UPCOMING EVENTS
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OUR INDEPENDENT PRACTITIONERS
Left to right:
David Joseph, Linda Whitlock, Richard O'Donnell, Julie Stone, Chris Power, Tab Ballis
Tab Ballis, LCSW, LCAS, Managing Partner, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist, who incorporates a variety of interactive and experiential techniques in the practice of psychotherapy, emphasizing strengths and resources, rather than pathology. Creative interventions, utilizing journaling, role-play, and rituals help make the challenging work of self-examination more user-friendly.
As an Addictions Specialist, Tab has acquired considerable expertise in the treatment of substance abuse and compulsive behaviors. He works closely with inpatient chemical dependency centers to provide family intervention and aftercare, and he has been particularly effective with clients who have experienced chronic relapse, in their efforts to remain abstinent. Insight Wellness Services is also licensed by the State of North Carolina to provide court-ordered substance abuse assessments and treatment, with our innovative "Know Limits" program.
A special area of interest for Tab is the psychology of creativity. Tab has worked with artists, writers, musicians, and actors to enhance creativity and identify and overcome blocks. "Conscious Creativity", an experiential workshop, has been well-received by actors and professional groups seeking to maximize their ability to be innovative in a competitive environment. Tab has also served as a creative consultant for film and theatrical productions.
Extensive study with nationally respected family systems theorist, John T. Edwards, Ph.D., has made Tab Ballis one of the premiere practitioners of structural/ strategic family therapy in our area. Tab is particularly effective in redirecting the power of the family to address adolescent behavior problems, with behavior contracts, and early interventions.
Couples counseling is a specialized area of family therapy, which requires a high level of skill and sensitivity on the part of the therapist. Tab utilizes a combination of communication exercises, mediation, and family-of-origin techniques to assist couples to negotiate conflict and improve intimacy.
Tab is available for training, workshops, and seminars, as well as supervision for LCSW candidates.
Tab has had the privilege of serving as a disaster mental health professional for The American Red Cross, and you may read more about his experience in New York City, at Ground Zero, at the following link: 9/11 One Year Later
Linda Whitlock, LCSW, Managing Partner, graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1983 with a master's degree in social work. Her work experience began in residential care providing individual and group treatment for adolescents who could no longer live with their families due to a variety of reasons including abuse and/or behavioral difficulties that could not be managed in the home. She received extensive training in family structural therapy and ecological systems theory and worked both with the children and their families to assist them in returning to their homes, foster care or independent living. She also worked for and became a supervisor in an agency that provided in home counseling services for children and their families to prevent out of home placement. She consulted with therapeutic family group homes to assist them with implementing effective behavior management programs for the children in their care.
While living in Charlottesville, VA, she established a private practice and worked there until moving to Wilmington 10 years ago. While here she has worked in several different settings including a private mental health agency providing counseling services for children and adults with a wide variety of mental health concerns. She has extensive experience in counseling victims of childhood trauma both through individual counseling and group work. She has formulated a model for group therapy for abuse survivors using experiential techniques such as art, writing, story telling, guided imagery, relaxation and mindfulness. Throughout the years she has received training in mindfulness meditation and the use of relaxation exercises to benefit clients who were experiencing depression and anxiety related to past trauma. She is a proponent of the use of alternative techniques such as yoga, massage, acupuncture, chiropractic care and exercise to address emotional problems that also manifest themselves in physical problems such as chronic pain, headaches, digestive problems and sleep difficulties.
Currently she is providing counseling for families, couples, adolescents and individuals to assist them in relieving symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD, eating disorders, anger management and low self esteem. She also provides couples counseling and family counseling to support effective communication, problem solving and nurturing relationships. She looks forward to meeting with you and together working towards a meaningful client/therapist relationship that will assist you in resolving the problems that bring you to Insight Wellness Services.
Julie Stone, LCSW, Managing Partner, earned her Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Julie then went on to earn her graduate degree in social work from Smith College, located in Northampton, Massachusetts. Julie chose to concentrate on LGBTQ issues while at Smith College; she continues to maintain a strong clinical focus in providing counseling, support and advocacy for members of the LGBTQ community, including assisting with the unique (and complicated) challenges facing married men or women who are coming out to their spouses, family & friends later in life.
