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Wendie L. Clemens, LPC is a counselor in Bartlesville, OK specializing in counseling. Wendie L. Clemens, LPC is affiliated with BetterHelp.
“Hi, my name is Wendie Clemens. I’ll start out with giving you some information on my history and experience, then I’ll move on to explaining my approach to therapy. I have a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family therapy and I’ve been a licensed therapist for 20 years; I’m licensed through the state of Oklahoma as a Licensed Professional Counselor and my license number is 3401. I’ve worked with several different populations, providing outpatient individual, family, and group therapy to adults, children, and adolescents; providing individual and family therapy to children and adolescents in the foster care system and their birth families, as well as providing supportive services to the foster families; and providing individual and group therapy for court-involved persons. I have experience working with clients who sought treatment for problems related to anxiety, depression, trauma, bipolar disorder, substance use, family conflict, difficult relationships, issues related to changes in life, and other severe and chronic mental health issues. Over the last few years, I’ve also had extensive experience providing services through virtual means such as iPad, computer, phone, etc. so this service platform is comfortable for me. For 15 years of my career as a licensed therapist, I worked in community mental health; the majority of my clients there not only struggled with severe, life-long mental health issues but also struggled with other issues such as isolation, poverty, lack of resources, and the stigma of living with a mental illness. Working in that setting could be extremely demanding but those years played a significant role in my growth as a therapist (and a person) and the experience of serving those clients, as well as having the honor of sharing their lives, was overall richly rewarding for me. In my view, the relationship that develops between a therapist and client is part of the healing process and I do my best to develop and maintain a positive, healthy relationship with clients. You’re the one looking for help, so I look to you to determine what we discuss in therapy sessions, what you’d like to accomplish in therapy, and how you’ll know you’ve finished therapy. My part is to help you sort things out so you can see problems more clearly, understand yourself better, and feel more comfortable in making decisions about your life. I’m also here to help you find and learn different tools you can use to accomplish that. With that being said, I also recognize there will be times I may need to give you a little push to discuss something you’ve been avoiding, to express thoughts or feelings that may be difficult for you, or even to revisit your past in order to work through issues that may still be affecting you. All of that requires trust and a willingness to be vulnerable on your part, which is why I tend to emphasize the importance of the therapeutic relationship. Even though I value our relationship, I’m also human and I realize that I may misinterpret something you say, misunderstand what you’re trying to communicate, or unintentionally offend you or hurt your feelings. I don’t plan on this happening, but if it does, please let me know!! (No need to worry about being too blunt or hurting my feelings – I need to know these things so your therapy is helpful and it will help me grow and be a better therapist.) Most things we’ll be able to work through and that will help me understand you better – it can also help you as misunderstandings and unintentional slights happen in all relationships and you can use bumps in our relationship as practice in working things out in the “real world.” Regarding the technical side of things, I use tools and techniques primarily from Cognitive-Behavioral based therapies, Person-Centered Therapy, and I incorporate mindfulness, distress tolerance, and emotional regulation tools from Dialectical Behavior Therapy. I’ll also throw this out – if at any point in our work together you find that we’re just not relating, you’ve gone as far as you can with me, or I’m just not th”
Connect with this therapist via:
Online messaging - send messages throughout the day as you have time; relax and give yourself opportunity to fully ponder each step of the conversation
Video Visits - connect over video conferencing software for a virtual session -- almost as if you're there in person
Phone Visits - good old-fashioned technology for those who don't want to worry about appearance or who have might have internet bandwidth limitations; a little bit like connecting with an old friend, but with a counselor instead
Instant Message (IM) Visits - real-time chat -- like a phone call, but over text
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Addictions
Addictions are chronic diseases of compulsive or uncontrollable behavior which may have adverse health effects. Addictions can include substance abuse (such as the abuse of opioids, alcohol, or prescription drugs) and certain non-drug related behaviors, such as gambling or video games. People with addictions may experience an uncontrollable urge to use substances or perform certain activities, although these behaviors may be harmful to themselves and others.
Those suffering with a substance abuse addiction are often unable to cease their behavior without some form of medical intervention. Studies have found that repeat use of certain drugs can figuratively rewire the brain, resulting in alterations to neural pathways associated with dopamine. This means that repeat drug users may become reliant on consuming the substance in order to function. For example, those with alcohol addiction ("alcoholism") become physically dependent on alcohol and may experience extreme withdrawal symptoms when avoiding alcohol entirely; in rare cases, medically unsupervised withdrawal can lead to death.
