Check this page for upcoming events, publications, presentations, and news information. We will also post the most recent additions to our practice, as well as changes to our website. If you've visited us before and want to know what's changed, take a look here first.
Dennis McGuire Appreciation Award Collaborations' own Dennis McGuire was honored by the South Norfolk County ARC. He won an Appreciation Award for his work coordinating the Human Rights Committee for Lifeworks. Lifeworks is a sister-organization to the South Norfolk County ARC and operates community residences and vocational programs. Dennis has been leading the committee for approximately 10 years. Both organizations serve people with developmental disabilities. Congratulations, Dennis!
Marriage Labs in the News Click here to see the Patriot Ledger's news article on strategies to help couples strengthen their relationship, featuring Collaborators John & Gail Kaplan!
Fear of Fat: Men and Body Image Distress -- by Dr. Daniels Steve (not his real name) met with me to discuss a problem with "self-esteem." This 26-year old man suffered from negative body image most of his adult life and an undiagnosed eating disorder for eight years. He was too emabarrassed to seek help and only admitted his symptoms after assurance that his body dissatisfaction and eating disorders are not just a "woman's problem".
Actually, in the twenty-first century thousands of men are suffering from body image problems and eating disorders. Men and boys spend billions of dollars on muscle building supplements, steroids, and other products that claim to help them improve their appearance. Body dissatisfaction among boys and men is highly underreported because of the notion that “real men” don’t worry about their looks.
According to research studies comparing men’s and women’s body image in the 1970’s, 1980’s and 1990’s, men are becoming almost as dissatisfied as women with appearance overall. In some categories more men than women report dissatisfaction. My male patients are both shocked and comforted when they learn of the national percentages of men who report that they smoke for weight control purposes, diet severely during the week in order to control their weight, and vomit for weight control. Indeed “Steve” is not alone in his struggle.
The secretive eating and weight related rituals of some men are so well hidden that often family members, friends, and physicians are unaware of the problem.
The various forms of body preoccupation and disordered eating behavior are part of what researchers have dubbed “The Adonis Complex.” The good news is that med struggling with these body image problems need not suffer in silence any longer. There are specific strategies available to help boys and men address their negative body image and the associated shame and low self-worth.
For more information, please contact Dr. Daniels at 781-975-0390 or drelaynedaniels@verizon.net.
Internal Family Systems The IFS model of psychotherapy, developed by Richard C. Schwartz, Ph.D., is collaborative, nonpathologizing, and enjoyable. People are viewed as having all the resources they need to lead open, productive lives, rather than as having a disease or deficit. People are seen as being constrained from using their innate strengths by problematic relationships within themselves and with the people around them. IFS is designed to help people heal their young wounded parts within, thereby releasing their resources. Following treatment, clients report feeling calm and confident, with far more compassion for themselves and others.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing EMDR, developed by Francine Shapiro, is a treatment that allows painful memories to be processed so that clients can develop new insights, changes in memories and develop improved beliefs about themselves. After EMDR processing, clients generally report that the emotional distress related to the memory has been eliminated, or greatly decreased, and that they have gained new and positive ideas about themselves.
Treatment for Trauma Coping with terrorism is anational concern. Many clinicians at Collaborations in Clinical Careare experienced in dealing with trauma, stress and adjustmentdifficulties. Several clinicians are trained in EMDR, a treatmentspecifically designed to help people recover from traumaticexperiences. For more information please call or review our Clinical Providers Page.
Marriage Labs Marriage Labs is a comprehensive psycho-educational program for couples who want to improve the quality of their relationship. It can be utilized as Marriage Enrichment for those whose marriages have lost the excitement that once existed and for Marriage Assessment for those who are questioning the viability of their relationship. Marriage Labs is also particularly useful as a premarital program to help couples get off to the right start: a kind of Marriage Insurance.
To achieve the optimum results from Marriage Labs, it is suggested that couples enroll in a “Boot Camp.” This is a short term series of sessions geared to looking at various aspects of relationship functioning. Current themes are explored along with each individual’s history in order to create a context for issues. During the time of the Boot Camp, couples are encouraged to enroll in a Couple Communication Course to learn a healthy model for adult conversation.
Following the completion of the Boot Camp and the Couple Communication class, many couples elect to enroll in a Gender Dialogue Group which is a monthly seminar to discuss a variety of issues related to relationship. These serve as a booster shot to help reinforce the new and healthy patterns established during the course of Marriage Labs work.
Marriage Labs was built upon the belief that all problems are shared 50 – 50. There are no “good guys” or “bad guys” but we each contribute equally to the dynamics of the relationship. Couples tie complicated knots together and it is the role of the Marriage Labs Counselor along with the couple to untie these knots. Each person is encouraged to look at his/ her role in a problem posed rather than pointing the finger at the other as one can only change themselves they cannot change the other. Along with communication skills, tools of relationship building are offered in an attempt to change destructive patterns.
Kate, 43 “Our last couple’s therapy experience was dreadful. We fought a lot more and got worse not better. I’m so glad my neighbor told me about Marriage Labs as we learned a lot. We are on the same page for the first time in a long time. It’s nice to know that we’re not crazy but just like a lot of people who are struggling with normal problems.”
Bill, 27 “When my fiancé first suggested we go to Marriage Labs, I did not want to go. Our wedding was five months away and I figured if we had to go to counseling before we got married there really was something messed up. Boy do I feel like an idiot! Everyone getting married should have to do something like this. We learned so much and now go back for a quick ‘booster shot’ when we get into a jam.”
Carla, 58 “My divorce lawyer referred us to Marriage Labs as he thought we needed to give it one last shot and I’m so glad we went. Not only did it save our marriage – we fell in love all over again.”
Dick, 37 “With three young kids our marriage had really taken a back seat. Marriage Labs helped us to reprioritize and pay attention to each other again. Thank you.”
