New Deaf Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) Group:

Many Deaf people find it difficult, if not impossible, to find an accessible Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) group they can attend for support and encouragement when dealing with alcohol issues. Even if a mostly hearing group provides an interpreter for meetings, the varying quality and consistency of interpreted meetings can be discouraging. Good news for Frederick, Maryland folks who are looking for an AA group – a new group is forming this month. See more information below. For those of you who live in other cities and states, please send in your local Deaf AA group information in the comments section. We’d love to know where other Deaf, and even interpreted, AA groups are being held.

Deaf AA Group
Frederick, Maryland

March 20, 2009
7:30 PM to 8:30 PM

Community Service for the Deaf (CSD)
425 Prospect Blvd
Frederick, MD 21701

For more information, email Jackie Kanekuni at jkanekuni@c-s-d.org

Vlog Summary: This depends on a number of things. Some people feel they have reached a desired understanding and change in their lives after several sessions. It is almost comparable to going to see your doctor for a check-up and learning that your body is running fine and you don’t really need to do anything more.

Other people may attend therapy for a longer time. Your goals and expectations of therapy play an important role in determining how long you stay in therapy. It also depends on how much you bring to sessions, what you choose to share with your therapist, and how open you are to working on issues.

There is no right or wrong length of time to be in therapy. Since you can always learn more about yourself, you may want to continue with therapy until you feel you have reached a point where you have gained all that you can. At this time, you may decide to stop therapy. If you are not sure if you should continue or stop, talking with your therapist about your concerns is helpful.

To cite: Duchesneau, S. (2009, February 15). How Long Can I Expect to be in Therapy? ASC on the Couch. Retrieved (date retrieved), from http://www.ascdeaf.com/blog/?p=355

Vlog Summary: Most people go to therapy once a week, while others may go twice a week. Having twice-weekly appointments does not necessarily mean that someone has more serious issues or is in bad shape. Meeting twice a week can often work very well when you want to focus intensively on issues. If time is of urgency, such as when someone is very sick or dying, or if an out-of-state family member or friend is visiting and joining you for a limited number of sessions, or if there is a pressing decision or a court matter coming up, going to therapy two or even more times a week can be helpful.

Some people do meet for sessions every two weeks or even once a month. It is important to be aware that while this type of arrangement can be beneficial, it also runs the risk of having sessions turn into “catch up” meetings, when most of the session is spent bringing the therapist up to date on the events of the past two or four weeks. It may be difficult to get to root of the real issues. Still, it may be worth trying biweekly or monthly sessions if this is the only option, given insurance, time, and scheduling constraints. Some therapy may be better than none.

Your therapist will help you figure out what works best for you. After attending therapy once a week for a period of time and after you feel satisfied with your progress and goals, you may begin phasing out therapy by scheduling appointments once every two weeks or once a month. You can always go back to more frequent appointments if you need more support later.

To cite: Duchesneau, S. (2009). How Often are Appointments Scheduled? ASC on the Couch. Retrieved (date retrieved), from http://www.ascdeaf.com/blog/?p=351.

Vlog Summary: Think about all the different consultants in our society. There are financial planners, lawyers, doctors, nutritionists, personal trainers, interior decorators, and so on. Going to see a psychotherapist for support and guidance in dealing with emotional or interpersonal issues is not much different than going to see one of these consultants for help in another area of your life. Psychotherapy is like getting a consultation for your life.

Many, if not most, good therapists themselves have gone through therapy and many do recommend returning to therapy on a regular basis, in much the same way that one may consult with a financial planner or doctor periodically. In general, the people we see in therapy are doing well with most parts of their lives. They may come to therapy to work on a specific issue, to develop a clearer understanding of their lives, or to find alternative strategies for coping with an ongoing problem. Far from being weak or crazy, they are people who have a great desire to live and love to the fullest. And they have the courage to look for more in life.

To cite: McCullough, C. (2008). Isn’t Psychotherapy for People Who are Weak or Crazy? ASC on the Couch. Retrieved (date retrieved), from http://www.ascdeaf.com/blog/?p=346.

Vlog Summary: Many people wonder what psychotherapists can offer them that their closest friends and family members cannot. There are many times when a good heart-to-heart talk with a friend can do wonders for cheering up one’s mood and can even bring a new perspective to a problem. You are truly lucky if you have people in your life with whom you can talk.

No matter how much they care for you, however, your most cherished friends and family cannot always be neutral when it comes to offering support or advice. They may be affected by whatever decisions you make or they may not understand all of the issues involved. You may not tell them everything you are thinking or feeling. You may want some privacy for talking about certain issues or you may want to discuss problems involving family or friends.

Simply put, a psychotherapist listens to you objectively, with as little bias as possible. A psychotherapist is trained to listen in a special way and to offer direct, honest feedback in a setting characterized by warmth and support. With a psychotherapist, you are less likely to hold back from sharing all of your thoughts and feelings.

When you are dealing with an issue that is causing a lot of concern, talking with a psychotherapist can help you understand at a deeper level what is really going on. Therapy is a time for you to focus on yourself without being concerned about taking up someone’s time and without worrying that your secrets will be tomorrow’s news.

To cite: McCullough, C. (2008). How is Psychotherapy Different from Talking with Friends and Family? ASC on the Couch. Retrieved (date retrieved), from http://www.ascdeaf.com/blog/?p=345.