Alexandra Christodoulou is a dual board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health and Family Nurse Practitioner. With previous experience in primary care and women’s health, she believes that mental health care is most effective when focusing on a comprehensive and integrated mind-body approach to support clients on their path to recovery and optimal well-being. Rather than simply prescribing medication, she seeks to get to the root cause of poor or suboptimal mental health. For example, in working with someone with depression, she would not only address potential medication options to treat this condition, but would also recommend and help them to incorporate supportive lifestyle modifications such as optimizing sleep and targeting circadian rhythm disruptions, consistent and proven stress reduction techniques, adequate physical exercise, cognitive behavioral therapy, and evaluating any possible medical causes contributing to low mood. Alongside her fellow colleagues at Integrative Psych, Alexandra is both enthusiastic about and stays informed of the latest evidence-based research in mental health to deliver the highest quality care and outcomes for her clients.
In addition to medication management and a comprehensive health treatment plan, Alexandra specializes in a variety of psychotherapy techniques to provide customized, focused, and effective treatment including:
- EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) is a structured psychotherapy approach designed to help individuals process and resolve traumatic memories or distressing life experiences. Developed by psychologist Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s, EMDR is widely used to treat conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and phobias. Additionally, EMDR is recognized as an effective treatment for PTSD by organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Psychiatric Association (APA). Studies suggest it can help reduce distress faster than some traditional therapies by directly targeting traumatic memories. Beyond PTSD, EMDR is increasingly being used for phobias, panic disorders, and complicated grief.
Unique Features:
- Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR focuses less on verbal processing and more on
- facilitating the brain's natural healing mechanisms.
- It is considered a non-invasive and safe method, although some clients may experience emotional intensity during sessions.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on identifying and changing negative patterns of thought and behavior. It is widely used to treat various mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, insomnia, phobias, OCD, and more. CBT is based on the idea that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected, and by changing one, we can influence the others.
Benefits of CBT include:
- Short-term and goal-oriented: CBT typically lasts a few months, with a structured approach.
- Evidence-based: Research consistently shows its effectiveness for a wide range of conditions.
- Skill-building: It teaches lifelong tools for managing mental health challenges.
- Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy is a therapeutic approach that combines the use of ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic, with psychotherapy to treat mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and chronic pain. Ketamine has shown rapid and profound antidepressant effects, making it a valuable tool for individuals who haven't responded to traditional treatments. Ketamine interacts with the brain's glutamate system, thereby promoting neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to form new neural connections, which is thought to help "reboot" neural pathways linked to mood regulation and trauma processing. At therapeutic doses, ketamine induces a mild dissociative state, creating a sense of detachment from ordinary thought patterns, which can help individuals access deeper emotional and psychological insights. KAP is effective for many mental health conditions including treatment-resistant depression, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic pain conditions, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and addiction.
Benefits of KAP include:
- Rapid Relief: Ketamine can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety within hours to days, unlike traditional antidepressants that may take weeks.
- Neuroplasticity: It fosters a more adaptable and flexible mindset, facilitating growth and healing.
- Deeper Insight: The dissociative state allows clients to step back from entrenched thought patterns, gaining clarity on issues they may struggle with in ordinary states of consciousness.
- ADHD coaching is a specialized form of life coaching designed to support individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It focuses on helping clients manage their symptoms, build effective habits, and develop strategies to improve their personal, academic, or professional lives.
Core Areas Addressed in ADHD Coaching:
- Time Management: Creating routines, using calendars, and setting reminders to stay on track.
- Organization: Developing systems for managing clutter, keeping track of tasks, and organizing spaces.
- Focus and Attention: Techniques to minimize distractions, improve sustained attention, and work within attention spans.
- Emotional Regulation: Recognizing triggers, managing frustration, and building resilience.
- Accountability: Providing structure and regular check-ins to ensure progress on goals.
- Self-Confidence: Building self-esteem by celebrating successes and reframing negative self-perceptions.
Benefits of ADHD Coaching:
- Personalized Strategies: Solutions tailored to individual needs.
- Improved Executive Functioning: Strengthening skills like planning, prioritizing, and task initiation.
- Increased Self-Awareness: Understanding how ADHD affects daily life and finding adaptive approaches.
- Greater Independence: Empowering clients to manage their ADHD symptoms more effectively.
Enhanced Well-Being: Reducing overwhelm and building a sense of accomplishment.
