Valerie Wood, LMSW
Areas of Treatment
In my general practice I work with depression, grief and loss, trauma, anxiety, and issues related to feelings of low self-worth. I have additional training and experience working in the following areas:
Sexual Health & Functioning
Sex therapy is a specialized form of treatment in which an individual or couple discusses how sexual matters are impacting their current functioning. Individuals often struggle with intimacy and sex for complex reasons. While specific skills related to improving sexual function and increasing pleasure do play an important role in sex therapy, much of the work focuses on helping individuals increase self-awareness and improve communication, both in and out of the bedroom.
Infertility
Many individuals and couples experience challenges and losses associated with their desire to become parents. These struggles often create a profound sense of isolation and the impact of these experiences can have far reaching effects. Therapy provides a safe, supportive environment to share and process feelings of loss, anger, helplessness, and grief. Additionally, the inclusion of sex therapy strategies can help clients cope with the impact of the reproductive journey on their sexual relationship.
Pregnancy Loss
The profound grief experienced after pregnancy loss can be overwhelming. It is not uncommon for women and couples who have experienced such a loss to feel isolated. They may find that sometimes even close friends and family seem to pull away due to their own intense discomfort in hearing about a miscarriage, stillbirth, or other type of pregnancy loss. Over time, many women feel they should stop talking about the pain of the loss to keep from "burning out" their partners, family, or friends. Therapy can reduce isolation and provides an opportunity to express the meaning of the loss, to deal with incongruent grief responses by each partner, and to process feelings about whether to try again after the loss.
Postpartum Depression & Anxiety
After the birth of a child, women experience many hormonal changes and lifestyle adjustments as they tend to the needs of their infant. While occasional bouts of sad or anxious moods are to be expected, a more prolonged or intense experience of depression, anxiety, or agitation may indicate that she is experiencing postpartum depression and/or anxiety. Therapy can help to establish a concrete plan of support as well as provide opportunities for new mothers and their partners to process their experiences and learn ways to help improve their overall mood and level of functioning.
Sexual Health & Functioning
Sex therapy is a specialized form of treatment in which an individual or couple discusses how sexual matters are impacting their current functioning. Individuals often struggle with intimacy and sex for complex reasons. While specific skills related to improving sexual function and increasing pleasure do play an important role in sex therapy, much of the work focuses on helping individuals increase self-awareness and improve communication, both in and out of the bedroom.
Infertility
Many individuals and couples experience challenges and losses associated with their desire to become parents. These struggles often create a profound sense of isolation and the impact of these experiences can have far reaching effects. Therapy provides a safe, supportive environment to share and process feelings of loss, anger, helplessness, and grief. Additionally, the inclusion of sex therapy strategies can help clients cope with the impact of the reproductive journey on their sexual relationship.
Pregnancy Loss
The profound grief experienced after pregnancy loss can be overwhelming. It is not uncommon for women and couples who have experienced such a loss to feel isolated. They may find that sometimes even close friends and family seem to pull away due to their own intense discomfort in hearing about a miscarriage, stillbirth, or other type of pregnancy loss. Over time, many women feel they should stop talking about the pain of the loss to keep from "burning out" their partners, family, or friends. Therapy can reduce isolation and provides an opportunity to express the meaning of the loss, to deal with incongruent grief responses by each partner, and to process feelings about whether to try again after the loss.
Postpartum Depression & Anxiety
After the birth of a child, women experience many hormonal changes and lifestyle adjustments as they tend to the needs of their infant. While occasional bouts of sad or anxious moods are to be expected, a more prolonged or intense experience of depression, anxiety, or agitation may indicate that she is experiencing postpartum depression and/or anxiety. Therapy can help to establish a concrete plan of support as well as provide opportunities for new mothers and their partners to process their experiences and learn ways to help improve their overall mood and level of functioning.
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