Joy Miller & Associates is a premier private practice with a "Proven Tradition of Excellence in Counseling and Wellness" serving the Peoria area for over 40 years.
RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS, RELATIONSHIP WITH YOURSELF, ADDICTIONS, WOMEN'S HEALTH, MEN'S HEALTH, POSITIVE PARENTING, CONSULTING AND COACHING
Women's Health
Post-Partum Depression:
Welcoming a child into the world is a powerful experience that can be accompanied by a range of emotions. Besides excitement and happiness, you may also experience anxiety, fear or even depression. Our therapists can help you overcome the "baby blues" and get back to enjoying your growing family.
Dating:
Whether you're lacking confidence or are confused by the seemingly ever-changing rules of the dating game, our therapists can help you gain the confidence you need to put yourself out there and create a new stage in your life.
Addictive or Codependent Relationships:
Relationship issues are one of the most common concerns of clients in therapy. Many people are limited by poor communication skills, inappropriate caretaking, repeating patterns of choosing destructive partners, or lack of boundaries. Our therapists can help you discover healthy mechanisms for creating healthy relationships through therapy.
Biological Clock:
Are you feeling the pressure of your biological clock "ticking?" Aging can cause you to feel nervous, overwhelmed and anxious. Our therapists can help you manage these feelings and embrace the next stage of your life.
Body Image:
Most American women don't like their appearance. Recent surveys suggest that anywhere from 55 to an alarming 90 percent of women indicate some level of distaste for their physical appearance, regardless of whether they are overweight or underweight. Eating disorders don't affect only women, today we are seeing a rise in the cases of eating disorders in young boys and men. Our therapists can help you learn to create a healthy image inside and out.
Menopause:
Even though it is a natural biological process, the physical and emotional changes that accompany menopause can cause confusion, fear and anxiety. Our therapists can help normalize this life transition so that you emerge happy, healthy and vital.
Hormones:
Are you feeling anxious, stressed, overwhelmed or depressed and you don't know why? Hormone imbalance could be the culprit. Slight hormonal changes can make you feel off-balance, and we can help you get back on track. Our therapists can help you coordinate care with your primary care physician or integrative physician to find inner balance.
Cancer:
Being diagnosed with cancer or another terminal illness is traumatizing for the person receiving the diagnosis, as well as those close to them. Whether you're having difficulty dealing with a diagnosis or need guidance on the sometimes challenging process of knowing how to offer comfort and support, our therapists can help you cope with your own grief and support your loved one.
Self Esteem:
It's hard to define, but women struggle to feel confident in today's ever changing world. Our therapists will help you build your own individuality and connect with your achievement to build a healthy self-respect and confidence.
Assertiveness
There is a difference between aggressiveness and assertiveness. Knowing what you want and need is only one element of assertiveness. Our therapists will help you define your boundaries and assist you with setting healthy limits and methods of feeling safe to speak from your heart.
Abuse (Mental, Physical or Sexual)
Over one million people are abused each year, and the numbers are growing. Many suffer in silence, and are afraid to tell their story. Those who have been abused many times never reach out for help. Our therapists have skills to help you find your way through the painful hold of abuse and create the life you want free of guilt, shame and anger.
Anxiety:
Just like eating or sleeping, anxiety is a normal part of life. Under the "right" cir****stances, anxiety can be beneficial because it motivates us to take action. Faced with an unexpected or unfamiliar challenge, the feeling of anxiety prepares us for the upcoming event. Our therapists can teach you the skills you need to minimize your anxiety and find a life that is balanced and serene.
Infertility
Approximately 10-15 % of couples struggle with infertility. Our therapists will help you navigate the emotional struggles and challenges. Together we will help you coordinate care with your primary care physician and help you conquer the emotional aspect and offer support and guidance.
Caregiving for Aging Parents:
Today's women are caught between generations and many times are caring not only for their own children, but also caring for their aging parents. Sandwiched between generations women feel trapped and drained by the demands of helping those around them. Our therapists will help you find the balance you need to find the gentle path to caring for yourself and others without losing your way.
Men's Health
Relationships:
One of the toughest things a guy can hear is "we need to go to counseling." Stereotypes abound about what counseling means. Our therapists can help you find practical, sensible advice, and down-to-earth ways to improve relationships without sacrificing your Y chromosome.
"Manning-Up":
Society has sent mixed messages to men, on the one hand telling them to "man-up" and on the other hand have expectations that are not realistic. "Manning-Up" helps you celebrate your maleness and not sacrifice it to be a good partner, a good boss or employee, a good father, and a good person. Our therapists can help you find your path and purpose.
Dating & Sex:
Whether you're lacking the confidence needed to date or you are confused about the seemingly ever-changing rules of the game in dating and sex, our therapists can help you discover healthy ways to feel confident, prepared and ready for the dating world.
Parenting:
Fatherhood is a tremendous gift and a tremendous challenge. Counseling can help you cultivate and develop your parenting skills and manage the different stages of development that you and your kids experience over time. Being a dad is one of your greatest investments, and our therapists can help maximize the return.
Health & Fitness:
Finding ways to make time or have the motivation to enhance and protect your health can be a big challenge in a busy life. Health and fitness includes exercise and nutrition, but it also contains self-care, meditation, stress management, and living a life consistent with your values and priorities. Our therapists can help you create the balanced life you desire.
Performance:
Men look for ways to be the best at everything they do. Our therapists can help you be your best and enhance your skills, purpose, and abilities, which leads to a more gratifying life.
Divorce:
Though difficult and sometimes painful, divorce does not have to be the end of your life. Our therapist can help you work through the practical and emotional elements of recovery so you can find health and happiness.
