Debra L. Kaplan, offers a variety of counseling services in which she received specialized 
training.  Debra remains current with advances in the practice of the following modalities:

      
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

           "Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapy treatment that was
              originally designed by Dr. Francine Shapiro to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic
              memories. Dr. Shapiro’s 'Adaptive Information Processing' model posits that EMDR facilitates the
              accessing and processing of traumatic memories to bring these to an adaptive resolution. 
              After successful treatment with EMDR, affective distress is relieved, negative beliefs are reformulated,
              and physiological arousal is reduced.

              During EMDR the client attends to emotionally disturbing material in brief sequential doses while
              simultaneously focusing on an external stimulus such as hand-tapping, audio stimulation, or
              visual cueing.  Visual EMDR facilitates the accessing of the traumatic memory network, so that 
              information processing is enhanced, with new associations forged between the traumatic memory
              and more adaptive memories or information. These new associations are thought to result in complete
              information processing, new learning, elimination of emotional distress, and development of cognitive
              insights.

              EMDR uses a three pronged protocol: (1) the past events that have laid the groundwork for
              dysfunction are processed, forging new associative links with adaptive information; (2) the current
              circumstances that elicit distress are targeted, and internal and external triggers are desensitized;
              (3) imaginal templates of future events are incorporated, to assist the client in acquiring the skills 
              needed for adaptive functioning." 
              http://www.emdr.com/


          EFT (Emotion Focused Therapy)

           In the words of Les Greenberg, Ph.D., principle developer in the modality of emotion focused therapy,
              “The individual’s anxiety may be a “cue”—a constructive unpleasant emotion.  In other words, 
              s/he may be better served by working with her/his isolation-induced anxiety rather than against it.  
              The same may be true of the alcoholic’s shame, the neglected spouse’s frustration, and the depression 
              of the office workers  in a dead-end job.  Emotions provide us with information about how we should 
              conduct our lives."

              There is much to be learned by bringing oneself back in touch with what is so unavoidably human.
              By using constructive, yet perhaps, unpleasant emotions, we gain the gift of wisdom.  Our feelings
              and emotions are the internal road map or barometer to our process.  By being willing to embrace
              our emotions and experience them, we allow for profound shifts to take place.  Emotions that are
              understood and used as a guiding tool often lead to healthy shifts in our well-being.  

          With the tools that EFT provides, partners learn to understand and appreciate the other's 
              perspective and feelings and not to over control their partner's emotions.


          Experiential 

       Experiential therapy addresses an individual's internal experience that unfolds in the  moment by identifying
              and empowering the client with the awareness and insight of their feelings and emotions.  Within the context 
              of the therapeutic session a client learns to identify their emotions and use this self  empowerment and emotional 
              growth.  This insight is achieved by the client learning and practicing to use their feelings as a tool and guide for 
              awareness.

          
          Family of Origin  

          Family of origin work typically addresses the values, messages (both implied and stated) and the roles that  
             were communicated in the family in which one was raised.  By identifying these issues (but not dwelling in the past) 
             an individual gains understanding into their origins and learns from the past.  This awareness is the new foundation 
             upon which an individual learns to change old patterns of thought, feeling, behavior and belief so that they will not 
             perpetuate unhealthy patterns, either in themselves or in their own family.   The gift becomes healing from one's 
             past in order to live in the moment.
          
              
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