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Counseling Services Offered
 

The following are some of the counseling techniques Dr. Billiot uses for counseling. 

These are not "stand alone" services and she typically uses a mixture of techniques within a session. 

Trauma processing treatments

Trauma processing is the way the brain and body make sense of a difficult or overwhelming experience so it no longer feels raw, triggering, or intrusive.

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When something traumatic happens, the memory can get “stuck” and keep showing up as anxiety, strong emotions, physical tension, or unwanted reactions.

 

Trauma processing helps the brain reorganize that experience—connecting it to the past, reducing its emotional intensity, and allowing a person to respond to the present more calmly and clearly.

In simple terms: it’s helping the nervous system learn that the event is over, so it no longer feels like it’s still happening.

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Eye Movement Desentization Reprocessing

EMDR differs from traditional counseling approaches in a few key ways that are easy to understand:

  • It doesn’t rely on detailed talking. Unlike many therapies that focus on repeatedly describing or analyzing the trauma, EMDR allows processing to happen with minimal verbal explanation.

  • It uses bilateral stimulation. EMDR incorporates guided eye movements, tapping, or sounds to help the brain naturally reprocess stuck memories—similar to how the brain processes experiences during REM sleep.

  • It focuses on how memories are stored, not just what happened. EMDR works directly with the brain’s memory network to reduce the emotional charge of traumatic experiences, rather than teaching coping skills alone.

  • It aims for lasting change, not just symptom management. While some approaches help people manage reactions, EMDR is designed to help distressing memories lose their intensity so triggers no longer have the same impact.

In short, EMDR helps the brain heal itself, often more quickly and with less emotional strain than traditional trauma-focused talk therapies.

Reset Therapy
(Reconsolidation Enhancement by
Stimulation of Emotional Triggers)

RESET is similar to EMDR in the following ways: 

  • It doesn’t rely on detailed talking. 

  • It focuses on how memories are stored, not just what happened. 

  • It aims for lasting change, not just symptom management. 

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RESET therapy differs from EMDR

  • The technique uses a specifically tuned sound with headphones 

  • Less interruptions for check ins during processing

  • Better for people who have no trouble accessing painful memories. 

  • Processing can be more intense with less treatment time

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Traditional Counseling
 

Traditional therapy techniques like CBT, IFS, relaxation training, mindfulness, and peak performance work share common benefits: they reduce stress and anxiety, improve emotional regulation and self-awareness, strengthen focus and coping skills, increase self-compassion and resilience, and support lasting personal growth and overall mental well-being.

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These techniques are useful to help adjust to changes from more powerful interventions including trauma processing techniques, neurofeedback, or hypnosis.  Additionally, they help to strengthen positive benefits from therapy and reduce the risk of relapse or set-backs. 

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These approaches often provide specific skills that can be quickly used to manage troubling symptoms. 

Relaxation Training

Relaxation training is a set of simple, learnable techniques that help calm the body and quiet the mind. It teaches people how to intentionally reduce stress by slowing breathing, releasing muscle tension, and shifting attention away from overwhelm and into a sense of safety and control.

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Benefits of relaxation training include:

  • Reduced stress, anxiety, and physical tension

  • Improved sleep and concentration

  • Better emotional regulation during difficult moments

  • Increased awareness of body signals and early stress responses

  • A greater sense of calm, balance, and resilience in daily life

  • Improved outcome with biofeedback to observe and change actual stress physiology in real time.

Cognitive Behavioral therapy 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a practical, evidence-based form of therapy that helps people understand how their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are connected. It focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and habits, then learning healthier ways to respond to challenges.

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Rather than focusing only on the past, CBT emphasizes skills that can be used in everyday life. People learn how to reframe negative thoughts, manage emotions more effectively, and make changes that support well-being.

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CBT can help individuals feel more in control and confident in their ability to cope.  It helps to settle in changes from EMDR, RESET, and other therapies that focus more on past events.

Mindfulness training and peak performance

Mindfulness training teaches people how to intentionally focus their attention on the present moment with openness and without judgment. By learning to notice thoughts, emotions, and body sensations as they arise, individuals develop greater awareness, emotional balance, and mental clarity.

Peak performance refers to the ability to consistently perform at one’s best under pressure—whether in work, sports, academics, or creative pursuits. It involves mental focus, emotional regulation, confidence, and resilience.

How mindfulness supports peak performance:

  • Improves focus and concentration

  • Enhances emotional regulation under stress

  • Reduces performance anxiety and mental clutter

  • Increases mental flexibility and decision-making

  • Supports faster recovery from setbacks

Together, mindfulness training and peak performance work help individuals stay calm, focused, and fully engaged, allowing them to perform at their highest level—even in challenging situations.

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Outcomes are improved with the use of Biofeedback and Neurofeedback.

Internal Family systems therapy

Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy is an evidence-based approach that helps people understand and heal their inner world by recognizing that the mind is made up of different “parts,” each with its own role, emotions, and intentions.

Some parts may try to protect us, others may carry pain from past experiences, and all are viewed as having a positive purpose—even when their actions cause distress. IFS focuses on strengthening the core self, a calm and compassionate inner state, so a person can build healthier relationships with their parts.

By fostering understanding and balance within, IFS helps reduce emotional distress, improve self-compassion, and support lasting personal growth.

For example, working through the internal parental voice involves identifying and reshaping the critical, demanding, or shaming messages that were often learned from early caregivers and later became internal self-talk.

In therapy, people learn to recognize when this internal voice is active, understand where it came from, and notice how it affects emotions, behavior, and self-esteem. Rather than trying to silence it, the work focuses on responding differently—developing a more balanced, compassionate, and supportive inner voice.

Over time, this process helps reduce self-criticism, increase self-trust, and create healthier emotional patterns, allowing individuals to relate to themselves with greater kindness and confidence.

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