Helene Omansky

Hello and welcome. I am Helene and thank you for allowing me to join you on your journey. I value when an individual or family reaches out during their most vulnerable times in seeking support, guidance and perhaps skills to respond more effectively to their experiences. By this action already, you are no longer alone on this path.

In my 20+ years of clinical work, I have joined teens, young adults, pre-teens as well as adults and families during life events including medical illness, birth, death, a new job/school, move, marriage/separation/divorce, stress/overwhelm, coming out as LGBTQ+ and while otherwise a 'positive' perspective may be seen, we find ourselves feeling perhaps anxious, depressed, unworthy, insecure, ashamed. At times the emotions and/or thoughts can lead to self-harm or similar behaviors.

From my formal training in Cognitive Behavior Therapy, I guide others in recognizing how our thoughts, emotions and behaviors impact one another. We explore skills that may intercept a thought or emotion from turning into a behavior that makes the situation worse.

I draw from years of mindfulness practices to notice, be mindful/aware of what is happening. Only then can we identify the skill that can more effectively respond to this.

I bring Mindfulness based Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (skills) modalities into my treatment plans.

With my training as a Clinical Social Worker, I recognize social justice as a core concept to maintain in ethically, compassionately responding to those with whom I meet.

I strive to maintain the Social Work value of helping individuals help themselves.

My approach is collaborative. I believe that we each bring expertise to this dynamic; you are your expert in who you are, how you identify and in your experiences. I am the expert in understanding how one's responses to their thoughts/emotions/behaviors are currently not improving their lives and bring alternatives to these experiences, based on their life experiences, capacity and motivation.

I am passionate about helping individuals discover accessible tools from within to establish sustainable, healthy and meaningful coping skills to their life experiences. We can learn how to respond to difficult experiences with curiosity and compassion rather than heaviness and dread.

In our first session, clients can expect a more interactive dialog. We are learning about one another and most importantly, considering if this can be a good clinical 'fit' for our work together. This can include learning about any past experiences in therapy that were effective or ineffective and perhaps why.

If there are identified goals for seeking therapy, we will explore those; if unsure, we can review this together and mutually see what can improve or stabilize your experiences.

We come to this together with compassionate, affirming care.

I look forward to meet you