Are You Ready to Learn, Grow, Feel Better?
Practical Therapeutic Support for Improved Living and Relating
Specializing in Families with Exceptional Children, Aging,
Culturally Diverse and Blended Couples/Families
Therapy for Change LLC
1200 High Ridge Road
Stamford, CT 06905
Diane Ferber, AMFT, School Psychologist
YOU are the expert of your life: As a therapist,
my goal is to help you facilitate positive adaptation,
growth and change in your life within a safe,
solution focused environment. Leveraging your own strengths and competencies, I will seek to support you in meeting challenges, discovering what gets you stuck, and handling the stress in your life. My approach is both personalized and systemic. Using a variety of science based theories and methods, I work with individuals, families and groups to develop greater individual differentiation, better relationships and improved communication patterns. I believe that families and individuals can become better at change, expanding their repertoire of positive coping strategies; responding and not reacting.
In addition to a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy, I hold a Masters and Advanced Certificate in School Psychology, providing me with additional understanding of child and adolescent development - and the disruption that comes from even expected family life-cycle changes. I understand the special considerations and family impact of children with unique learning, social and/or emotional styles. I also have a special interest in supporting families through decisions and challenges facing families as we live longer.
I have a business degree and have worked in large corporation and small offices, providing me with an understanding of professional life changes, navigating tricky work environments, and balancing work and home demands. My style is open, accepting, insightful, and supportive.
Sooyeon Lee-Garland, Ph.D. Candidate, LMFT
Exploring the Self in relation to others: I believe
that people are relational beings. We continue to
strive to be congruent with our authentic Selves
and still be available to others who are significant to us.
We live in a society with overflowing information and enormous demands from others, creating confusion and often putting us in a defensive mode in which we seek to win emotional battles without losing sense of who we are.
As we go through various life transition phases, dealing with different types of turmoil, we face tasks and challenges until reaching for an equilibrium point. Specifically, during the teenage years when one develops ones’ identity, many kids struggle with inner conflicts: One part is full of confidence wanting to exercise autonomy, and the other part seeks approval and a place to belong. Researchers have identified that “being different” from the majority of peers is one of the main factors in bullying. Transracial adoptees and children of immigrant parents are especially vulnerable, and report perceived discriminated experiences which negatively impact their mental health. As a Korean immigrant married to a White American, I have a special interest and passion in working with those individuals who feel lonely and socially disconnected through frequent “otherness” or “outsider” experiences. I also coach interracial couples in strengthening their emotional bonds and navigating culturally diverse families.
I am currently completing my doctoral dissertation on the topic of challenges and resilience among biracial individuals in relation to transnational activities in current globalized societies. I also provide clinical supervision to student interns and postgraduate clinicians as an AAMFT approved supervisor, and I teach several courses in the MFT Master’s program at Fairfield University.
Who We Are
Areas of Specialty
Marital and Pre-Marital
Traditional couples counseling, LGBTQ relationships, extended families.
Self-Esteem and Reactivity
Reactivity or cut offs within a family, feelings of not being worthy, lovable, capable, enough.
Grief or Trauma
Death, health challenges, and other significant losses; complex bereavement; trauma and and PTSD. The unexpected.
Families with Children, Adolescents
Families with new babies; rebelling adolescents; children leaving home; children with special needs or unique social, emotional or learning styles; families divorcing; blended families through remarriage.
Exceptional People
Learning differences, academic struggles, social skills challenges, ADD, test anxiety, social anxiety.
Racially or Culturally Complex Families
Navigating diversity through relationships, marriage and/or adoption.
Aging adults and families making care decisions.
Aging Adults, Parents
About Therapy for Change LLC
If you are stuck, repeating non-productive patterns, or just struggling with changes small or large, let us support your problem solving and self-awareness.
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We believe in the process of encouraged and strength-based lasting change.
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We know that you and your family have your own stories, patterns, roles, culture and influences, and we approach our work with openness and curiosity.
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We have competency in both traditional linear psychotherapeutic methods as well as family systems methods. We are able to customize our approach using a strong foundation of science based foundations, including CBT, Bowen, Narrative, Strategic and Structural Therapy.
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We have sensitivity to your own stories of culture, gender, religion, race, nationality, income, sexual identity/preference issues. We have specific expertise in all ages groups, spanning children, young adults, middle life and the elderly, and a knowledge of regional resources for collaboration when appropriate.
Diane Ferber
Sooyeon Lee-Garland
Therapy for Change LLC
Let's Get Started.
Let's Start wit a Free Consultation.
We believe in importance of a therapist and client being a good "fit." For this reason, we offer each client a free consultation of 15 minutes to understand what is going on, and answer questions about us. If we are a fit, we will schedule our first 50 minute session. If not, we will provide you with a list of other resources in the area. We want you to have the best, appropriate support.
We Are Committed to Providing Value.
We want you get the most from your time in therapy, with a serious focus toward meeting your personal goals. Please plan at least 4 sessions to start. Sliding scale fees are available; requests for discounted rates may be made in cases of financial hardship.
Fee for sessions are due at time of service and are payable via cash, check, and Venmo (please note limits of confidentiality of online payments). We can work with many insurance plans on an out of network basis.
Phone
Address
203-403-2089
1200 High Ridge Road, Stamford, CT 06905
1506 Post Road, Fairfield, CT 06824