Hoarding Counseling
Hoarding disorder is a mental health condition characterized by persistent difficulty in discarding or parting with possessions, leading to clutter that disrupts living spaces and impairs functioning. This disorder is often accompanied by intense emotional distress and significant functional impairment.
I am for hire by individuals or agencies, and I will provide treatment plan/recommendations.
Services
Resources
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Assessments of Hoarding situation
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Individual therapy
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Consultation
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In-home support
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Trainings
Treatment Options
1. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): EMDR is used to address the traumatic memories or emotional distress associated with the hoarding behavior. It helps individuals process and reframe these distressing experiences, which can reduce the anxiety that drives the compulsion to hoard.
2. DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy): DBT focuses on helping individuals develop skills in emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and mindfulness. For hoarding disorder, DBT can assist in managing the strong emotions related to discarding items and improve decision-making skills by fostering a balanced approach to attachment and value.
3. Exposure and Response Prevention: This approach involves gradually exposing individuals to the anxiety-provoking situation of discarding possessions and preventing their usual response of avoiding or holding onto items. Over time, this can help reduce the emotional intensity associated with letting go of items and build tolerance to the discomfort.
Combining these therapies can offer a comprehensive approach to addressing both the emotional and cognitive aspects of hoarding disorder, aiming to reduce clutter and improve overall functioning.
Insurance Information
Individual therapy, including the 2-3 assessment visits, are covered by Medicaid and Medicare. Dumpster rentals, professional cleaners or organizers, cleaning supplies and storage materials are not covered by insurance, and I am not able to provide funds for these needs. I can help identify area resources and providers to include in your treatment plan.
In-Home Support
In some cases I may be able to provide in-home support with decluttering efforts. This is dependent on availability and your location. My rate for these services is $150 per hour and it is not covered by insurance.
Assessments
In 2-3 hour long sessions, I will take a full history including any trauma history, previous diagnoses and current stressors, to fully understand why you struggle with hoarding disorder. I will also help to identify your natural resources (friends, family, community), your specific goals and your values to create a recommendation for treating your disorder and decluttering your home. I am happy to consult with any mental health providers you currently work with.
Ongoing Support
After the initial assessment, if you choose to, and I have capacity, I can provide weekly individual therapy via telehealth using a combination of exposure and response prevention, dialectical behavior therapy and EMDR to address the root causes of your hoarding disorder to reduce the compulsions to collect and the avoidance of discarding. These treatment plans are limited to 26 sessions as that is what the research indicates is best practice.
