Our team provides confidential psychological assessment and therapeutic services for adolescents and adults.
At Premier Psychology, Dr. Marissa Petralia, and Julie Carley, LMHC, LDN, and Daniella Winge, M.A., are experienced working with individuals dealing with:
- anxiety
- body image
- bullying
- depression
- divorce
- eating disorders
- grief and loss
- life transitions
- relationship issues
- self-esteem
- stress management
- OCD
- perfectionism
- postpartum issues
- trauma
Our clinicians work with the individual or family to develop a customized treatment plan to best target the established treatment goals. We strive to interact with patients in a collaborative, directive, and supportive manner.
The clinicians at Premier Psychology combine a variety of research-supported psychotherapeutic approaches to help each individual achieve his or her treatment goals and improve overall health and wellness.
Psychotherapy Approaches
Based upon an individual’s presenting problem(s) and personality traits, the Premier Psychology team typically utilize the techniques from one or more of the following clinically-proven theoretical frameworks:
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a type of behavioral therapy that uses acceptance and mindfulness skills in combination with behavior change strategies to help individuals create a rich and meaningful life. ACT helps individuals accept what is out of one’s personal control while committing to behaviors that will improve one’s quality of life.
ACT can be used with individuals, couples or groups in brief therapy or long term treatment.
ACT has been proven to effective in treating: anxiety, chronic pain, depression, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a short-term, goal-oriented approach to problem-solving. CBT is based on the idea that our thoughts influence our feelings and behaviors.
CBT helps individuals identify negative or maladaptive thinking patterns and develop more effective thinking and behavioral patterns to reduce psychological distress. CBT is used to treat a variety of mental health conditions including: anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, eating disorders, OCD, substance abuse, phobias, and PTSD.
Dialectical-Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy. DBT is designed to help people change ineffective patterns of behavior, cope with distress, learn to regulate intense emotional reactions and improve relationships with others.
DBT is used in the treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, and eating disorders. DBT can also be helpful for individuals who engage in self-injurious behaviors or suicidal thinking.
Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) focuses on examining an individual’s relationships with peers, significant others and family members. The goal of IPT is to help individuals identify and modify interpersonal problems and to more effectively manage relationship problems.
IPT has been proven effective for treating depression, eating disorders, and mood disorders.
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a short term, goal-directed, and evidence-based therapeutic approach, which incorporates positive psychology principle and practices. SBFT can help patients change by constructing solutions rather than focusing on problems. SFBT is future-focused while reinforcing current coping skills and individual strengths. It allows the patient to envision the future without the current stressor and then find ways to make that goal a reality through existing strengths.
SFBT elicits hope and positive emotions to help patients achieve and sustain desired behavioral change.
Psychological Assessment
Dr. Petralia performs psychological assessments for adolescents and adults to assist with differential diagnosis, eating disorder treatment, and to assess for personality disorders.