About Debi Hartwell
Debi Hartwell has been certified as a Canadian Counsellor #1464 with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association since 2000. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Simon Fraser University (1993) and her Master of Arts degree from the Adler School of Professional Psychology in Chicago, Illinois (2000).
Debi has worked part time with the New Westminster School District in a variety of psychological perspectives since 1993. She has worked extensively with youth and families in the areas of mental health, trauma and addiction.
Since 2000, in private practice, she works extensively with adults as individuals, couples and in groups. Her areas of specialty are trauma resolution, addiction recovery, healthy sexuality and other intimacy related problems. The healing of compulsive and addictive behaviours often involves the resolution of unresolved trauma. She utilizes an integrated form of psychotherapy that involves the body, mind and spirit.
Her clinical expertise was gained by extensive training in the following areas;
- Somatic Experiencing® was developed by Dr. Peter Levine and is now used by many practitioners working in the field of trauma. After 35 years of scientific study, Dr. Levine has come up with a model to help human beings move through and renegotiate overwhelming life events without feeling overwhelmed in the process. His unique understanding is that trauma is in the nervous system and not in the event. The trauma symptoms are generalized and biologically predictable. Therefore, logical strategies can be devised to change their state, lessen suffering and enhance healing in many individuals. The body can and will relax towards a state of resiliency. This is what we will be working with…to release the energy of shock so that the body can organize itself and return to a healthy state of mental and physical well-being. For more information go to www.traumahealing.com.
- Somatic Transformation® as described by Dr. Sharon Stanley at www.somatic-transformation.org “is a developmental, phenomenological, and neurobiological approach to the healing of trauma. This model focuses on restoring regulation of intense affect as the foundation for further healing in the body, mind and psyche. Somatic transformation of trauma seeks to restore the aliveness of embodiment with a deep sense of resilience and meaning. The primary context for the work is a carefully developed intersubjective, somatic, empathic relationship. Working primarily in the right hemisphere of the brain, the physiological substrate of trauma, the disrupted autonomic nervous system, is gently invited and guided into regulation through somatic awareness, inquiry, interventions and reflection”.
- Moaiku, Muscular Intelligence, Coping and Resonance with Merete Holm Brantbjerg. This therapy relates to growth through psycho-motor development and specific psycho-social skills connected to individual muscles. These skills include centering, grounding, boundaries, containment, regulation of contact, orienting and the ability to cope with emotional states.
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)® is an effective treatment for traumatic stress. Much research has been done as to the effectiveness of this treatment on various forms of trauma, anxiety, addictions, eating disorders, performance enhancement and the development of inner strengths and resources.
- Certified Sex Addiction Therapist – Supervisor with the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals. Debi’s training was with Dr. Patrick Carnes and Dr. Ken Adams both are international leaders in the treatment of sex addiction. Debi is certified as a therapist and as a supervisor/consultant to other therapists in the area of sexual compulsivity and sexual health.
- Certified Multi-Addiction Therapist with the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals. Debi has significant training and experience working with a multitude of addictions some substances and others related to behaviour including food addiction, sex addiction, internet addiction and gaming addiction.
- Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy® with Dr. Stan Tatkin. This approach focuses on early attachment and its effect on brain and nervous system development, as well as on specific neuroendocrine issues related to interpersonal stress. The PACT methodology emphasizes enactment of experience over cognition or psychological interpretation. Interventions often entail therapeutically staged moments intended to trigger arousal and implicit somatoaffective experience and memory. As a psychobiologically trained clinician, Debi meticulously attends to each partner’s moment-to-moment variations and shifts in affect and arousal as observed in the face, body, and voice.
- Imago Relationship Therapy is a form of relationship therapy innovated by Harville Hendrix, Ph.D. Its basic premises are as follows;
- We were born whole and complete.
- We became wounded during the early nurturing and socializing stages of development by our primary caretakers (usually inadvertently).
- We have a composite image of all the positive and negative traits of our primary caretakers deep in our unconscious mind. This is called the IMAGO. It is like a blue print of the one we need to be our partner in a committed intimate relationship.
- We look for someone who is an IMAGO match, that is, someone who matches up with the composite image of our primary caretakers. This is important because we marry or commit for the purpose of healing and finishing the unfinished business of our childhood. Our parents are the ones who wounded us and it is they who could help us heal. A primary love partner who matches their traits is their stand-in.
- We move into a power struggle as soon as we make a commitment to this person. The power struggle is necessary, for imbedded in a couples frustrations lie the information for healing and growth.
- The first two stages of marriage, “romantic love” and the “power struggle”, are engaged in at an unconscious level. Our unconscious mind chose our partner for the purpose of healing childhood wounds.
- Eventually our love partner is incompatible with us and least able to meet our needs and most able to wound us all over again.
- The goal of Imago relationship therapy is to align our conscious mind (which wants happiness and good feelings) with the agenda of the unconscious mind (which wants healing and growth). Thus, the goal of therapy is to assist clients in developing conscious, intimate, committed relationships.
- This transition cannot take place through insight alone. Specific skills and processes are necessary that need to be practiced daily to shift us from having an unconscious relationship to a conscious relationship.
Source: The Imago Match, published by Francine Beavoir PhD and Bruce Crapuchettes, PhD; Pasadena Institute for Relationships.
Debi is:
- a Certified Canadian Counsellor with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association.
- a Certified Sex Addiction Counsellor and a Certified Multi-Addiction Counsellor with the International Institute of Trauma Addiction Professionals.
- a member of the Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health.
If you are interested in exploring the issues that keep you from living your life to the fullest please call for a free 15 minute telephone consultation.