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Philosophy of Treatment

Our multi-faceted personality is comprised of stored genetic and learned mind-body experience that is tucked away in the brain and the cells of our bodies. It is impossible for us to have conscious awareness of all we think and do. When flooded with too much data, our brain filters material to avoid complete shutdown. Therefore, information not processed consciously, is either discarded or placed in a cache of unconscious perceptions, thoughts and feelings.

Traumatic experience is likely to affect many aspects of our lives. Psychotherapy is a feedback mechanism to give us access to stored information. Recognition of the link between our feelings and how feelings can influence our behavior is a stepping stone to mastery over despair.

A skillful and empathic therapist will work to gain rapport with the client and lay groundwork for a safe learning environment. Change seems more attainable when a part of the self in pain can be reached and given a voice. Ultimately, our emotional healthiness depends on having the ability to see ourselves as a unified whole. We learn to accept accountability for our behavior and strive to be consciously honest.

Healthy, stable people have a deep respect and tolerance for others and themselves. Our lives are richer and more meaningful when we moderate our relationships with a sense of humor and fair play. Laughter can soften even the deepest wounds.

As human beings, it is our strength that we can learn from our mistakes. It is the right to conscious choice that liberates us.

Style of Treatment & Methodology

As you have noticed, there are symbols of ancient civilizations that adorn this page. Stonehenge, a grouping of majestic stone megaliths located near Salisbury, England has a magical, ethereal quality. A gift from the ancient people, Stonehenge stands as a spirited icon of determination and will. The mystery of how it came to be, without the benefit of machines, is a wonder still.

The Native American Kokopelli, cultivator of the soul, carries a bag of magic tricks on his back. Playful Kokopelli has a zest for life that draws people and animals to him. He enchants as he dances and plays his flute.

Another image, the Sunface, is a symbol that radiates energy and life with a smile.

Ancient carvings, paintings, buildings and stories have profoundly influenced my work. Native people taught us how to reach one another through imagery, stories and sound. Storytelling integrated with music and art give people opportunities to discover easier, gentler ways of changing. As we listen and converse through different mediums we find our connections more interesting and sometimes more lasting.

My clinical training as a social worker, combined with training in hypnotherapy, has taught me to observe, listen and learn from the people who come into my office. Most people who come to therapy want to know what can be done to relieve their discomfort. As we engage in a therapeutic conversation, learned experiences stored in many regions of our consciousness begin to emerge.

A sixty year old Ph.D. scientist was suffering from severe allergies. He had exhausted his efforts, seeking and receiving medical treatment for the problem. Yet, the symptoms continued to worsen. His breathing was labored enough that day in my office, I was concerned for his safety.

In a hypnotized state, the man learned that sinus congestion was a response to his fear and anxiety over being sent to school when he was too young. From that point on, any stressful experience heightened his "allergic" response. He remembered being sent to school a year early but had no idea that his "allergies" were associated with that difficult period. During the session he decided that in his adult life he no longer needed to express his reaction to stress with sinus congestion. Instead he decided to use words. He was symptom free within hours after he emerged from the hypnotic trance. He remains symptom free fifteen years later.

No wonder it can be difficult to understand how and why we are distressed, uncomfortable, embarrassed, or annoyed!

When people want to change destructive patterns in their lives, they are often at a loss as to how to do it. Our conversations in therapy reveal stories that describe the impact of stressful events. Dreams and expectations shaped by time and our ever-present social world affect the view we have of others and ourselves. However, our conversations do not stop there. We look together for those moments that influence us to do our best, appreciate value in others and grasp the value in ourselves.

Once families come to therapy the conversation may reveal how family members suffer over severe loss, death, substance abuse, separation or divorce, abandonment, mental illness, violence and/or fanatical beliefs. Sadly, a sense of worthlessness, contempt and self-blame can serve to find them being harshly confrontational or silent and distant.

As families work to stop the blaming behavior (towards others or themselves) and make halting steps to converse in a respectful way, they begin to demonstrate an intention to reach out and show appreciation for one another. A deep sense of care and affection often begins to unfold. In this way, families develop new skills (or regain) more trust and confidence in their ability to solve problems together.

Ultimately psychotherapy helps us see ourselves more honestly; and, the experience is almost always moving and profound. It paves the way to a deeper regard for the self, more satisfying relationships and a life filled with meaning and joy.

Credentials

For 30 years, I have been in a Clinical Social Work private practice, with emphasis on individuals, couples, groups and families. I provide LCSW supervision for social workers, training & supervision for mental health professionals in other areas of the mental health field.

A graduate of Washburn University of Topeka, Kansas with a Bachelor's Degree in Music, I am a graduate from the Kent School of Social Work, University of Louisville, Masters of Science in Social Work. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the State of Kentucky, Accredited Certified Social Worker, and a NASW Diplomate in Clinical Social Work (DCSW). Memberships include the National Association of Social Workers, American Association of Social Workers with Groups, American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, and the National Healthcare Providers Registry, American Diabetes Association and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.

My extensive training in family therapy and clinical hypnotherapy also includes pain management and methods to help people reach their desired outcomes.  

email: Linda@lindajhill.com

This web page was posted on July 02, 1997 and revised on April 05, 2008.

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Copyright © 1997- 2008 by Linda J. Hill, LCSW, DCSW. All rights reserved.

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