Behavioral addictions are similar to substance abuse addictions; however, people with behavioral addictions are addicted to a behavior or emotion associated with certain behaviors, as opposed to drugs. In addition to gambling, common behavioral addictions include food, video games, social media, shopping, and pornography addictions. When performing the activity, people experience euphoria (a rush of dopamine) that slowly lessens over time, meaning they build a tolerance and dependency on a behavior. For example, people who are addicted to shopping may need to purchase more items or spend more money to feel the same rush that once fueled their addiction.
Addictions can be assessed through a variety of means such as diagnostic screening, abuse assessment, or psychiatric evaluation. Treatment can help patients recover from their addictions and manage mental and physical health conditions related to their addiction. People with addictions may be treated in rehabilitative treatment facilities, hospitals, and other clinical settings.
Addiction treatment for substance abuse may include:
Addiction treatments for both substance abuse and behavioral addictions may include:
Addiction treatment has expanded to include care for patient substance abuse in non-clinical settings. A number of community programs now provide at-risk substance users a safe place or means to use drugs and mobile doctor's services for drug-associated illnesses and injuries. Behavioral addictions are also gaining increased attention as researchers and mental health professionals seek to better understand and treat them. For example, some researchers are assessing the connections between video game addiction and childhood risk factors. More and more, mental health experts are recognizing the importance of meeting people with addictions where they are at, using more advanced treatments. Addiction treatment is intended to care for people with addictions with compassion and respect.
Bipolar Disorder
Commonly known as manic-depressive illness, bipolar disorder is a serious mental condition characterized by extreme changes in mood. Individuals with this disorder experience emotional highs, or manic episodes, and lows, or depressive episodes. These episodes are distinct periods that are separate from the moods they may usually feel.
During manic episodes, individuals may:
In contrast, depressive episodes may bring about:
Episodes may be a mixture of both manic and depressive symptoms. In such an episode, individuals with bipolar disorder may feel sad, empty, and hopeless but have a high level of energy at the same time. Sometimes, changes in mood are less dramatic. For example, individuals may feel happy and think everything is fine, but people around them may notice their mood changes. Episodes like this are called hypomania. If an individual is hypomanic and does not receive proper treatment, their condition will likely worsen.
Generally considered a lifetime illness, the disorder begins in the late teen or early adult years. Bipolar disorder has no known cause, but research has shown that it tends to run in families. To diagnose it, a psychiatrist carefully assesses an individual's moods and behavior patterns. They may also be asked to keep a daily record of their moods and other factors that can help with diagnosis and determining the right course of therapy. Counseling is a typical form of treatment, as is a group of medications that can control symptoms, called antipsychotics.
Depression
Everyone knows what it feels like to get the blues once in a while. But depression is a serious illness that is more severe than a bad day and lasts much longer. Symptoms of depression stop a person from being able to function and enjoy daily activities for weeks or months at a time. It can happen to anyone, and it isn't something that people can control by force of will or "snap out of it."
Some common symptoms of depression include:
We don't yet know what causes depression, but it's thought that it is a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and social influences. Because of this, the most effective treatments for depression combine medication with psychotherapy. Therapy, especially cognitive-behavioral therapy, can be extremely helpful in resolving the negative thoughts and feelings that come with depression. It gives patients new tools that they can use themselves to cope when their depression is making them feel down.
Some of the common medications used to treat depression include antidepressants such as SSRI's (Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft) or atypical antidepressants (Cymbalta, Wellbutrin). It's important to remember that these medications have different effects on everybody, and no one medication works right for everyone. Patients may have to try a couple before finding the one that works just right for them. If the first medication they try doesn't work, they should talk to their doctor about trying something else. In extreme cases where medication is not enough, electro-convulsive therapy and hospitalization may be the answer to keeping a severely depressed person safe.
Depression is a difficult illness to deal with, but it is more common than believed and there are many people who can help. With the right treatment, individuals with depression can get back to fully enjoying life again.
She has a state license in Oklahoma.
Licensed In: Oklahoma
Wendie L. Clemens, LPC is associated with these hospitals and organizations:
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Ms. Wendie Clemens' area of specialization is counseling. Her areas of expertise include the following: anger management, depression, and addictions. She is affiliated with BetterHelp. Ms. Clemens welcomes new patients at her office in as reported by BetterHelp.
