Claire Clarkin, LMHC
"Helping Teens & Adults Overcome Anxiety, Depression and Unhealthy Behaviors so They can Live Their Best Lives!"
Life is a constant flow of change. The end of one chapter and the beginning of another. With change comes the need to adjust and adapt, but also the need to grieve, to refocus, and to summon courage for what lies ahead.
Whether you are struggling to meet the expectations of a new role, coping with the loss of an identity or crutch, or wondering how to navigate a new adventure in life—it makes sense that you may need some support along the way. In your search, the question that you really want answered is, “Will it get better?” I believe it will. In our sessions, I help teens and adults discover how to move through seasons of change so they can live happier, more fulfilled lives.
My clients often use the words “anxiety” and “depression” to describe their experience, or they may still be struggling to pinpoint exactly what’s going on inside. Whether these labels make sense to you, or it’s a bout of insomnia or a recent breakup that brought you here, I can help. Through compassionate guidance and effective strategies, you can find yourself again.
My goal is to help you see how your internal struggles play out on the stage of your relationships and how your current strategies for coping may not be helping. When you’re experiencing one of these concerns, therapy can illuminate a new path forward. Whether you’re new to therapy, or are giving it another chance, I welcome you to come as you are, embrace your strengths and weaknesses, and let’s find solutions and strategies that work best for your unique lifestyle.
I offer counseling and EMDR Therapy for adults at our beautiful offices in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I also provide online therapy via our secure telehealth platform for those who reside in Florida.
Call me today for your complimentary phone consultation at 954-391-5305 so we can discuss how I can help you and your loved ones!
Learn More About How I Help Adults Become the Best Version of Themselves
My Counseling Services for Adults
I work with teens and adults using a variety of techniques, depending on why they are seeking help. I believe people inherently have the tools to cope with their struggles and need assistance connecting with them. My interventions focus on self-empowerment, mindfulness, education, and collaboration. In our counseling sessions, I may pull from the following approaches to help you achieve your goals.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy:
Do you have a lot of negative thoughts? Do you ever say to yourself, “why did I do that?” after engaging in unhealthy behaviors? Do you feel like you just can’t get yourself out of that cycle you’ve been in for what seems like forever?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) seeks to address these issues at their most basic level. Whether you’re looking to overcome low self-esteem, change bad habits (big or small), or improve your mood, then CBT can be helpful.
CBT can be used effectively and efficiently, reducing the length of treatment needed to see results. Additionally, given its simplified language and interventions, CBT can be utilized for both adults and teens. Think better, feel better, act better!
EMDR Therapy:
EMDR Therapy is a little different than normal talk therapy, but just as effective at helping people overcome trauma and relieve a host of complaints such as anxiety, depression, low-self esteem and addiction. Utilizing bilateral stimulation of the brain, EMDR seeks to engage the brain’s natural memory processing system to access, reprocess and reduce the intensity of painful memories.
Have you ever said, “I know that logically, but I just don’t FEEL that way?”. EMDR aims to bridge the gap between knowing and feeling by creating connections between adaptive knowledge we’ve gained about ourselves and the memories in which we learned the opposite.
EMDR has been helpful for client’s who have engaged in traditional talk therapy before and feel like their progress has been limited or has plateaued. Additionally, for those who struggle to put words to traumatic memories or access difficult memories, EMDR can allow them to reprocess these traumas without unnecessary verbalizations of memories which may be retraumatizing for them.
EMDR can be used in conjunction with my other therapy modalities as a supplement for the insights and skills gained. If you’re looking to create lasting change in your beliefs, regulate your nervous system and reduce distress from traumatic memories, I can use EMDR to help you achieve that!
Psychodynamic Therapy:
Where you come from can have an impact on where you are going- for better or for worse. If you feel like the latter is true, identifying common themes in your family-of-origin may assist you in releasing shame that is holding you back from your true potential. Psychodynamic therapy is not about pointing fingers or placing blame, but rather an opportunity to reflect on experiences that shaped us and resolve emotions related to them.
Trauma-Informed Therapy:
Some things are hard to talk about. It is those things that we feel most determined to guard that fuel continued negative emotional experiences. If you've been through any type of traumatic experience in life, you know what it's like and it's important to know that you're not alone.
Addressing these difficult experiences in a safe environment can be life changing and immensely freeing. Through a confidential and safe atmosphere, strong therapeutic relationship and trauma-focused interventions, I can help my clients make peace with some of their most difficult experiences so they can live in the present and move forward with their lives.
Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families:
Watching a loved one struggle with unhealthy behaviors can be heartbreaking. It can also affect us more than we may know- especially if you watched them struggle when you were a child. This can lead to struggling with your own relationship with substances, dysfunctional relationships, low self-esteem, and codependency. I specialize in helping people address the negative impact this had on them and learn how to set healthy boundaries moving forward so they can live happier, healthier lives.
My Story
In high school, I was acquainted with a mental health non-profit organization after a friend had a serious mental health episode. I remember thinking that the volunteer I spoke to was so kind, and knowledgeable and made me feel less alone.
A year later, I was that volunteer and it just felt right. I pursued this career because helping others is one way of honoring that frightened 14-year-old I once was.
Today, I believe I live a life where I am fulfilled, balanced, and present for my clients. I have overcome my own personal and emotional obstacles to get to this point and believe my clients can accomplish this, too.
My Background in Counseling & Psychology
I am a New Jersey native who transplanted to Florida for my undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Miami. I received my Master’s in Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Medicine from Boston University School of Medicine and promptly made my way back to Florida.
In my post-graduate experience, I have worked with adults with various mental health disorders including substance use disorders. I have had the privilege of working with people of all walks of life including various income levels, nationalities, races, sexual orientations, genders and more. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor I specialize in anxiety, depression, trauma/PTSD, stress and behavioral change.
Just for Fun
Any given day you can find me at the gym, taking a nap with my cat, or reading a fantasy novel- preferably by the pool.
On the weekend, I am hunting for the best meal in Fort Lauderdale, taking a long walk with a good podcast or spending time with some of the most amazing friends a person could ask for. I have discovered that the best life for me is a balanced life and I pursue that every day!
Why Work With Me in Counseling?
I’ve always had a knack for building relationships, inside and outside of the therapy room, by asking the right questions and genuinely demonstrating my care and concern for others. A strong foundation in the relationship means that the therapeutic work can begin and be beneficial sooner rather than later.
Your time is valuable and I strive to make every minute useful. I give you tools to bring home to practice and implement so that the work does not stop when our session does, which allows you to make sustained changes.
I offer flexible hours for scheduling with day time and evening appointments so we can find a time that best suits your schedule.
You Deserve to Live Your Best Life!
Let Me Help You Get There...
If you’re ready to take the next steps and strive towards a better life, let’s talk! Call me at 954-391-5305 for a complimentary phone consultation so we can discuss how I can help.
I provide in-person sessions for adults at our beautiful Fort Lauderdale office as well as online counseling for those who reside in Florida through our secure telehealth platform. I look forward to helping you live your best life!
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