Services in Sioux Falls and Orange City
Seeking help through the work of Bethesda prepares our clients physically, mentally, and spiritually to live every day to the fullest. At Bethesda Christian Counseling, we offer faith based outpatient behavioral health and church health services to many people, pastors and churches who are close to your heart. We provide them all a grace-based safe place where they are encouraged to wrestle through, and are professionally guided to find inner peace and wholeness in their personal, family and organizational lives.

Individual Psychotherapy

Individual Psychotherapy is defined by the treatment of one individual as opposed to couples or families. Individuals seek help for a wide variety of situations. For example, they may come through our doors expressing any of the following cries for help:

…I want to feel joy, purpose, and hope in my life once again.
…I want to not worry or be so afraid about my future anymore.
…I want to get help with knowing how to get past a hurt in my past.
…I want to know how to deal with my spouse who refuses to come to counseling with me.
…I want help knowing how to be a better parent to my challenging child.
…I want my troubled child to get counseling.
…I want to learn how to deal better with my anger.
…I want to stop my obsession with sex and pornography.
…I want to feel better about myself.
…I want to learn how to forgive.
…I want to know how to adjust to a change in my life that poses some challenges for me.
…I just want to stop hurting so much.

Most people come to Bethesda because they are having difficulty making the necessary emotional, cognitive, and behavioral adjustments to a significant change that has occurred in their life. Another frequent reason people seek out counseling at Bethesda is because their past attempts to resolve a problem in their life has not worked. They are tired of trying to cope by using the old, familiar approaches that no longer work for them.

Psychological Testing

Psychological testing has many different forms, purposes, and applications. All tests are measurement tools and are designed to identify and better understand yourself or your key relationships. There are some measurement tools that are used to detect and measure the presence of a mental or social disorder/illness. Other psychological measurements may be designed to identify key features of one's personality, in which case all discoveries are within a range considered healthy. Yet, other measurement tools are used to identify the strengths and growth areas in key relationships such as between marriage partners, co-workers, and engaged couples.

While many of these psychological or relationship tools can be administered by a therapist with a Master's degree, some can only be administered and interpreted by a trained psychologist. Bethesda has both on our staff; and can provide a wide range of measurement tools requested by the client or a third party.

Following are some reasons why people may benefit from the administration of such psychological tests:

  • The test may have been recommended by their therapist for diagnostic reasons.
  • The test may be required for premarital counseling.
  • The test may be helpful in helping a couple better understand what lies at the root of a chronic marital problem.
  • The courts may have ordered that a person be administered a particular test.
  • An adoption agency may require a couple to have the results of a battery of psychological tests for the adoption process to continue.
  • The test may be offered to assist a person in gaining a more defined and positive personal identity.

Some insurance policies will cover partial costs of the test. Some insurance policies may not cover any costs related to psychological testing. Because of this unknown, Bethesda requires full payment prior to the test being administered. If and when your insurance does pay, you will receive a refund.

Marriage and Family Therapy

Marriage and Family Therapy is defined as a couple, several family members, or an entire family coming to the therapist together as a group. Couples and families seek conjoint counseling when there are issues that are persistently presenting barriers to marital or family stability and/or satisfaction. Such barriers may be…

  • poor communication and conflict resolution skills,
  • recovering and rebuilding a marriage after an affair,
  • adjusting to a life change such as a change in the family life cycle: the birth of a child, empty nesters, retirement, loss of employment for one spouse, etc.
  • frequent outbursts and conflicts between parents and children,
  • persistent disobedience and defiance in a child,
  • a child threatening suicide,
  • an unresolved struggle from childhood surfacing in a marriage relationship,
  • complaints of a loss of joy and meaningful companionship in a marriage,
  • trust issues, either in the marriage or with children,
  • complaints of abuse, past or present.

