Sun Point Foundation: Soon to Provide Therapy to Medicaid Population in Lancaster County: Discover the Power of EMDR
Too often, those who need psychological therapy the most can’t afford it. While some social programs like Medicaid provide some mental health support, there aren't enough therapists who accept those payments. Furthermore, most people, including Medicaid recipients, think that all therapy involves “talk therapy,” which involves lying on a couch and telling the therapist how they feel. For most, not being able to talk about how they feel is how they got to where they are.
While this type of therapy can work, many people aren’t ready to talk about their feelings like that, especially with a stranger.
Sun Point Foundation
The Sun Point Foundation has been formed to deliver psychological therapy to underserved communities in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
The fountain was born out of Sun Point Wellness, a counseling office based in Lancaster.
“Over the years, we’ve had people contact us who didn’t have commercial insurance but wanted care,” said Laura Morse, founder of the Sun Point Foundation. “We know that in order to achieve our mission of helping as many people as possible, we need to create a generous sliding fee scale and accept new forms of insurance.”
The Sun Point Foundation was formed to do exactly that.
Innovative Forms of Therapy
The team at the Sun Point Foundation knows that they are often approaching a population that has never had access to professional psychological care. Many of them don’t know what to expect, are concerned about privacy, and aren’t comfortable with someone “digging into” their lives. Many people are concerned they’ll be blamed for whatever has happened in their lives.
What is Therapy?
Engaging in therapy entails conversing with a mental health expert about your inner thoughts, emotions, and actions. The primary aim of therapy is to facilitate a deeper understanding of oneself, manage challenging emotions, and enact beneficial changes in one's life.
There is a wide array of therapy types, and the most appropriate method for you would be contingent upon your personal requirements and aspirations. Some widely practiced therapy forms encompass:
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): This type of therapy emphasizes altering your thought patterns and behavior to enhance your overall mood and perspective.
Psychodynamic therapy: This approach seeks to comprehend your previous experiences and their potential influence on your present thoughts, emotions, and actions.
Family therapy: The main objective of family therapy is to aid families in improving their communication and settling disputes.
Group therapy: In group therapy, you convene with a group of individuals confronting similar issues.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): Using eye movement and therapy, we’re able to help reduce the effects of trauma. This is the preferred method at the Sun Point Foundation. Learn more below.
How Therapy Can Help?
Therapy can prove instrumental in improving your mental health and overall wellness. If you're dealing with emotional challenges, it's crucial to seek assistance. Therapy can empower you to:
Decipher your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
Manage intense emotions
Acquire coping mechanisms
Strengthen your relationships
Create positive alterations in your life
A Closer Look at EMDR
Let’s dive deeper into the world of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a potent therapeutic technique that has been transforming lives around the globe.
EMDR, developed in the late 1980s by psychologist Francine Shapiro, is a nontraditional psychotherapy approach that doesn't rely on talk therapy or medication [1]. Instead, EMDR uses a patient's own rapid eye movements to take the sting out of traumatic memories.
Now, let's talk about the science. How does EMDR work, and why is it effective?
One theory suggests that EMDR functions similarly to the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage of sleep, which contributes to emotional processing [2]. During EMDR therapy, the therapist leads the patient in lateral eye movements while recalling distressing events. This process is believed to reduce the impact of these distressing memories. Imagine defanging a snake—the snake still exists, but it's no longer harmful.
Now let's talk about what EMDR can do for different mental health conditions:
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Many studies have shown EMDR's effectiveness for PTSD. For instance, a review of multiple studies found that EMDR significantly reduces PTSD symptoms, often in fewer sessions than other forms of therapy [3].
Anxiety: EMDR can also help with various anxiety disorders, including panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Research shows that EMDR can decrease both the frequency and intensity of anxiety symptoms [4].
Depression: Emerging research shows promise for EMDR's effectiveness in treating depression. A recent study found that EMDR, combined with standard care, was more effective than standard care alone in reducing depressive symptoms [5].
Sounds fascinating, right? However, keep in mind that not every therapy is for every person. Your success with EMDR may vary, as with any therapeutic technique. It's important to work with your mental health professional before deciding on a treatment plan.
Though this technique might be new to you, rest assured that EMDR is an internationally recognized approach, endorsed by organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Psychiatric Association (APA) [6] [7].
Accessing mental health support is a sign of strength, not weakness. If you or someone you care about is wrestling with psychological stress, consider the potential of EMDR. With the right support and resources, the journey towards mental wellness is a path anyone can tread.
We all deserve to live our lives free from the shadow of past traumas. Let's continue to discover, learn, and grow in our mental health journey together.
Does Therapy Really Work?
Psychotherapy, often referred to as "therapy," has been extensively researched and has shown significant effectiveness in managing a broad spectrum of mental health conditions. Multiple meta-analyses — studies of studies, so to speak — have consistently shown that people who take part in therapy have better mental health outcomes compared to those who don’t. It's estimated that around 75% of people who enter therapy show some benefit.
A key aspect of therapy is its adaptability. Therapists draw from an array of techniques and styles to tailor treatments to individual needs. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), for instance, has been effective for conditions ranging from depression and anxiety disorders to substance abuse and eating disorders. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) has been shown to relieve pain from trauma and reduce the effects of PTSD.
Therapy helps foster comprehensive well-being and contentment in life. It equips people with strategies to handle stress, foster healthier relationships, augment communication, amplify self-confidence, and instigate behavioral modifications. Providing a secure and encouraging space for self-discovery and personal development, therapy enables individuals to gain a deeper self-understanding and tackle life's hurdles with greater efficacy.
In a world where mental health issues affect millions, therapy has been a lifeline, offering hope, support, and effective strategies for managing mental health conditions and enhancing quality of life. Its impact has been felt by millions across the globe, reinforcing the idea that seeking help isn't a sign of weakness but a step towards wellness and resilience.
How is Sun Point Foundation Helping?
By making top-shelf therapy available to everyone, the team at Sun Point Therapy helps those who often need it most. Many times, the hidden psychological pains in someone’s life are holding them back. This may mean that the same reasons someone needs therapy are also the reasons they can’t afford it.
With a sliding fee scale and acceptance of many more types of insurance than your typical therapist, the Sun Point Foundation can help those most in need of mental health care.
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[1]: [Shapiro, F. (1989). Efficacy of the Eye Movement Desensitization procedure in the treatment of traumatic memories. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 2(2), 199-223.](https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.2490020207)
[2]: [Stickgold, R. (2002). EMDR: A putative neurobiological mechanism of action. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 58(1), 61-75.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11748597/)
[3]: [Chen, L., Zhang, G., Hu, M., & Liang, X. (2015). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing versus cognitive-behavioral therapy for adult posttraumatic stress disorder: systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 203(6), 443-451.](https://doi.org/10.1097/NMD.0000000000000306)
[4]: [Kim, D., Bae, H., & Park, Y.C. (2008). Validity of the subjective units of disturbance scale in EMDR. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 2(1), 57-62.](https://doi.org/10.1891/1933-3196.2.1.57)
[5]: [Hase, M., Balmaceda, U.M., Hase, A., Lehnung, M., Tumani, V., Huchzermeier, C., & Hofmann, A. (2015). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy in the treatment of depression: a matched pairs study in an inpatient setting. Brain and Behavior, 5(6), e00342.](https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.342)
[6]: [World Health Organization. (2020). Doing what matters in times of stress.] (https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240003927)
[7]: [American Psychiatric Association. (2004). Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients with Acute Stress Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.](https://psychiatryonline.org/pb/assets/raw/sitewide/practice_guidelines/guidelines/acutestressdisorderptsd.pdf)
