About Me
Hello, I am glad you have decided to reach out for support. It is not always the easiest thing to do.
Note: If you can't or won't read this page in its entirety, you may have challenges with online therapy, which can utilize a lot of email-type messaging.
So, about me. I have been helping people improve their lives since 2003. I use techniques from a few different schools of thought that have helped many others achieve the results they desired. I also like to make sure that my clients’ goals are being met and so I use what is considered a client-centered approach while goal setting. What that means is that you are an active participant in the therapeutic process and help ‘pilot’ where session and your life is going.
I strive to maintain an emotionally safe atmosphere so that you feel comfortable expressing whatever you might need to as you discuss and explore yourself in the context of your life. But eventually, session may get pretty 'real.'
People sometimes find remote counseling a more relaxed format from which to do these things. That having been said, some concerns are not entirely suitable for remote counseling, and of course, I would need to observe what is clinically sound in such situations.
While I am quite educated regarding the frequent use of medication alongside counseling measures, I am also well-versed regarding complementary or integrative approaches to creating health including nutritional or herbally-oriented interventions. The foundation of my approach is Mindfulness-Based Cognitive-Behavioral and Somatic therapy, but I tend to also draw from NeuroLinguistic Programming, concepts from Ericksonian hypnotic therapy, EMDR, Laughter Therapy and the many tools from Energy Psychology. I am also a certified Kundalini Yoga instructor which works well with Mindfulness-Based CBT.
As you have noticed, the process of living can be a complex one. No one should have to forge ahead alone, constantly, especially during challenging times. I look forward to supporting your journey of self-discovery and reinvention.
I do ask that you message me to schedule live-chat, real-time phone or video appointments (you may message at any time and get a response within 24 hours). That is one reason you may not see timeslots available for you to choose from on the client's side of this platform to schedule real-time sessions. My appointments are made between 12 noon and 7pm EDT, Mondays through Thursdays. I understand that these hours may not coincide with your schedule, but I do not schedule outside of these hours due to other obligations. Fortunately, BetterHelp has hundreds of therapists with a wide variety of appointment times and clinical specialties.
Thanks so very much.
Specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
Coping with life changes , Life Purpose , Phobias
Clinical approaches:
Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Hypnotherapy, Mindfulness Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Somatic Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy
Services Offered
Messaging
Live Chat
Phone
Video
Licensing
LMHC #MH9904 (Expires: 2023-03-31)
Reviews
These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Irene Struif. We don’t pay anyone to provide their review and they are all made voluntarily. Some people's experience receiving therapy with BetterHelp might be different.
Irene has always been attentive, intuitive, and creative in her efforts to help me better understand my-self, and deal with both the trauma of the past and the future! I have enjoyed every moment we speak and she helps elucidate on the things I do not notice, and helped me to have better control of sinking feelings! Absolutely a life changing experience.
Irene is helping me immensely! I couldn’t be happier!
Irene has been extremely helpful to me. She is like an old friend, easy to connect with. I look forward to our sessions and her messages to me throughout the week really brighten my days
She is great. She asks hard, important questions and doesn't rush me for an answer. I truly feel that she is listening and she gives me several different ways to deal with whatever we are discussing at the time.
I have only seen Irene for 3 sessions so far, but I love her. She sounds knowledgeable in the issues I experience, and always offers helpful tools. She is flexible and easy to talk to. I always feels like she's really listening to what I'm saying, and that makes me feel cared for.
A lot of outside the box techniques which I appreciate since normal counciling can be difficult.