Julie began her clinical experience with an internship at Hospice, a setting that provided her with the opportunity to work with terminally ill patients and their families. While at Hospice, Julie developed a special interest in working with individuals whose lives have been impacted by an HIV/AIDS diagnosis. After earning her graduate degree, Julie worked for The Methodist Home for Children as a Family Preservation Specialist. In that setting, she provided intensive home-based counseling services to families in crisis, encountering a wide range of social and psychological problems including child abuse and neglect, domestic violence, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, and chronic mental illness. Most recently, Julie was employed by Chrysalis Center for Counseling and Eating Disorder Treatment where she worked with individuals, couples and families to help them overcome a range of psychological and emotional concerns. While at Chrysalis, Julie received specialized training and supervision in the treatment of eating disorders.
Julie uses a combination of cognitive behavioral and psychodynamic therapies in her work with clients. With the client as an active participant in the treatment process, Julie uses personal treatment plans to help clients address their thought processes, feelings and behavior; to begin to gain a better understanding of their inner conflicts; and to help clients find new ways to deal with – and alleviate - stress.
Throughout her clinical experiences, Julie has strived to offer culturally relevant services, always respecting the differences in family styles, cultures, and communities. Julie’s specialized clinical interests and expertise include individual, couples, and family therapy, effective parenting, grief work, and counseling members of the LGBTQ community.
David Joseph, M.D. has been in the private practice of general psychiatry for over thirty years. He received his B.A. in Psychology from Yale University. His medical school training was at Chicago Medical School in Chicago, Illinois. He was on the medical faculty at Northwestern University Medical School and Rush Medical College, both in Chicago.
Dr. Joseph's interests have varied over the years, treating different age groups, varied diagnoses, and the use of medication treatment. Psychopharmacology has been the major part of his practice since medications became more prominent in the treatment of mental disease. He uses medications with the knowledge of the psychodynamic background to help the person come to terms with the origins of the illness, as well as feeling better in the here and now. He also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help change the mindset that leads to continued negative behaviors. The goal is to eliminate or reduce the need to use medications whenever possible.
He treats adolescents, adults, older people, and very old people. He treats most of the major psychiatric disorders. Call and he will be glad to discuss your problem and his general approach.
Treatment Philosophy: I work with people and all of the complicated problems that lead to their coming in for treatment. I don't just treat the diagnosis, but try to integrate the treatment strategy with their lifestyle. I work with different medical specialists to diagnose medical problems that may contribute to psychiatric difficulties.
Lori Birdsong, M.D. - Adult Psychiatry. For further information please follow this link to Dr. Birdsong's website: www.drbirdsong.com
Sharon Siebert, LMBT, is a licensed massage and bodywork therapist who recently relocated to Wilmington from the Washington DC area where she attended Potomac Massage Training Institute after earning her undergraduate degree in community health education from the University of Maryland.
Sharon works with children, adolescents, and adults, using an integrated approach to massage therapy that nurtures mind, body, and spirit. She offers Swedish, deep tissue, CranioSacral Therapy, hot stone, and maternity massage, to address clients' conditions including stress and tension related problems, chronic pain, scoliosis, learning disabilities, past and recent injuries, neck and low back pain, chronic fatigue, headaches and migraines, arthritis, emotional difficulties, and many other conditions. Each massage session is unique to a client's individual needs and focuses on facilitating a client's healing process through positive touch in a comfortable, relaxing environment.
A client can receive a half hour, hour, or hour and a half massage and will then be given suggested exercises or stretches that can enhance their healing at home. Sharon provides chair massage at company offices that want to integrate massage into their wellness programs for employees, and also offers therapeutic massage at clients' homes.
Please visit the Wellness at Insight page for services and prices.
Christine Power is our Office Manager. She is from London, England, and settled in Wilmington with her family in 1991. She is usually your first contact at Insight, and is able to assist you with appointments, insurance verification, and authorization of visits, as well as any other questions you may have. Chris is available to speak with during the hours of 10:00am to 4:00pm, Monday through Thursday.
