HIPAA Compliant

Dr. Steven E. Bailley

Services Offered

Psychotherapy:

Although "psychotherapy" is not easily described in general terms, it can be viewed as a process that assists in facing and dealing as well as possible with the problems of daily living. In therapy, individuals are helped to deal with the real-life issues and concerns that face us all, to one degree or another, in modern day life.

In my practice, I work with people who are attempting to cope with problematic symptoms and/or challenging life situations. I attempt to assist my clients to find solutions to the problems that they are facing at this particular time in their lives. For some of my clients the time spent in therapy is relatively short (i.e., a few sessions), while for others their exploration takes them deep into themselves and thus requires a longer time. The amount of time that therapy takes to produce positive results depends upon many factors, including the nature of the problem(s) and the depth of the results sought. Everybody faces problems in living, and from time to time, it can be useful to consult with someone who can help. Entering psychotherapy signifies your desire to change for the better, to take control of the particular problems or issues that you are facing. I would be pleased to have the opportunity to help you to reach your goals

Grief Counseling:

The following information is intended to inform you about the option of seeking professional services to assist you in coping with issues of grief and mourning. If you have lost someone that you were close to you may be struggling with many different issues and feelings, and it may be difficult to know whether grief counseling could be helpful for you. It is my hope that this information will assist you in deciding whether this is an option that could be beneficial for you.

Grief: Losing a loved one is one of life's most difficult experiences. Grief is a natural and universal process that follows from loss. Your grief may include changes in the way you think, feel, and act. Your grief will likely affect your social life, your spiritual life, and the physical functioning of your body. In fact, grief can cause ill effects on both our physical and psychological well-being. It is also true that grief is a "process" and not a state. Thus, the grief that you experience will gradually unfold and evolve over time. It must always be kept in mind that the grief process is complex, and that your grief and mourning will be affected by many factors, including the nature of the relationship you had with your loved one and the circumstances surrounding the death.

Your grief and mourning process may be "complicated" by the following factors:

A sudden, unexpected death
Death due to suicide or homicide
Death of a child
A death that is viewed as preventable
Death from an overly lengthy illness
Lack of social support
Other concurrent crises
In addition to these factors, your personality style and the ways that you typically cope with stress will also influence the way you deal with loss.

Mourning: As a result of your loss and the grief that you experience, the need for you to mourn will evolve. To mourn is to "work through" difficult emotional and other issues related to your loss. Mourning is a longer-term process that requires effort. Engaging in this effort is important so that you can learn how to adapt to the loss and thus, eventually, lead a healthy and satisfying life once again.

Although there are certain common elements to grief (for example, feelings of shock and "numbness," feelings of sadness or despair, a preoccupation with thoughts of your loved one), your grief experience will be as unique to you as was your relationship with your loved one.

While the support of others can be helpful to us during this time, the work of mourning may be difficult, and you may find benefit from professional assistance. Taking part in grief counseling may help you to bring your grief to a more adequate resolution.

Grief Counseling: The term "grief counseling" is used to refer to a wide range of interventions that are designed to assist persons who have lost a loved one. Despite the range of services and interventions that are available, all are designed to help bereaved persons in their quest to cope with the effects of the loss and to begin (or continue) to heal from the experience. In grief counseling, you will be encouraged to talk about your loved one and your experiences before and after the loss. In a supportive, confidential relationship with a therapist, this exploration is designed to assist you in coping with your loss as adaptively as possible. You may also find that your sense of hope becomes enhanced as well.

The professional that you seek services from should work with you to develop a plan to address your specific concerns. It is very important that you feel comfortable with this person, as you will be exploring difficult issues and sharing intimate information with them during your counseling sessions. If you do not feel comfortable talking with the first person you contact, you should try to locate a professional that you feel more comfortable with.

Research and clinical experience support the idea that many bereaved individuals gain benefit from engaging in grief counseling. Ideally, counseling can help you to cope as adaptively as possible during this most challenging time in your life, and can also assist you in bringing your grief to a more adequate resolution.

It is my hope that you have found the information presented in this section to be of interest and assistance to you. I especially hope that this has been helpful to you in terms of deciding whether grief counseling might be an appropriate option for you.

Dr. Bailley also writes a monthly column for Earthman Funeral Directors & Cemeteries, Cashner Funeral Home & Cemeteries and other funeral homes across the country. Dr. Bailley provides a no-charge grief consultation service for the clients of these funeral homes.

Psychological Assessment:

Assessments of cognitive/intellectual and/or emotional/personality functioning can provide important information about areas of functioning that may contribute to problems in living. Such information can then be included in treatment planning to improve one's level of functioning. Assessments range in scope, duration, and fee depending on the purpose of the testing. Typically, a referral question prompts the assessment process, and specific tests are selected to help answer the referral question(s). Following completion of the testing, a feedback session is conducted with the client and a detailed written report is provided to the client and referring physician (in cases where a physician referral initiated the assessment process).