By Marla Berger, Licensed Therapist
Growing up Gen X, mental health and therapy were not readily accepted. Having to navigate life with few supports was rough. My generation often bottled everything up… until we simply could not anymore. I am grateful that the stigma of seeking support has eased over time.
Lately, however, I find that stereotypes about therapy still get in the way of people reaching out. All too often, we imagine therapists saying over and over, “And how did that feel?” as if those words alone could magically heal us. Or we envision therapy as nothing more than sitting on a couch and crying.
Therapists often assign homework, but it is not always easy to make those changes applicable to everyday life. Counting to ten, deep breathing, and meditation do not work for everyone. And how often do we remember to use those skills in the middle of a crisis or meltdown? Let’s face it — we can sit in a therapy session and agree to change, but it is far more complicated to implement those changes in the real world.
Our community has endured innumerable hardships and trauma. Yet talking about those experiences can be incredibly difficult. For starters, the brain stores traumatic experiences in one area, while language is located in an entirely separate part. Even more challenging, these two parts often struggle to communicate with one another. As a result, people may not be able to describe what happened because their brain did not encode the memory in words. How can we expect someone to talk about something their brain cannot easily verbalize?
The brain, however, does have other ways to express itself. When we explore alternative forms of communication — such as creating art, playing, building a sandtray, or working with horses — those disconnected parts can begin to emerge and be processed. No words are required.
This is where my practice comes in. I established Berger Counseling Services in 2009 to serve our community through experiential therapies — art, play, sandtray therapy, and equine-assisted psychotherapy. Experiential therapy focuses on doing rather than talking. We provide services for all ages, from three years old through adulthood. Our providers specialize in supporting individuals navigating trauma, anxiety, gifted but struggling learners, neurodivergence, and grief.
While many people assume these therapies are only for children, I have witnessed firsthand how powerful they can be for tweens, teens, and adults. Each person is unique, so every intervention and skill we teach must fit the individual. It may sound unconventional, but our work together is a bit of an experiment. By trying a variety of strategies and practicing them in session, we help build the emotional “muscles” needed to use those skills in everyday life.
Our services are tailored to each individual — no cookie-cutter approaches, boring worksheets, or stuffy office environment. We are fun, approachable, and dedicated to making everyone feel comfortable, even while working through difficult experiences.
We are located in Coral Springs and Parkland.
Call us for a complimentary 15-minute meet-and-greet to learn more about our services.
Visit www.BergerCounselingServices.com,
call 561-866-3056,or
email Marla@BergerCounselingServices.com.