What makes marriage and family therapy uniquely different from individual therapy is that the identified client is not an individual. Rather the client (or the subject of therapy) is the presenting marriage or family. The therapist must assess, define and treat the marriage or family “dance”, rather than treating one individual. The identified problem is never viewed as one person. Rather, how a marital pair or a family reacts, responds, relates, interacts, or “plays off” each other is the subject of treatment. The collective and interactive effects that the couple or the entire family has on each other is called the “couple or family dance”. The task of a trained marriage and family therapist is to identify, search out the roots of a conflictual dance, and help a couple or family create a more satisfying and healthy dance.

Child Focused Therapy - Only Offered in Orange City

When a parent observes that a child is having persistent emotional, behavioral, or social problems that do not appear related to other members of the family or peers, the parent may bring the child in to see a therapist. The concerned parent will, frequently, report that the child is having social difficulties with peers or siblings, is persistently the subject of disruptive behaviors, or just does not seem to be developing according to normal developmental benchmarks.

In such situations, a specially trained child-focused therapist is required. Such child-focused therapy may appear like play to adults. However, it is through age appropriate play that the therapist is able to make a proper diagnosis and treat the underlying causes of the presenting problems. Depending on the preferences of the therapists, such therapy can be done with children from the ages of two to eighteen. What changes in therapy as the child-client becomes older is that the therapist will select activities that are more age appropriate. Also, the older the child the more they can discuss their issues in more abstract constructs; rather than simply demonstrate them through behaviors and play.

When calling for help the parent needs to ask for a therapist who has experience and expertise in child-focused therapy. At least one parent is required to come with any child under the age of eighteen to the initial session. The parent will be expected to sign various documents required for treatment to begin. Furthermore, the therapist will want to know the parent's perceptions and definition of the presenting problem. Likewise, a responsible adult should be in supervision of any child under the age of sixteen as they are brought to the clinic and picked up from the clinic after the session is over.

Premarital Counseling

Premarital counseling is recommended for any couple who is engaged regardless of whether they are anticipating their first marriage, or have been in multiple relationships. In fact, if either members of the pair are being remarried, the need for premarital counseling increases many fold due to far more complex issues in second or third time marriages. Many ministers are requiring that a couple attend some premarital counseling before they will agree to conduct the wedding.

Substantive and legitimate premarital counseling should involve the couple in taking an objective relationship assessment tool, which is evaluated by a pastor or counselor and used as the core basis of the counseling sessions. For example, many pastors and counselors can offer the engaged couple the “Prepare/Enrich Relationship Inventory”. This is a comprehensive tool that evaluates the couple's relationship in terms of its typology, risks, strengths and growth areas, special focus items, family of origin issues, and how the personalities of the pair impact the relationship. The administration of this tool requires that a pastor or counselor has received specialized training on this instrument. Bethesda has two therapists on staff who are trained to administer the Prepare/Enrich.

Premarital counseling is to be distinguished from traditional therapy. The aim of premarital counseling is three-fold: to aid a couple in better understanding their relationship, to assist the couple in heading off potential pit falls, and to give the couple some basic training in communication and conflict resolution. Whereas traditional therapy assumes that wounds and conflicts will be the motivation for therapy, premarital counseling assumes a more awareness and educational motif.

Medication Management

Of all the organs in the body, the brain is the most complex and least understood organ. When the organ of the heart begins to malfunction one experiences symptoms such as heart palpitations, difficulty breathing, loss of energy and strength, and chest pains. When the liver begins to malfunction one, generally, become jaundiced. When the digestive organs begin to malfunction the symptoms are experienced as stomach or intestinal discomfort, lack of appetite, or heartburn. However, when the brain begins to malfunction the symptoms will be experienced as distressing emotions, irrational thoughts, and troubling behaviors.

Because these symptoms are so closely linked to our values and beliefs, when the brain becomes dis-organ-ized, people attribute their symptoms to moral and spiritual problems or lapses of the will. Yet, no amount of spiritual, moral or behavioral interventions seem to be of any help to some who are experiencing such symptoms. In fact, there are times when such attempted interventions only further exacerbate the symptoms. There are many forms of mental illness that are directly linked to or are, in part, affected by a brain malfunction: schizophrenia, bi-polar disorders, ADHD, Dysthymic Disorder, Cyclothymic Disorder, some forms of depression, and some anxiety disorders, just to name a few.