Work-Life Balance:
In today's frenzied world of 60-hour work weeks, celebrating workaholism, over-scheduled family activities, and constant change finding balance in life can often seem like the ultimate challenge. Our therapists can help you cut through the noise and find a balance. We'll help discover ways to devote time, energy and resources to the things that are most important in your life.
Awareness:
Self-awareness is the key ingredient for confidence and is an essential component in achieving goals. Our therapists possess both the tools and the training to help enhance your self-awareness so that you can move towards the best version of you.
Positive Parenting
Autism:
Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are characterized by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and repetitive behavior. It is critical for parents and families to learn the early signs of ASD and become familiar with age-appropriate developmental milestones and targeted timeframes for these milestones to be achieved. Our therapists can assist you and your family in addressing the complex issues that arise from a child exhibiting symptoms of ASD.
ADHD:
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a commonly occurring phenomenon in today's society. Symptoms may include extreme amounts of seemingly endless energy, the complete lack of ability to maintain focus, or a combination of both. Children and adults can be affected by the disorder, impacting their lives across multiple settings. Our therapists can assist you and your family in creating and reinforcing a positive, structured environment to manage symptoms.
Bullying:
Is someone constantly picking on your child? Is your child being aggressive towards other children? Is this happening to someone your child knows? Our therapists can assist you and your family in understanding bullying and steps you can take to eliminate the imbalance of power in your child's relationships.
Boundaries:
Who is in charge at your house? Who is the parent and who is the child? If these answers are not clear, you and your family may benefit from working with our therapists to develop clearly defined, healthy boundaries to ensure the safety, health, and well-being for each member of your family.
Building Resilience:
Children today face a myriad of challenges that can have a significant impact on their development and progression into adulthood. Our therapists can assist you and your child in developing skills to effectively navigate these challenges and provide them with skills to maintain a healthy self esteem in the face of adversity.
Blended Families:
There are many different types of family compositions today, each of which brings a special set of cir****stances that can impact parent-child relationships. Our therapists can assist you in addressing these cir****stances to maintain healthy relationships.
Discipline:
For every choice your child makes, there is a consequence. Good choices equates with good results, while poor choices receive negative responses. Our therapists can assist you in establishing a healthy system for reinforcing positive choices and redirecting negative choices in a manner that is safe for you and your family.
Teens:
Who is this person living in your house and what have they done with your child? Living with, and parenting, teenagers can be a trying time. Our therapists possess the knowledge and skills to assist you and your family in successfully navigating this transitional period.
School:
Are you still smarter than a 5th grader? Homework battles leaving war wounds on your kitchen table? Our therapists can assist you and your family in developing appropriate guidelines for coping with educational issues and strategies for maintaining a healthy work-school-home life balance.
Single Parenthood:
Parenting a child is difficult, and having sole responsibility can further impact your ability to successfully launch your child into being a productive, independent, functioning member of society. Our therapists can assist you in developing appropriate skills to establish and reinforce a structured, consistent, nurturing environment for you and your family, ensuring that you are not alone.
Family Therapy:
Conflict is a natural part of life as children test adults and challenge limits. Our therapists are trained to assist you and your family by providing a neutral, safe environment in which to address age-appropriate roles, rules, expectations and consequences for each member of the household.
Parent Training:
Children do not come with instruction manuals or a guide for troubleshooting problematic issues. Our therapists can assist you in developing new and improved means of managing household issues, developing and reinforcing age-appropriate structure and routines, and provide you with the skills to effectively parent your children.
Consulting and Coaching
Job Change:
Today's business climate is characterized by job and career changes. Clients can benefit from the assistance of a consultant to determine the best path for them and find employment that is consistent with their strengths and needs. Our consultants are here to help you navigate a positive change.
Performance Enhancement:
Becoming the best version of you and reaching your potential in what you do is the goal of every top performer. Whether it is performance at work or sport, top performers seek consultants to achieve their goals. We're here to help you be your best self.
Career Planning:
Having a plan for your career is essential to your success. A consultant can help identify opportunities and obstacles, so clients can map-out a strategy about where they want to go and how they can get there. Our consultants can help you find your pathway to success.
Organizational Development:
Businesses and institutions are systems, and the goal of a consultant is to facilitate change to improve the health and function of that system by focusing on the processes, problems and people embedded in that system. Our consultant facilitates and acts as a change agent with work groups and individuals to improve the overall health of the organization.
Change Management:
Many people are resistant to change and afraid of anything that is new and different, but, organizations need to evolve to thrive and succeed in the modern global world. Our consultants can help a company facilitate change while remaining focused on employee retention and morale.
Managing Performance:
Employers often struggle with the best approaches for managing employee performance. Because the hiring decision is such a great investment, managing performance to help an employee reach their potential costs less than dismissing employees and initiating a new search for good candidates. Employers want to protect their investment. Our consultants can help busy managers focus on their own expertise, as well as utilize the human relations expertise of the consultant to improve performance.
Soft Skills Training:
Many organizations recognize that "soft skills training" is both essential to productive business and lacking inside their organizations. Our consultants will help deploy these skills for effective relationship management. Conflict prevention enhances the performance of the individual, team and business; promotes retention; increases morale; and drives sales and service.
Management & Leadership:
Are you as effective of a manager as you want to be? Do you need to sharpen your leadership skills to take the next step in your career? If so, our consultants can help cultivate and sharpen those skills so you can take that next step into a bigger office.
Athletes & Teams:
Every successful athlete and team utilizes a "head coach" in order to manage the mental side of every game. If you want to be your best on the field, ice, or court, team up with one of our consultants who help you master the mental side of your game.
