Wendy Blair, Psychotherapist in New Paltz, 12561

Wendy F. Blair LCSW-R

Profession(s):
Psychotherapy, Counseling, Clinical Social Work
License Status:
I'm a licensed professional.
Primary License:
Clinical Social Worker - R018997-1

My Approach to Helping

I work with clients from three basic core beliefs.

The first, is that optimal emotional wellness comes from a balance of healthy mind, body and spirit. It is not just behavior, but the integration of thought, feeling and spirit that needs to be in place in order for an individual to move forward in life.

The second core belief I work from, is that each individual has within them the knowledge and resources necessary to move toward a more fulfilled life. My job as therapist is to guide a client to identify and strengthen those resources, thereby enhancing the ability to better address current life challenges.

The third, is that in order for healing to take place, psychotherapy should be affordable and free from the oversight and limitations of insurance companies, whose financial concerns may curtail and/or impact effective treatment.

More Info About My Practice

Fee:
non-Insurance-driven/No Insurances

This is treatment in which YOU are in the driver's seat. It is not dependent on what an insurance claims examiner determines to be the best for you.

$50 per 50 minute individual session.
$25 per 60 minute class/group session.

Fees for therapy are due at each session.

Method of payment:
Check or cash for all individual sessions, groups and classes.
I do not bill post-session.

Though I do not accept insurance directly, your insurance carrier may pay for out-of-network providers. If you wish to take advantage of this option, you would pay me directly, and I will provide a monthly receipt, which you would submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.
Please note that this procedure is not a guarantee of coverage.

What I Love about Being a Psychotherapist

I believe that today is an incredibly exciting time to be a psychotherapist. Gone are the days when there was a limited selection of psychotherapy approaches, therapists who ruled from on high, rarely spoke or gave feedback, and who determined the nature and goals for psychotherapy, not the client. In this scenario, years might go by, the client might not be getting what she or he needed from therapy, yet feel unable to stake a claim to the direction of treatment. Now, there are so many more psychotherapy options available, and many psychotherapists who not only welcome client input, but actively seek it and make the collaboration a foundation of the work together. With clients free to choose an approach that best meets their needs, and working in collaboration with a therapist on goals of their own choosing, clients can move so much more quickly and effectively through whatever mental health barriers are getting in the way of a having life worth living.

How My Own Struggles Made Me a Better Therapist

I dread my struggles as much as anyone. Even today, when I know they are an opportunity to grow and learn, I still dread them and want to avoid dealing with them. This is normal and natural for anyone. Struggles are painful, and there is natural inclination for us all to want to lean away from pain, as opposed to leaning into it. From 20+ years of a mindfulness practice, I have gotten to a place in my life where I avoid less and lean in more, where I see how utterly indispensable my struggles have been to my growth as a person, to my growth as a therapist. This perspective gives me both a deep-seated understanding of just how difficult the situation is that the client presents, as well as a sense of the possibilities for the client should she or he choose to move through experience. Pain and possibility--facing one opens the door to the other.