When someone complains that they have suffered from these symptoms over a long period of time, or report that other family members have had a history of similar symptoms, or they report their symptoms came on without any circumstantial or environmental cause, we must consider a purely biological cause.

When someone is suffering from an organically based illness, or when their presenting issues are so severe that they are unable to do the work of therapy, the clinician at Bethesda will recommend that the client be evaluated for the appropriate type and quantity of medication. There are times when such medication makes an essential difference in either the client's ability to profit from therapy, or in their recovery to health.

Nevertheless, many clients at Bethesda will move through their entire therapeutic journey without being placed on any psychotropic medication. If their symptoms are not significantly interfering with their daily lives or their ability to comply with the demands of therapy, or if there seems to be no organic origin to their symptoms, the client can return to full health without medication.

Proper utilization of psychotropic medication has two appropriate functions: a) to bring a person back to a healthy and a functional level who is the subject of an organically based illness, or b) to work as a temporary bridge to help the person regain an acceptable level of function until the work of therapy has brought them to a healthier place where they no longer need the medication.

Trauma Recovery

From current behavioral health research we now understand that people who have been exposed to traumatic life events require a uniquely designed therapeutic approach. These trauma survivors do not, normally, respond well to traditional talk therapy. However, they do respond exceedingly well to some very specialized therapy interventions designed specifically for trauma recovery.

A traumatic experience is defined as any experience that presented either a persistent or extreme invasion of a person's sense of self, leaving that person to experience prolonged feelings of shame, anxiety, self-worthlessness, anger, and vulnerability. Some examples of a traumatic history would be:

  • prolonged emotional abuse,
  • physical abuse,
  • bullying,
  • sexual abuse or molestation,
  • rape,
  • involvement in a serious accident where there was loss of life or shocking visual images,
  • combat experiences and the persistent and real threat to life,
  • viewing the abuse or threat to life of another person,
  • mass shooting survivors or victims of crimes which posed a real threat to one's safety, person, or life.

Several therapists at Bethesda have received specialized training in several different therapeutic interventions that were uniquely developed to address the challenges faced by trauma survivors. Such interventions as Life Span Integration (LSI), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), or Mindfulness Therapy are all best treatment options for a trauma survivor. Through the proper application of these therapeutic interventions, the client achieves symptom relief and a complete recovery within a relatively short period of time.

If you or someone you know suffers from the long term effects of any of these traumatic life events, ask for such therapy when you call to schedule an appointment.

EAP Assessments

EAP stands for Employee Assistance Program and is offered to many employees by mid-sized to large employers. The purpose of an EAP is to offer employees access to a mental health assessment without costs to the employee. An employee who wishes to use their EAP benefit must seek pre-authorization by calling the EAP company providing such services to the employer. This must be done by the employee prior to setting up the appointment. Most EAP authorizations will cover anywhere from three to ten sessions with a therapist.

All therapists at Bethesda are members of most EAP panels. However, not all our therapists are on the same panels. When calling Bethesda to set up an EAP appointment the prospective client is advised to provide the name of the EAP company and inform Bethesda if proper authorization has been requested.

It is important to remember that the purpose of these EAP sessions is not to conduct or complete the work of therapy. The formal work of therapy does not, generally, begin until after the fourth or fifth session. In nearly all situations, the initial three to four sessions are devoted to assessment work. Most EAPs are intended to take the client only to the place where the therapist is able to do an assessment and provide feedback and recommendations for further care to the client.

Church Health

Pastoral Support/Coaching
This service offers pastors and full time ministry staff personnel structured and consistent access to a trained coaching professional who assist the individual in selecting and pursuing a self-tailored wellness program. Their program advances professional, physical, spiritual, and emotional health. The desired outcome is increased productivity and effectiveness of the ministry staff personnel.

