Richelle Derfus, MSW, LISW, CADC, CCTP offers psychotherapy services for adults 18 and over in Cedar Rapids, IA.
Richelle is licensed in the state of Iowa as an Independent Social Worker and Board Certified as an Alcohol and Drug Counselor. She is also a certified Clinical Trauma Professional and is a Certified EMDR Therapist through the EMDR International Association.
Areas of expertise include:
- Recovery from child abuse
- Recovery from sexual assault
- PTSD
- Eating Disorders, including Anorexia, Bulimia, and Binge Eating Disorder
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Coming to terms with sexual orientation, and LGBT issues
- Substance use disorders
Richelle has a Master's Degree in Social Work from St. Ambrose University and received her Bachelor's Degree in Social Work from the University of Iowa. She uses strength-based counseling and believes in empowering clients to make the best choices for their own life path.
Richelle is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional and has is certified in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), which is a first line of treatment for trauma. EMDR is a form of psychotherapy that incorporates the use of eye movements and positive thoughts to help clients reprocesses traumatic memories. These memories tend to get "stuck" and oftentimes have not been processed normally due to the high degree of distress experienced. EMDR gets these memories "unstuck" and able to be processed in a safe environment. EMDR is also effective in the treatment of anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, and complicated grief. For more information on EMDR, see the EMDR international association.
Other modalities are eclectic based on clients' needs and include client centered therapy, which focuses on the client's goals; cognitive behavioral therapy which helps to identify beliefs that are no longer working, and incorporate new beliefs about oneself; ego state therapy (often called "parts work", which helps clients identify and work through conflicts within themselves; and interpersonal therapy.
Most insurances are accepted.
Click on "Contact Information" for a map and directions to the office.
