Finding the right counselor or therapist can be a daunting task. It takes courage to explore the possibilities of making important changes in your life. You are not alone and you do not have to suffer. David Summers is located in Denver, Colorado. David holds a Masters in Arts degree in Counseling, is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), a Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC), certified in administering and coding the Adult Attachment Inventory (AAI), EMDR trained, and has years of experience in in the fields of addiction/recovery and mental health care. Having both inpatient residential & outpatient care experience, he seeks to help people find therapeutic solutions, utilizing a wide assortment of modalities and approaches. He focuses on meaning, encouragement, balance and support to help his clients obtain awareness and acceptance of themselves in order to create a solid recovery plan.
Relationships can be wonderful, but they can also be anxiety provoking. Usually relationship problems can be traced back to earlier experiences. Being “attuned” or "in tune" with your counselor in a collaborative way is vital! If you had a judgmental parent, a counselor who is perceived as judgmental could hijack the process. This why attunement is so important.
Childhood trauma, including abuse and neglect, is probably our nation’s single most important public health challenge, a challenge that could be resolved by appropriate prevention and intervention. The traumatic stress field has adopted the term “Complex Trauma” to describe the experience of multiple and/or chronic and prolonged, developmentally adverse traumatic events, most often of an interpersonal nature and early-life onset. Leaders in brain science and attachment are calling for a hard look at developmental trauma. Developmental Trauma Disorder (DTD) was identified in 2005, but the American Psychiatric Association (APA) deny it exists. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) differs since it’s caused by a visible incident such as war injury or rape. Developmental trauma has no incident. It’s ingrained in brain and visceral tissue, with no obvious “big bang,” so some call it “little ‘t’ trauma,” as opposed to visible PTSD “Big ‘T’ Trauma.” Insecure attachment and attachment disorder generally are the cause of developmental trauma, not vice versa.
Attachment Based Therapy combines Attachment Theory by looking at and understanding of how dysfunctional relationships affect us and how they are re-enacted in adult life. These issues can also have effects of the child in their adulthood, by making them incapable of making and keeping healthy relationships or by making them have false beliefs that they will be abandoned. Effective therapy for clients dealing with attachment disorders must be supportive and consist of effective communication between the client and therapist. The Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) is a procedure for assessing attachment in adults. The Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) is a procedure for assessing attachment in adults. Developed in 1984, the AAI takes about one to two to complete and follows a prescribed format in which twenty questions are asked in a set order. The AAI can systematically be used in assessment and diagnosis, to design and tailor interventions, to facilitate goal setting and treatment planning, to inform and strengthen the therapeutic alliance and to monitor therapeutic progress. The considerable time and expense involved in attending the AAI Institute impose real restrictions on its wider use. Proper administration and scoring of the AAI requires extensive training. Untrained interviewers and coders can render transcripts unreliable at best and frankly misleading at worst.
EMDR is an extremely effective tool for dealing with complex attachment issues which have their roots in dysfunctional family relationships. EMDR is an evidence based practice which helps many people with complex developmental trauma. EMDR is not a "magic bullet." It is extremely important that the counselor has the skills to assess whether EMDR would be affective in a particular situation.
Considering therapy is an important decision. I would be happy to answer any of your questions to help you make an informed decision. Our work together is tailored to each individual. It is interactive, collaborative and goal-oriented to help you learn necessary tools to effectively make important changes. I will also help you learn evidence-based interventions to stop problematic behaviors. I offer a confidential, safe, non-judgmental and non-shaming healing and caring environment.
Trauma: unresolved painful life events, PTSD, and adult survivors of childhood abuse.
Anxiety and Depression: difficulty managing stress, low self-esteem & confidence
Relationship Counseling to address communication difficulties, connection or intimacy issues, relational trauma, unhealthy relationship patterns
Addiction Counseling: to address the symptoms of addiction
Grief and Loss
Getting motivated to navigate life changes
A good fit is important, Please feel free to Contact me today for a free confidential phone consultation.