Archives: Our Services

Marital and Premarital

Every relationship hits difficult stretches—communication breakdowns, growing apart, conflict patterns, or major life transitions. Whether you’re preparing for marriage, working through a rough season, or recovering from a serious rupture, couples therapy at Oak Tree Behavioral Services can help you reconnect.

Signs You May Benefit from Marital & Premarital Counseling Support

  • The same arguments happening over and over
  • Feeling more like roommates than partners
  • Emotional or physical disconnection
  • Infidelity or breach of trust
  • Major life disagreements (finances, parenting, intimacy)
  • Wanting to start marriage on the right foundation

Our Treatment Approach

We use Gottman Method, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and Imago Therapy techniques depending on what fits your relationship best. Premarital counseling proactively builds communication skills, aligns expectations, and identifies potential friction points before they become problems.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do both partners have to be willing?
Ideally, yes—but we can work with one partner when the other is not ready. Even one person changing patterns can shift a relationship.
Do you offer discernment counseling for couples considering divorce?
Yes. Discernment counseling helps couples decide whether to work on the relationship, separate, or divorce—without the pressure of a premature decision.
How long does couples therapy take?
Most couples see meaningful improvement within 12–20 sessions, though some choose to continue longer.

Life Coaching

 

Sometimes you don’t need to process trauma—you need a skilled partner to help you clarify your values, set meaningful goals, and stop getting in your own way. Our clinician-led life coaching blends therapeutic insight with forward-focused action planning to help you live with intention.

Signs You May Benefit from Life Coaching Support

  • Feeling stuck, unfulfilled, or directionless
  • Difficulty making decisions or committing to goals
  • Procrastination or self-sabotaging patterns
  • Wanting more from life but not knowing where to start
  • Life transitions without clear next steps
  • Low motivation or persistent sense of mediocrity

Our Treatment Approach

Unlike coaches without clinical training, our therapist-coaches understand how psychological patterns—anxiety, perfectionism, fear of failure—sabotage progress. We combine evidence-based techniques with practical goal-setting to create real, lasting momentum.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is life coaching covered by insurance?
Insurance covers mental health treatment, not coaching. We’ll be transparent about what is and isn’t billable to insurance during your intake.
What’s the difference between therapy and life coaching?
Therapy focuses on healing past pain and diagnosable conditions. Coaching focuses on present functioning and future goals. Many clients benefit from elements of both.
How quickly will I see results?
Most clients notice meaningful momentum within 4–8 sessions when they engage actively between appointments.

Infertility

Infertility is a profound loss that’s often invisible to the outside world. The emotional toll of diagnosis, treatment cycles, miscarriages, and uncertainty can be devastating. Oak Tree Behavioral Services provides a space where your grief and anxiety are fully understood—not minimized.

Signs You May Benefit from Infertility Support

Grief after a miscarriage or failed IVF cycle
Anxiety and obsessive thinking about fertility
Relationship strain with a partner due to fertility struggles
Isolation from pregnant friends or family
Depression or hopelessness about building a family
Emotional exhaustion from the treatment process

Our Treatment Approach

We provide individual and couples therapy tailored to the unique emotional landscape of infertility. Therapy addresses grief, anxiety, relationship strain, and the existential questions that infertility raises about identity and the future.

Grief

Grief is the price of love—and there is no wrong way to grieve. Whether you’ve lost a loved one, a relationship, a job, a pregnancy, or a sense of who you are, grief counseling provides a space to process your loss and find a way forward. Our therapists offer compassionate, skilled support for all kinds of grief.

Signs You May Benefit from Grief & Loss Support

  • Intense sadness, longing, or emptiness after a loss
  • Difficulty accepting that the loss is real
  • Avoiding reminders of the person or thing you lost
  • Guilt, anger, or numbness
  • Disrupted sleep, appetite, or functioning
  • Grief that feels stuck or gets worse over time

Our Treatment Approach

We draw on the Dual Process Model of grief, Complicated Grief Treatment (CGT), and meaning-making approaches. We honor your unique grief process rather than imposing a timeline or set of ‘stages’ you must follow.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my grief is ‘normal’?
Grief varies enormously. If it’s significantly interfering with your life for an extended period, therapy can help—even if it doesn’t feel ‘bad enough’ to seek help.
Is grief counseling covered by insurance?
Yes. Grief-related depression, anxiety, and adjustment disorders are covered diagnoses.
Do you work with children who are grieving?
Yes. We offer developmentally sensitive grief counseling for children and teens, often with parental involvement.

Gambling

Problem gambling is a behavioral addiction that can quietly devastate finances, relationships, and self-worth before it’s recognized as a problem. Whether it’s sports betting, casino gambling, online poker, or lottery, Oak Tree Behavioral Services provides evidence-based counseling to help you regain control.

Signs You May Benefit from Gambling Addiction Support

Needing to gamble more to feel the same excitement
Failed attempts to cut back or stop gambling
Gambling to escape problems or relieve distress
Lying to family or friends about gambling
Jeopardizing relationships, job, or finances because of gambling
Chasing losses with more gambling

Our Treatment Approach

We use CBT and Motivational Interviewing specifically adapted for gambling disorder. We also address underlying issues—depression, anxiety, boredom, impulsivity—that sustain problematic gambling. Financial and relationship impact is incorporated into treatment.

Gastric By-pass Evaluations

 

Most bariatric surgery programs require a pre-surgical psychological evaluation to assess your readiness for surgery and long-term success. Oak Tree Behavioral Services provides comprehensive, compassionate evaluations completed by doctoral-level clinicians—with results delivered promptly to support your surgical timeline.

