Hi and thank you for looking at my profile. I am a licensed clinical social worker with over 20 years of experience. True to the social work profession my approach to therapy is client centered focusing on strengths. I am accustom to many therapy models; however, I do not subscribe to just one or a handful. We are all truly unique and we can't always fit into a model. I have years of experience with children, adolescents, adults, senior citizens, individuals, relationships, families and groups. I have spent the later years helping people with chronic health care conditions, as well as their families, significant others and their communities.
When working with my clients I very much try to make the therapy experience a positive safe place. I fully believe in unconditional positive regard.
So, what is unconditional positive regard?
A general definition is the attitude of complete acceptance and love, whether for yourself or for someone else. When you have unconditional positive regard for someone, nothing they can do could give you a reason to stop seeing them as inherently human and inherently lovable. It does not mean that you accept each and every action taken by the person, but that you accept who they are at a level much deeper than surface behavior (Rogers, 1951).
In therapy, the idea is much the same, although with a more specific purpose: to build a positive, trusting relationship between the therapist and the client. It is a defining feature of client-centered therapy (and an important feature in many other forms of therapy), in which the client is accepted and supported by the therapist no matter what they say or do (Rogers, 2001). https://positivepsychology.com/unconditional-positive-regard/
I look forward to building a positive working relationship!
Additional areas of focus: LGBT, Trauma and abuse, Intimacy-related issues, Parenting issues, Self esteem, Career difficulties, Coping with life changes, Coaching, Compassion fatigue, Abandonment, Adoption and foster care, Aging and geriatric issues, Attachment issues, Blended family issues, Body image, Caregiver issues and stress, Chronic pain, illness, and disability, Co-morbidity, Codependency, Commitment issues, Dependent personality, Divorce and separation, Emptiness, Family of origin issues, Family problems, Forgiveness, Gender dysphoria, Guilt and shame, HIV / AIDS, Infidelity, Isolation / loneliness, Jealousy, Life purpose, Midlife crisis, Money and financial issues, Multicultural concerns, Panic disorder and panic attacks, Personality disorders, Phobias, Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships, Pregnancy and childbirth, Prejudice and discrimination, Self-love, Sexual assault and abuse, Sexuality, Social anxiety and phobia, Somatization, Women's issues, Workplace issues, Young adult issues
Clinical approaches: Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, Psychodynamic Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy
PA LCSW CW022339
These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Ann Marie Morreale-Lafoca. We don't pay anyone to provide their review and they are all made voluntarily. Some people's experience receiving therapy with BetterHelp might be different.
Very nice and gives great advice !
Written on Mar 29, 2023 after therapy with Ann Marie for 10 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, self esteem, career difficulties, and compassion fatigue
She is kind and understanding
Written on Mar 22, 2022 after therapy with Ann Marie for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, eating disorders, sleeping disorders, self esteem, coaching, and compassion fatigue