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Psychotherapy Services in Bismarck, ND

In-Clinic Sessions

In-person sessions are available by appointment on Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 8:30AM – 5:00PM.

Remote Sessions

Remote sessions are not currently available.

Psychotherapy Treatment Specialties

Anxiety

Feeling tense, agitated, worked up, bothered, nervous, pressured, jittery, vulnerable, sometimes with panic symptoms, unsure, perhaps sweating profusely, maybe lacking confidence. Therapy will desensitization of known stressors and practice with strategies to improve response to current and future stressors.
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Depression

Feeling sad, “down in the dumps,” having low energy, pessimistic, maybe not hungry or possibly with greatly increased appetite, having little hope, possibly including thoughts of not wanting to continue living or perhaps even having passing suicide thoughts without plan or intent or even more definite suicidal ideas. Treatment focus desensitizing any identified upsetting life material contributing to depression, generating more reasonable expectations and obtaining practice with strategies designed to improve adjustment and coping.
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Fear Reduction

If specific fears can be identified then desensitization of those fears can be provided using EMDR therapy. Fear without identifiable cause is more challenging to counteract.
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Craving Control

Dr. Brooks would first want to assist with improvement in mood, desensitization of upsetting life stimuli and would want to resolve residual trauma or adjustment related anxiety before addressing unwanted cravings. EMDR therapy has often been useful in reducing unwanted cravings.
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Self-Worth Boosting

For those suffering from prior abuse, rejection, abandonment and/or mistreatment self-esteem if often quite low prior to treatment. As upsetting life events are desensitized there is often realization that the “bad” person is the one providing mistreatment and the person being treated ultimately can gain a feeling of worthiness and some importance. Once all traumatic life experience is worked through, a person frequently can look back and say “that was then, this is now, he (abuser) was a jerk and I am okay.”
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Desensitizing Trauma

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may often go undiagnosed for years for one or more of several reasons. Traumatized individuals often do not want to talk about life trauma and try to hide from it, do not tell their therapists and the diagnosis may not be made early. Those suffering from trauma often have other anxiety related or depressive symptoms which are diagnosed instead of PTSD. It is also possible that a provider may possibly lack sufficient knowledge or interest in PTSD. Many people suffer for years from prior trauma and attempt to “shove it down” and attempt to go on with their lives without addressing trauma. Unfortunately, it appears that unresolved traumatic material does not typically fix itself and can easily be “triggered” causing insecurity, fear, anxiety, feeling of low self-worth etc. With EMDR therapy it is often possible ultimately to undo the effects of traumatic life stimuli.
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Common Questions About Our Psychotherapy Services

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy works by bilateral stimulation of the hemispheres of the brain. Simply put when you move your eyes to the  right, the left side of your brain is activated and when you move your eyes to the left the right side of your brain is stimulated. The rapid eye movement in EMDR therapy tends to create a sense of relaxation often, while focusing on formerly traumatic, fearsome or otherwise bothersome life experience. EMDR therapy is not hypnosis and does not erase memories, it simply usually dramatically reduces the upset related to such memories and aids adjustment and confidence. You will also be provided practice with simple strategies you can use to improve your responses to current and future stressors.

The first meeting consists of a clinical interview, which is scheduled for one hour and often takes less time. Subsequent sessions are typically scheduled for 45 minutes and occasionally may be shorter if indicated.

Yes. You may want to check with your insurance company as to whether they will cover your sessions with Dr. Brooks. The two codes he will likely be billing include 90791 for the first appointment (Psychiatric Diagnostic Interview) and for ongoing treatment sessions 90834 (Psychotherapy-45 Minutes).

Treatment sessions are typically scheduled weekly. However, EMDR therapy effects tend to be resilient and EMDR will work usually work quite well at less frequent intervals, which sometimes occur due to vacations, medical appointments, relocation, etc.

You can select “Request an Appointment” on our website and fill out the subsequent forms. If that method has not been activated, please either send an email to [email protected] or please call 701-415-6745. Be sure to leave a message including your name, date of birth and best contact number.  Dr. Brooks typically sees patients between 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM Monday, Wednesday, Friday. First time appointments will be in person.

It is important that you sense some progress and improvement in symptoms to some degree within the first few sessions. Focusing on trauma, fears and/or cravings can be quite uncomfortable and is important the your therapist is able to establish rapport and make you feeling reasonably comfortable much of the time in treatment sessions. Occasionally a person being treated will find a therapist to not be a match in terms of manner, behavior, approach, sense of humor, etc. It is important to let the therapist know if something like that is bothering you and possibly adjustments can be made for you to be more comfortable. Sometimes, it is just best to get referral to another therapist. Your therapist should be very willing to assist you to make such a change if desired or can at least give you a contact number or two so that you can more comfortably search for a better fit.

Dr. Brooks has found that EMDR therapy often produces fairly rapid results. He many times has apparently been able to counteract trauma in about 10 sessions though it may take only 4-5 sessions or could be 15 or more in some cases. There are a few patients that Dr. Brooks has been treating intermittently for years. However, they are generally doing pretty well much of the time and come for an occasional difficult stressor and rarely may have reactivated trauma. EMDR therapy tends to produce rather resilient results. Most often traumatic material that has been desensitized with EMDR therapy does not tend to be very bothersome in the future.

The office address is 311 North Mandan Street, Suite 1, Bismarck ND 58501. We are located about ½ block south of Rosser Avenue, about one block east of Washington Street.

Information discussed is completely confidential with a few exceptions. If you sign a release of information and give permission to provide someone else treatment information, then they will have the ability to obtain records and talk with Dr. Brooks, depending on what you decide is allowable in your release of information form. Also, in the unlikely event that there is a court order to release the information, that will be complied with. Moreover, if you are seen to be at high risk to hurt yourself or someone else at some point, then information about your self-harm could be released and a potential specific victim would be informed.

Don't struggle alone. Reach out today.

Dr. Brooks is standing by, ready to help.

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