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PSYCHOLOGY

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Dale Ellis, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist Dr. Ellis is a clinical psychologist as well as personal coach and wilderness guide. He has a Ph.D.in Clinical-Community Psychology, post-doctoral training in clinical child psychology, and experience working at a child guidance clinic, community mental health center, and large HMO. He has 25 years experience in the practice of psychology.
	About Dr. Ellis's Psychology Practice Dr. Ellis has a psychology practice in Walnut Creek where he provides counseling, consulting, evaluation, and psychotherapy services. He works with adults, adolescents, couples, families, and children. He has a general practice in which he sees all ages and many different kinds of problems. He specializes in depression and anxiety disorders in adults. With post-doctoral training in clinical child psychology he also specializes in work with children. He uses EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), or Bilateral Processing--an effective short-term treatment method--for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and other psychological problems. He also uses Energy Psychology methods such as EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques). He helps people dealing with challenging spiritual (transpersonal) experiences. Dr. Ellis also has a specialization in ecopsychology and an interest in the effect of an emerging new world view (a participatory world view) on psychotherapy methods. Ecopsychology is about our relationship with the Earth and recognizes the healing potential of the natural world. Related to this interest in ecopsychology, he has incorporated healing methods from indigenous/shamanic cultures into his practice. ENERGY PSYCHOLOGY Energy Psychology is a relatively new field with great potential for helping people in relatively brief treatments and without needing to spend years talking out their problems. It is based on the ancient Chinese art of acupuncture and uses simple tapping procedures (not needles) on specific points (meridian points) on your body to influence the body's energy and alleviate and resolve emotional problems and distress. These "tapping" approaches, then, are based on a long established and successful medical tradition in the Orient. They also fit with recent findings of the "new science." While from a scientific point of view, it is very difficult to create concrete proof of body's energy, there are scientific studies that strongly suggest that meridians, acupoints and the body's energy do exist. There are also now a few research studies that support the effectiveness and efficiency of energy psychology treatment methods. Energy Psychology began in the early 1960's with the work of George Goodheart, a chiropractor who experimented with tapping on meridian points to relieve pain. In the 1980's a psychiatrist John Diamond and psychologist Roger Callahan made advances with using tapping on meridian points for mental health problems. Callahan developed a system of energy psychology he called Thought Field Therapy. In the 1990's Fred P. Gallo and Gary Craig and a few others developed their own energy psychology approaches. These pioneers have shown that the energy system and principles of acupuncture can be successfully applied to mental health and to problems of emotional distress. Energy Psychology is potentially a very significant breakthrough in mental health treatment, providing a form of treatment substantially different from the talk therapies that have dominated psychology in the twentieth century. Dr. Ellis has completed the following training courses in Emotional Freedom Techniques: The EFT Course, Steps Toward Becoming the Ultimate Therapist, and the EFT Borrowing Benefits Workshop. He is currently taking the Energy Psychology Interactive training program.

	Dr. Ellis Welcomes New Clients Dr. Ellis understands that for many people it can be scary and difficult to take the step to begin counseling and psychotherapy. He is sensitive to this and to the importance of privacy and confidentiality in his work. He welcomes new patients and clients and he wants you to know he will do his best to help you. He wants to have a good working alliance with his clients so they can feel comfortable with him as they work to heal, grow, and overcome their problems. He wants to see you achieve the highest level of health that is possible.

	Philosophy of Treatment I do not limit myself to a medical model where one must have a diagnosis before receiving help. There are many problems that are part of the normal process of living. Each era, and perhaps each culture, has its particular stresses and challenges. In our culture, we learn to experience ourselves as separate from the natural world, we are confronted by a culture that has materialistic and "success" values, and we are challenged by our culture's emphasis on speed and rapidly changing technologies. Our personalities may not be a good fit with our culture. While most of us may be perfect in spirit or in our souls, our personalities are "works in progress" and bear the imprint of our childhood and life experiences. Most of us will face challenges and problems throughout our lives. The truth is life can be very hard! Life can range from joy and bliss that seems like Heaven to pain and suffering that seems like Hell. Many of us may have times when we feel like we are barely hanging on. It is my intention to help people with the challenges during difficult times and times of growth and change. Sometimes it is important to diagnosis a particular "disorder," because of its implications for what treatment methods to use. Many times, however, we need to recognize that depressions, anxieties, phobias, panic attacks are ways that our psyche's signal us that we have an opportunity for healing, an opportunity to become healthier. My intention is to help people heal and live healthier lives, to cope better and experience less stress, to have more positive attitudes and beliefs, to improve self-esteem, to change behavior and life styles, and to reduce conflict and improve relationships. I want to see people find love, joy, meaning and fulfillment in their lives. While we may all be in a certain sense imperfect, we are all on the path to health and wholeness. It is my intention to help people along that path. ********************************************************************************************************