Counseling • Therapy
Education • Community Services
In West Babylon, NY

Information About Our Specializations

The following are some of the areas in which we specialize. Since human beings are complex we do not only treat just one area or a specific problem. Many times issues overlap and blend into other areas of concern.

LGBTQIA Services

Heart & Soul Counseling has been a proud supporter of the LGBTQIA Community since 1996, with a reputation for having a welcoming and inclusive environment where individuals can feel safe and empowered to be their authentic selves. We are members of WPATH (the World Professional Association of Transgender Health) and are one of the most highly recommended and respected centers in the region for the transgender and non-binary community. We offer comprehensive counseling services for members of the community, as well as gender therapy for the transgender community.

Trauma / PTSD

Dealing with Acute and Post Trauma

For over 20 years, some of our therapists have dealt with people who have experienced trauma. War veterans, rape survivors, adults and children abused as children, car accident survivors, people who have suffered or are suffering a life threatening illness, holocaust survivors and survivors of terrorism may all experience some of the following: Depression, anxiety, nightmares, recurrent images of the trauma, difficulty integrating the traumatic experience into their reality, numbness, dissociation and fearing the same trauma happening again. Some treatment techniques work better than others in treating trauma. It has been documented and we have found that Psychodrama, a form of therapy in which the trauma is recreated in a healthy environment, helps to relieve trauma victims of symptoms. Yoga, meditation and individual and group psychotherapy sessions are also helpful for recovery.

Mental Illness

Depression and Anxiety

Depression is a medical and psychological illness that has symptoms of prolonged sadness, difficulties sleeping and/or eating, irritability, withdrawal from pleasurable activities and from people. Depression can cause thoughts of suicide. It affects both men and women, as well as people of all ages. For people who suffer from depression, the most important aspect of recovery is to accept the illness and allow it to be treated by professionals. Treatment consists of weekly psychotherapy session and anti depressant medication.

"Why am I depressed and will it ever go away?"

You may depressed due to a number of things. The biomedical reason may be a chemical imbalance in your brain that you may have inherited. You may also have unresolved issues of grief, anger and trauma. Depression usually runs in cycles, and although it may never completely go away, there are remission and recovery stages.

Anxiety

You may be anxious due to a chemical imbalance, as well as some unresolved issues. Many times, anxiety is the top of a pressure cooker. Underneath there are strong emotions to diffuse. Anxiety can be successfully treated through medication and psychotherapy. It may never completely go away, but it can be managed with our help.

Social Illness

Prejudice & Discrimination

Thomas Jefferson said in the Declaration of Independence that "all men are created equal." At Heart & Soul we help our clients and community members to advocate for themselves against the social illnesses of discrimination, prejudice, terrorism, racism, poverty, sexual orientation and gender reassignment injustices and prejudice. We believe that social illness affects the psyche just as much as psychological illness. If we all work toward the betterment and health of our society we gain the rewards of less social conflict. It is then that we and our generations to come can truly feel the privilege of a peaceful and free nation.

Counseling And Relationships

"Can counseling help my marriage/relationship?"

Yes, counseling can help your marriage and/or your relationship. Quite often we are not taught how to have a healthy relationship. If you saw your parents have healthy communication, fair fighting, affection and a close bond, chances are you modeled yourself after them. Many others may not have witnessed that healthy partnership during their childhoods. Children learn through modeling and imitation, so many times, patterns of behaviors are repeated in relationships and brought into the next generation. Counseling can teach you how to effectively communicate, how to empathize, and how to understand your partners needs and feelings. It can also help you identify when you are "transfering" some other issues from your past relationships onto your current one. Once these past issues are processed and worked through, you may not transfer onto your partner.