Family Counseling

Family counseling is one of many counseling services we offer here in Albuquerque, NM. People come to us for counseling for their family for different reasons involving their family dynamics. Even the smallest problem within the family can be devastating and cause severe emotional stress for one or multiple members of the family. By getting help with their problems, our patients prevent more serious consequences and help their family stick together through a difficult time.

Here at Relationship Center of Albuquerque, we help families with all sorts of situations. Families seek our help due to financial issues, children or teens dealing with anxiety or depression, or a family dealing with a separation or divorce and hoping to help their children deal with the change in their family dynamic. In some cases, families seek counseling from our office because their children feel they are not getting enough attention, while other adolescents want more freedom. Through counseling and family therapy, adolescents feel more free in speaking their feelings and parents get some resolution into whatever issues they see.

Divorce and blended families are two very common issues with families. We provide counseling for children and parents going through a divorce, as well as helping children adjust to their new blended families with step-parents and step-siblings. Contact Dr. Marji Prefontaine today to benefit from family counseling.

Eating Disorders

In the United States, there are approximately 24 million people of all ages dealing with eating disorders, according to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. People with eating disorders are among all ages, genders, social statuses and lifestyles.

Here at the Relationship Center of Albuquerque, Dr. Marji Prefontaine understands the importance of offering counseling and psychotherapy for people with eating disorders. Eating disorders cause the sufferer to become preoccupied with food, physical fitness and their own weight. It is an unhealthy lifestyle that can lead to serious medical complications and can even be fatal.

Eating disorders include anorexia, bulimia and binge-eating disorder. Each of these disorders is serious and based on unrealistic expectations. Many people suffering from eating disorders have mental and emotional disorders that have led them to an unhealthy way of life. Signs of someone having an eating disorder includes extreme weight fluctuations, using the restroom after every meal, cuts on the person’s fingers and roof of their mouth, and a visible obsession with food and weight.

Eating disorders counseling is important because Dr. Prefontaine addresses the underlying cause of the eating disorder, whether it is depression, anxiety, a mental disorder or a childhood trauma. Many different aspects of a person’s life can contribute, which is why counseling and therapy is essential to helping overcome it.

If you notice signs of eating disorders in a loved one, call us at 505-821-1948 to get more information and schedule an appointment.

Individual Counseling

Individual counseling is something just about everyone can benefit from. The goal of individual counseling here at the Relationship Center of Albuquerque is to help our patients identify areas of their life causing stress, anxiety, fear or conflict to help resolve those issues.

For some, it’s about learning conflict resolution with people causing them stress, while others learn to deal with depression and the strong emotions that come with it. Dr. Marji Prefontaine works with each patient individually to offer them the counseling they need.

Here are some of the situations where participating in individual counseling here at the Relationship Center of Albuquerque can help:

1. Teenagers dealing with bullying in school.

2. Anyone with anxiety, extreme stress or depression.

3. Signs of self-harm, such as cutting, eating disorders or cutting.

4. Having thoughts of harming yourself or others.

5. Trouble dealing with loss and grief.

6. Persistent conflicts with friends, roommates or family members.

7. Difficulty adjusting to new changes, like college, a new move or new job.

Individual counseling helps patients come to a realization about what they want in their life, people or situations that are holding them back. It offers them a place to express their feelings without judgment or criticism, and helps them make healthy and positive changes.

To learn more about how individual counseling can help, call us directly at 505-821-1948. When you call, ask us about our free telephone consultation and 20% off discount for the first visit.

Stress Management

Everyone deals with some level of stress in their lives, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get help dealing with it. Whether it’s relationship trouble, money woes or work stress, it can cause mental and physical illness when it isn’t dealt with properly -- especially when the stress accumulates due to added pressures. Dr. Marji Prefontaine offers stress management to help patients handle the various stresses they have in their everyday life.

Stress management isn’t necessarily about avoiding the stressful situations in your life, but learning how to best manage stress to keep it at a manageable level. This includes identifying the main sources of stress and coping with it in healthy ways. Many people turn to substance abuse and other unhealthy ways of dealing with it, but we offer counseling for stress education as a positive, healthy alternative.

Here at Relationship Center of Albuquerque, we believe stress can be managed in a healthy way. In doing so, we help patients learn ways of coping with stress to keep it from affecting their lives in a negative way. To start on the path to healthy stress management, call Dr. Marji Prefontaine at 505-821-1948 to schedule your first counseling session.

Grief or Bereavement

Experiencing grief or bereavement after a loss of a loved one can cause our patients to go through a series of emotions. Here at the Relationship Center of Albuquerque, we provide our patients with an outlet to express these emotions without judgment.

Many of our patients tell us that it is often difficult to share their experiences, memories and feelings with close relatives about who they lost because they are also grieving. This is why Dr. Marji Prefontaine makes herself available for grief and bereavement.

People dealing with grief or bereavement typically go through five steps:

1. Denial


2. Anger


3. Bargaining


4. Depression


5. Acceptance

We help patients go through these important steps in a safe and caring environment that enables them to express their emotions and talk to someone who helps the process go more smoothly.

Counseling is an essential part of grieving because it allows the patient to deal with the loss and learn how to deal with these different stages of grief, from denial to acceptance. If you or someone you know is grieving over a loved one, schedule a consultation with Dr. Prefontaine in Albuquerque, NM to get help for the bereavement process by calling 505-821-1948.

Relationships and ADD

It is not always easy to maintain a healthy relationship.  This is especially true for those that are suffering from ADD.  As children, you may find it difficult to pay attention in school or to finish dull or boring tasks.  As we age, this can evolve into self-esteem issues and put a strain on relationships.  If you or your partner has ADHD, you may have difficulty:

• ·         Paying attention – It difficult to listen and communicate with your partner. 


• ·         Staying organized – As a result, you may forget a birthday or anniversary.


• ·         Finishing tasks – This can lead to lack of commitment in your relationship.


• ·         Handling responsibilities – You may forget to pay the bills, clean, etc.


• ·         Managing your emotions – It is easy to lose your temper, leading to major misunderstandings.

It is important that people with ADD seek treatment to improve their focus and deal with relationship issues.  We offer services that diagnosis and treat ADD at our practice.  Call 505-821-1948 to schedule an appointment and to take steps in improving your relationship.

Depression

Depression is more than simply feeling sad.  The loss of a loved one, loss of a job, moving to a new place, and a number of other factors can lead to this chronic health condition.  Depression can have a severe impact on your life and can even make you feel like a different person.  If you are suffering from depression, you may experience feelings of hopelessness, lack of sleep, inability to concentrate, lack of desire to socialize, and lack of interest in things you once enjoyed, among other symptoms.

If you are feeling depressed, it is important to surround yourself with things that make you feel happy.  At Relationship Center of Albuquerque, we can help you overcome feelings of depression and enjoy the things that once made you happy again.