Education

  • Workshops/Seminars
  • Relationship Enhancement Retreats

PRIVACY PRACTICES

Notice of Privacy Practices--Brief Version
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
Our commitment to your privacy

Our practice is dedicated to maintaining the privacy of your personal health information (PHI) as part of providing professional care. We also are required by law to keep your information private. These laws are complicated, but we must give you this important information. This document is a shorter version of the full, legally required Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) for you to retain for your records. You may request the longer version of the NPP from the front office. However, we can't cover all possible situations that may arise, so please talk to our Privacy Officer (see the end of this pamphlet) about any questions or problems.

We will use the information about your health which we get from you or from others mainly to provide you with treatment, to arrange payment for our services, and for some other business activities which are called in the law, health care operations. After you have read this NPP we will ask you to sign a Consent Form to let us use and share your information in accordance with this notice and the law. If you do not consent and sign the form, we cannot treat you.

If you or your therapist want to use or disclose (send, share, release) your information for any other purposes other than those described above, we will discuss this with you and ask you to sign an Authorization form to allow this disclosure.

Of course we will keep your PHI private, but there are some times when laws require us to use/ share it. For example:

1. When there is a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of another individual or the public. We will only share information with a person or organization that is able to help prevent or reduce the threat.

2. Some lawsuits and legal court proceedings.

3. If a law enforcement official requires us to do so.

4. For Workers Compensation and similar benefit programs.

There are some other situations like these, but they don't happen very often. They are described in the longer version of the NPP. We do have the right to use your PHI for our own marketing and fundraising purposes but you may opt out of those by informing us that you would like to opt out in writing.

We also have the responsibility to inform you if a breach of your information occurs. If a breach would occur we will notify you according to the directions set forth in the law for us to do so. If you would like more information regarding what we will do in that situation, it is described in more detail in the longer version of the NPP which can be obtained from our privacy officer.

Your rights regarding your health information

1. You can ask us to communicate with you about your health and related issues in a particular way or at a certain place which is more private for you. For example, you can ask us to call you at home and not at work to schedule or cancel an appointment. We will try our best to do as you ask.

2. You have the right to ask us to limit what we tell people involved in your care or the payment for your care, such as family members and friends. You also have the right to ask us not to share information with your insurance company if you pay for the session in full yourself.

3. You have the right to look at the PHI we have about you such as your medical and billing records. You can even get a copy of these records, but we may charge you for these copies. However, because psychotherapy notes are held extremely confidential and prohibited by the law to be released even to you, a special authorization is required for you to access these. This access may or may not be granted and will be determined by your therapist. Contact our Privacy Officer to ask about the process of requesting to see your records.

4. If you believe the information in your records is incorrect or missing important information, you can ask us to make certain kinds of changes (called amending) to your health information. You have to make this request in writing and send it to our Privacy Officer. You must tell us the reasons you want to make the changes. **Psychotherapy notes can not be amended as they are interpretations by your therapist regarding what was discussed in the session.**

5. You have the right to a copy of this notice. If we change the NPP we will post the new version in our waiting area and you can always get a copy of the NPP from the Privacy Officer.

6. You have the right to file a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated. You can file a complaint with our Privacy Officer and/or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. All complaints must be in writing. Filing a complaint will not change the health care we provide to you in any way.

If you have any questions regarding this notice or our health information privacy policies, please contact our Privacy Officer, Stacey Eeten in Sioux Falls at (605) 334-3739 or by e-mail at stacey@bethesdachristiancounseling.org or our Records Clerk, Denise Salker in Orange City at (712) 737-2635 or by e-mail at ocoffice@bethesdachristiancounseling.org.

The original date of this NPP is November 1, 2003. The effective date of this revised notice is February 1, 2013.

Also, you may have other rights which are granted to you by the laws of our state and these may be the same or different from the rights described above. The privacy officer/records clerk will be happy to discuss these situations with you now or as they arise.