Hypnosis for Weight Loss

In order to make permanent changes in your eating habits and the way in which you live your life, involves having to access the subconscious part of your brain. How do you do that? We teach you how to conceptualize your goals, identify your desires and visualize them (both on an emotional and sensory level). By working to deactivate certain emotional stressors, it becomes easier for you to make lasting changes.

Give us a call to find out more. Dr. Quintal & Associates highly trained and skilled therapists are ready to help. Make an appointment or schedule a free phone consultation today. (941) 907-0525

Personality Disorder? There Is Hope!

When therapists attempt to achieve behavior changes in their clients, they usually assume the absence of a personality disorder. 

It is, after all, a major task to work with clients in making significant life changes without going through the hurdle of addressing a personality disorder as well. People with personality disorders often lack the feeling of distress that motivates major changes within the therapeutic setting.

However, when the focus is on specific behaviors that can be changed to bring about smoother life adjustments, therapists can have great success in working with people who have personality disorders. People can recognize when they have a recurrent pattern of difficulty in their lives – and this recognition can serve as the motivator for change in therapy. A trained professional therapist is able to find those areas that help a client recognize the need for change.  For example, people with dependent personality disorder may come to understand that they may well lose their significant relationship unless some changes occur in their need to be taken care of. While the person’s internal needs for dependency may persist even after the therapeutic intervention, changes in the person’s overt behavior can go a long way in resolving the situation. When the outer behaviors are changed, the internal needs may then undergo adjustments in a healthier direction.

People with paranoid personality disorder, for example, can activate their sensitivity so that they become attuned to the needs of other people in a productive way. People with schizotypal personality disorder can transform a pattern of odd beliefs into a more creative and socially approved set of responses. Those with borderline personalities can use their tendency toward rapidly shifting moods to being more spontaneous (and sensible) in their responses toward others. Negative symptoms associated with these disorders can be turned into positive qualities which help the person in adapting to life’s demands.

A trained professional therapist is able to provide a setting in which seemingly intractable problems can be addressed. A feeling of safety and trust is built between the therapist and client – and this opens the door to trying new behaviors, with support, which have seemed impossible until now. A whole new world awaits those who give it a try.

Do you think you or someone you love suffers with a personality disorder? We can help. Please visit our site at www.DrQuintal.com or call us at 941-907-0525 for a free phone consultation.

The Good News About Chronic Pain

With good therapeutic support and a commitment to do some hard work on important life issues, chronic pain can be managed very effectively. For some people, mind/body strategies have been shown to eliminate pain altogether, even when all else has failed. People who have been through therapy which addresses pain report significantly reduced pain severity, lessened depression and anxiety, and decreased feelings of losing control. They report reductions in the degree to which pain interferes with their daily activities. Even if the pain continues, the sufferer can experience less distress and emotional suffering – and can become an active participant in life again.

Therapy For Chronic Pain

 There are several good physical treatments that can alleviate pain. Some forms of acute pain respond well to painkilling medications ranging from mild analgesics to strong opium-based drugs for the most severe cases. Some chronic pain responds well to anti-inflammatory medications or antidepressants, although narcotic drugs are seldom effective for chronic pain (they may work for short-term acute pain) since narcotics tend to require ever increasing doses and they become less effective over time – not to mention their effect on our sleep, our mood, and our ability to think and perform clearly. Sometimes electrical stimulation methods provide some relief, as well as local anesthetics, surgical procedures, ice, heat, and massage. If these medical interventions fail, however, it may be time to take a hard look into some psychotherapeutic techniques that focus on the way we handle our emotions and our general way of living.

Although the cause of chronic pain is usually difficult to pinpoint, most pain experts believe that it is caused by damaged and inflamed nerves, muscles and blood vessels – and it is very real. The body becomes locked into a vicious cycle. You naturally limit movement in the painful area, and this causes you to lose strength and flexibility. If you try to ignore the pain and increase your activity, the pain becomes so severe that you again become inactive. Sometimes you unconsciously guard against the pain and this leads to muscle tension and spasms. Your body becomes weak and deconditioned, and you begin to feel frustrated, angry, and depressed. Your friends and family do not understand the pain and may underestimate its impact on your life. This leads to more anger and depression.

Sometimes, though, it may overindulge you, and this can make you feel more dependent and out of control of your own life. These negative emotions can actually perpetuate pain. The more negativity we feel, the greater our pain – and the greater our pain, the more negative emotions we experience. This negative spiral, though, can be broken. We are sometimes told that we will just have to live with our pain after all else has failed, but we are far from doomed at this point. The realization that nothing else medically can be done can actually force us to examine the way we have lived and what brought us to the point where pain can play such a dominant role in our lives. In fact, this may just be the thing that it takes to turn one’s life around in a very positive and meaningful way.

You are invited to explore the many alternative ways of dealing with pain that therapy has to offer. Please visit our site at DrQuintal.com or call us at 941-907-0525 for a free phone consultation.

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Balancing work, school schedules and attention to family issues can be difficult and stressful

At Dr. Quintal & Associates, we will help you and your family to develop a plan that will find a balance. Problems can stem from a variety of sources such as finances, health concerns, jobs and more. Whatever your concerns, we will help you identify the problem areas and find solutions.

Parenting can be demanding.

Children don’t come with an instruction book.  Sometimes it’s hard to know the right things to do to raise healthy kids.  Sometimes it is ultra challenging to deal with their difficult behaviors.  Whether it is challenges with a young child, difficulties during the teen years or any other concerns you may have, our team can provide you support, guidance and the skills needed to successfully raise your child from birth through their adult years.

Dr. Quintal & Associates can provide tools and strategies that will help strengthen your family life. A customized approach based on your specific needs will maximize the strengths and minimize weaknesses of each family member.

For more information or to make an appointment for family therapy or parenting help, please call today us at (941) 907-0525 or schedule a free phone consultation.

Patient Testimonial After Treatment for Depression

Dr. Quintal,

I wanted to think you soooooo much for meeting with my close friend, Julia. I have known her since she was four. I actually call her my ‘little sister.’

I want to give you some feedback due to her history: she was depressed, was not engaging in any of her hobbies, not seeking out friends, with low energy, and frequently haunted by the memories of trauma (abuse, theft.)

When she moved back to Florida from St. Thomas, her explanation of said symptoms was that she was getting re-acclimated. But I know it was much more than that . . . she was stuck.

Since seeing you, I now see the light in her eyes. She started swing dancing again after ten plus years, she has actively sought out and made new friends, is exploring dating again, is exercising regularly (never exercised and still managed to look fab.) She has lost weight and her business is picking up, and she has been able to create a healthy divide with her father. Most importantly . . . SHE’S HAPPY!!!

I can’t thank you enough for bringing her back to herself!  You’re amazing!!

Blessings to you and your family.

Thank you again Dr. Quintal.

Blessings,

Mary Evelyn