are seeking counseling is the desire to change some part of your identity. You may have tried everything you can think of. You might have turned to family and friends for advice, but you still can’t break free of the problematic identity.
Your identify yourself as depressed, anxious, stressed, chemically dependent, overweight/underweight, or co-dependent along with a whole host of others.
My clients come to me with two questions : How did this identity take over my life? and How can I change it?
To answer these questions, you need to understand the process that leads to the development of an identity.
Here are the components that lead to the development of an identity.
Reflection → Sense → Feelings → Thoughts → Will → Behavior = Identity
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Your potential for change is here.
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