Therapist Judy Ashby

I always have observed Judy Ashby, LCSW and her approach to therapy to be uplifting and encouraging, so I wanted to share some information borrowed from Judy (with her permission) so that the readers of this blog could feel less apprehensive about approaching therapy if they have not yet done so. Feel free to visit Judy's website, www.judyashbylcsw.com for more information.

How Do You Feel?

Depressed? Anxious? Panic Stricken? Angry? Sad? Trapped in your job? Is life in general getting you down?

Talking about it with a counselor who is a trained listener can help.

What Can You Expect from Therapy?

You can expect:
*A safe, comfortable place to come to.
*A place full of hope, humor and positive pJudy ossibilities.
*A place where your concerns and problems will be heard.
*A place where your needs, personal style and comfort level will be respected.
*A counseling style that is informal, client-centered and solution focused.
*Help in finding ways to control behavior that disrupts your life.
*Help in looking at the world more clearly.
*Help in making positive changes in your life.
*To learn how to become mindful and present.

Judy Ashby would love to hear from you. Her telephone is: 503-819-1500. Her e-mail is: judy@judyashbylcsw.com. Her regular mail is: 10175 SW Barbur Blvd., Ste 300BG, Portland, OR 97219. Again, her website is: www.judyashbylcsw.com.

EMDR--Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

Therapist Joan Baggett provides the following information about the technique known as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, a therapeutic technique that is relatively new in its application:


Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapeutic technique that uses guided eye movement to accelerate treatment of a wide range of psychological disorders. This technique was developed by Francine Shapiro, Ph.D. in 1987.

EMDR operates under the assumption that everyone has an internal information processing system that is physiologically geared to a state of mental health. When trauma occurs, this system becomes unbalanced. The experience of the trauma becomes locked in the nervous system in a way that does not allow natural information processing to take place.

It is as though the memories retain the intensity of the trauma and are blocked from processing that would allow the intensity to be discharged. The use of EMDR appears to unblock dysfunctionally stored memories and stimulate the information processing system in a way that allows learning to take place. These memories are then processed in a way that releases their toxicity.



One of the brain's own ways of healing or processing events appears to be Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. EMDR may be invoking a response similar to that which occurs in REM sleep. If the function of eye movement within REM sleep is to process information, then EMDR is able to take this process to completion.

This seems especially true for persons with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). One of the major difficulties experienced by those suffering from PTSD is REM sleep disruption. Someone with PTSD will wake up in the middle of a nightmare. Normal REM sleep is interrupted and their brain is unable to fully process the event. EMDR is used to help process the traumatic episode to the point where the episode becomes integrated with healthy adaptive mechanisms.



Many therapeutic interventions cause reprocessing of information. EMDR stands out in that it seems to accelerate the therapeutic process. To date, more research has been done on EMDR than on any other single technique and the outcomes have been positive.

Because EMDR stimulates a memory process that recalls not just events, but the feelings that accompany those events, it is critical that the clinician be capable of guiding the client through this process safely. For this reason, Dr. Shapiro only offers EMDR training to licensed mental health practitioners.

Ms. Baggett can be contacted through her website, www.joanbaggett.com or by telephone at (503) 417-8092 in Portland or in Vancouver at (360)690-1180. Her e-mail address is: joan@joanbaggett.com.

Jungian Analysis

Jungian analysis is one therapeutic method that many people find helpful. Martha Blake, a Jungian Analyst, provides the following primer:

Sometimes the experience of life can result in numbed feelings of meaninglessness, depression, identity confusion, exhaustion, loss of creativity, or spiritual emptiness. At other times, life traumas are accompanied by the painful feelings of loss, grief, anxiety, anger, disgust, guilt, chronic pain, addiction, or problems with relationships at work or home.

Many people seek outside support by engaging in therapy, counseling or personal growth activities. Recovering feelings and reviewing experiences with a therapist, counselor, or coach opens an individual to new meaning. Jungian Analysis is a soulful method of working with life issues and emotions that is based on the teachings of the Swiss physician, Carl Gustav Jung. Jungian analysis focuses on complexes, unconscious patterns, relationships, and the development and maturation of the personality—a process Jung called individuation.

Meeting once or twice a week in a confidential, honoring environment, the client and analyst create a space for the symbolic to emerge from conversations, experience, dreams, drawings, fairytales, myths or sand tray. Gradually, a synthesis may occur. Over time, many clients report feelings of self-acceptance, transformation, authenticity, and renewed energy for life.


For more information, please visit Martha's website, www.marthablake.com.