First Responders

Police – Fire – EMS – Medical and Behavioral Health Professionals

Men and women whose job it is to run to the danger and others who must make life-saving medical decisions, face unique challenges and therefore have special needs when it comes to their emotional wellbeing. These include:

• Exposure to life-threatening situations
• Involvement in disturbing and tragic cases
• Irregular schedules, including last-minute overtime
• Bureaucratic political and departmental leadership
• Negative public perceptions of them
• Higher risks for divorce, substance abuse, and suicide

As a former First Responder (EMS, police) James Genovese has walked in those shoes and understands these stressors, and he is committed to helping those who serve and protect. He is also proud to serve doctors, nurses, technicians, and other healthcare professionals. He is certified in EMDR, an effective treatment for PTSD, and also a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor.

Active and Retired Military

We proudly serve members of all branches and their families, and Veterans

Being a member of America’s military is a special calling.

As James Genovese noted in a paper he wrote on the special needs of active and Veteran military members, they “exist in an insular subculture that often eschews mental health treatment as indicating weakness. At the same time, the prevalence of PTSD and other combat-related stress disorders bring with them some unique challenges…[T]he clinician’s knowledge of military culture—its language, morays, and customs—and her or his ability to build strong rapport, are tantamount to creating an environment in which the [Member of Service] feels safe and comfortable enough to commence open and honest discussion…”

The same is true of Veterans who may still be troubled by combat traumas they experienced years, and even decades earlier. Although not able to serve himself, James comes from a military family that includes his father, uncles and cousins. He has a personal as well as a professional commitment to help those who have given so much find healing and growth in their lives

Victims of Trauma

Including emotional, physical, sexual abuse, and other forms of trauma

Traumas don’t just happen on a battlefield or through emergency services work. They can happen to anyone. Traumas tend to be existential in that they challenge our perceptions of ourselves, of others, and of the world. This, in turn, can cause us to feel unsafe and vulnerable. Whereas in most cases we’re able to process these experiences on our own and move on, sometimes, what we experience is too intense for us to do this alone.

Over time, the effects of unresolved trauma can become more pervasive.

The good news is that help is available and it is effective. As a trauma specialist, James Genovese is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT) two empirically supported techniques that can help you get unstuck from the distressing thoughts, dreams, and emotions that trauma can cause.

Persons with Addiction

Includes chemical (alcohol and drugs) and process (gambling, porn, etc)

The psychological condition known as Addiction (which can feature but is not synonymous with chemical dependence) is biological, psychological and social (“BioPsychoSocial”) in its origins. The true “drugs of choice” are so-called “feel good” brain chemicals such as dopamine, serotonin, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and adrenaline. The biological aspect of addiction, simply stated, is that some of us are neurologically wired to want to keep these brain chemicals at higher than normal levels. The psychological part is that, according to contemporary research, the majority of persons diagnosed with Addiction also have concurrent behavioral issues. And third, Addiction is also behavior that is learned from the social environments in which we live.

This means that Addiction is neither weakness or moral failure; it is, in part, a form of neurodivergence. In this practice we help persons who have addiction in the same way as we help everyone else: with respect and dignity.