Signs You May Benefit from Gastric Bypass Evaluations Support

  • Your surgeon or bariatric program has required a psych eval
  • You want to ensure emotional readiness before surgery
  • You have a history of depression, anxiety, trauma, or eating concerns
  • You want support managing emotional eating after surgery
  • You’re preparing for significant lifestyle changes
  • You need documentation for insurance approval

Our Treatment Approach

Our evaluation includes a clinical interview, behavioral health screening, and a written report sent to your surgical team. We assess psychological readiness, identify risk factors, and provide recommendations for pre- and post-surgical support. The process is supportive, not gatekeeping.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the evaluation prevent me from having surgery?
Our goal is to support your success, not block your access. We identify factors that may need attention before or after surgery and provide recommendations.
How quickly can I get an appointment?
We strive to schedule evaluations within 1–2 weeks to keep your surgical timeline on track.
Is the evaluation covered by insurance?
Many insurance plans cover pre-surgical psychological evaluations. We’ll verify your benefits before your appointment.

Family Conflict

 

Family conflict—whether between parents and children, siblings, or blended family members—can erode trust and closeness if left unaddressed. Family therapy at Oak Tree Behavioral Services helps families communicate more effectively, repair ruptures, and create a healthier home environment.

Signs You May Benefit from Family Conflict Support

  • Frequent arguments that escalate or don’t resolve
  • Communication breakdown between family members
  • A child or teen showing behavioral or emotional problems
  • Conflict following a major change (divorce, remarriage, loss)
  • Power struggles between parents and children
  • Estrangement or emotional cutoff within the family

Our Treatment Approach

We use family systems therapy, Structural Family Therapy, and Emotionally Focused Family Therapy to identify unhealthy patterns and help your family develop new ways of relating. Sessions may include the whole family or specific subsystems depending on the presenting issue.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the whole family have to come?
Not necessarily. We work with whatever configuration is possible and helpful. Sometimes individual sessions are combined with family sessions.
What if family members refuse to participate?
Even one person working with a skilled therapist can shift family dynamics significantly.
Do you work with divorcing families?
Yes. We provide therapy for families navigating separation, co-parenting conflict, and the impact of divorce on children.

Emotional Disturbance

Emotional disturbance refers to a range of conditions that affect emotional regulation, behavior, and functioning—often showing up in school, work, and relationships. Whether the result of trauma, neurodevelopmental differences, or environmental stress, these challenges are treatable with the right support.

Signs You May Benefit from Emotional Disturbance Support

  • Persistent sadness, anxiety, or mood instability
  • Difficulty building or maintaining relationships
  • Inappropriate emotional responses to situations
  • Physical complaints without medical cause
  • Fear or anxiety that interferes with daily life
  • Behavioral problems at school or work

Our Treatment Approach

We assess the root causes of emotional dysregulation and build individualized treatment plans using CBT, DBT, trauma-informed care, and family systems approaches. We also collaborate with schools and IEP teams when working with children.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is emotional disturbance a diagnosis?
It’s both a clinical term used in therapy and an educational classification used in schools for special education eligibility.
Can this be treated without medication?
Many individuals see significant improvement through therapy alone. When medication may be helpful, we refer to appropriate prescribers.
Do you work with schools?
Yes. We can collaborate with school counselors and IEP teams with your consent.

Eating Disorders

 

Eating disorders are among the most serious and misunderstood mental health conditions—and one of the most treatable when the right support is in place. Whether you’re struggling with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, or a complicated relationship with food and your body, our team is here to help you heal.

Signs You May Benefit from Eating Disorders Support

  • Obsessive thoughts about food, weight, or body image
  • Restricting, bingeing, or purging behaviors
  • Avoiding social situations involving food
  • Extreme distress about eating or body appearance
  • Physical symptoms like fatigue, hair loss, or dizziness
  • Secrecy around eating habits

Our Treatment Approach

We use Enhanced CBT for Eating Disorders (CBT-E), DBT, and Acceptance-Based approaches tailored to your specific diagnosis and presentation. We coordinate with dietitians and medical providers to ensure your care is comprehensive and safe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you treat children and teens with eating disorders?
Yes. We work with adolescents and their families using family-based approaches.
When is inpatient treatment needed?
If your medical condition requires intensive monitoring, we’ll help coordinate a higher level of care and remain your outpatient provider upon discharge.
Is binge eating disorder a real eating disorder?
Yes. Binge eating disorder is the most common eating disorder and is highly treatable with the right therapy.

Dual Diagnosis

 

Dual diagnosis—also called co-occurring disorders—means having both a mental health condition and a substance use disorder at the same time. Treating only one while ignoring the other rarely works. Oak Tree Behavioral Services specializes in integrated care that addresses both simultaneously.

Signs You May Benefit from Dual Diagnosis Support

  • Using substances to cope with depression, anxiety, or trauma
  • Mental health symptoms that worsen with use
  • Multiple failed attempts at recovery
  • Feeling ‘different’ or struggling since adolescence
  • Instability in relationships, housing, or employment
  • Prior psychiatric hospitalization combined with substance use

Our Treatment Approach

We provide integrated outpatient therapy that addresses mental health and substance use in every session—not in silos. Our clinicians are trained in trauma, mood disorders, personality disorders, and addiction, and coordinate with prescribers when psychiatric medication is part of your care plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which comes first—mental health or substance treatment?
We address both simultaneously. Research shows that treating them together produces better outcomes than treating them sequentially.
Can you prescribe medication?
Our therapists are not prescribers, but we coordinate with your psychiatrist or primary care provider.
Do you accept insurance for dual diagnosis treatment?
Yes. Most insurance plans cover outpatient co-occurring disorder treatment. Contact us to verify your specific benefits.