Desert Streams Counseling

Amanda Grace is a Licensed Professional Counselor who offers high-quality counseling for anxiety, stress, resilience, and mindful living. Amanda helps individuals aged 19 to 90 live more skillfully, make better decisions, and find their purpose in all situations.

Dr. Deane S. Berson, M.D. has over thirty-five years of private practice in Colorado Springs working with all ages, individuals, couples, and families. He does not follow the trend among most psychiatrists to largely prescribe medicine(s) and do little if any therapy with the patient (though they sometimes recommend the patient receive therapy elsewhere). Dr. Berson views medicine as usually a last resort and therapy as usually the first resort. If Dr. Berson is to help a person learn how to replace pills with skills, he must first get to know that person. This is accomplished by having fifty minute meetings with them, usually once a week. When necessary he will prescribe medicine but only in the context of therapy. Like good detectives, the patient and Dr. Berson team up to learn how to track the patients difficulties to their cause. For example, consider the student who believes she is a failure if she gets any grade lower than an A. If she gets a B, she may well (generate chemicals in such a way as to) feel depressed. Through therapy she can learn that her worth and future are not determined by that one B. She can learn that probably for years she has unintentionally caused herself needless depression and anxiety by believing the excessive scoldings coming from within whenever she fell short of her all-or-nothing standards. In his experience, once people learn to identify and shed their self-defeating ways of thinking and acting, the great majority are no longer depressed, anxious, fearful, etc. Any presumed chemical imbalance (if it existed at all) is gone because people are no longer thinking and acting in ways that (generate the chemicals that) cause them to feel depressed and anxious.

After completing an addiction treatment program at an inpatient rehab center, you will likely need some continued support as you proceed into life on your own in recovery. However, you may not be able to commit to living in an alcohol and drug rehab center for 90 days. To better meet you where you are, we provide an intensive outpatient program in Colorado Springs that addresses the unique needs of individuals who are recovering from alcohol and drug addiction. Nova’s Colorado Springs IOP offers high-quality recovery support with the flexibility to attend school and work, or maintain other life obligations. Our Colorado Springs IOP meets three times a week at a convenient and safe location, or online through our virtual sessions. Within this clinical setting, we will provide additional substance abuse education, as well as time to explore personal issues and practice life skills in recovery.