Hi. I’m Deborah Spiegel MT-BC, CCHt. When you make an appointment with me, we will discuss your individual needs and how my methods apply to you. We’ll discuss your goals and objectives, set priorities, and together make a plan of action. Helping you (or your child) meet your goals is my priority.
Click on the tabs above to read details about the toolkit of therapeutic processes we will draw from to assist you in discovering and working with your Inner Wisdom to change your life.
I draw from many tools to support you in your sessions.
Hypnotherapy & Guided Imagery
to assist you in discovering and working with your Inner Wisdom to change your life.
Years ago I was teaching violin lessons to supplement my music therapy practice. My neighbor asked me if I would trade violin lessons for her son in exchange for her giving me hypnotherapy sessions. I thought “No way! I don’t want anyone messing with my mind thank you very much.” But I decided to try it.
I found her interactive form of hypnotherapy (and still do) to be the most powerful personal growth process I have ever done, and believe me I have done a lot. I signed up for the training the next week to learn how to do it myself to help people. (I will describe the process in greater detail below.) I became a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist and Certified Alchemical Hypnotherapist in 1989.
This process changed my life. I also found that it filled in all the gaps for me in doing imagery work as a music therapist.
By filling the underlying basic need in the subconscious mind
we can find resolution.
How does this work?
As you may know, we learn habits of behavior and patterns of emotional response based upon past events. A current event triggers an old response pattern. Often the current presenting issue is being influenced by past experiences and wounds that haven’t been healed. Like updating the software on your personal computer, we can reprogram the subconscious mind to provide the nurturing, support and wisdom necessary for self- empowerment and the creation of a joyful, fulfilling life.
This can include:
Conferencing with all the different parts of yourself that have a different and maybe even opposing opinion or view on a particular goal you have set (such as losing weight, smoking cessation, being in a relationship…)
Solutions come from the wisdom within you.
All suggestions for change come directly from your own subconscious mind.
You’ll build nurturing inner resources that you can continue to use on your own after the sessions are completed,
not reliant of the therapist.
This interactive form of hypnotherapy is also known as Alchemical Hypnotherapy”, or “Alchemy”, meaning transformation- transforming the base metal of our emotional wounds into the gold of resolution.
Example:
This is edited to protect the client.
Something is wrong with me. I have a knot in my stomach and I feel my body collapse in on itself. Like a starved and wounded animal I curl up in a ball of protection from the threat.
Deborah, who has guided me into this memory from when I was 8, asks me to become the child and tell my parents how I feel and what I need from them. I tell them I’m feeling shy, scared, and alone, and like there must be something wrong with me. I want them to teach me and support me and tell me I’m ok.
But they aren’t able to. This is such a hopeless moment! In my experience, they don’t care! I am doomed to be shy and powerless.
And then the miracle happens. Deborah invites me to meet my inner parents, parents that love me unconditionally and know just the right things to say and do to make me feel special, loved and supported.
I feel my little child body sitting in the lap of a loving inner father. I feel his strong warm arms around me and hear his tender words telling me to keep my chin up and that he is here for me always. I feel my inner mother’s sweet kisses all over my face as she tells me how special I am, that I’m perfect just the way I am. I experience my inner parents taking me by the hand and showing me how to climb out from under the table I’m hiding under because I feel so shy and unsafe, and teaching me how to come out and take action, with them having my back.
Then Deborah suggests I imagine becoming my future adult self, and I experience myself able to speak confidently in front of hundreds of people. I feel strength in my body. I’m so confident! I’m standing up straight and open. I feel competent and empowered.
It’s many years later now, and guess what’s one of the things I do for a living? I speak in front of large groups of people and I feel totally at ease while doing it!
What about you?
We all carry around inner wounds. I help other people to have the same type of transformational experience as I did – the experience of finally healing, filling underlying subconscious needs, and finding resolution… My purpose is to make a difference.
Recognition of Hypnotherapy by the AMA
The American Medical Association (AMA) has officially recognized hypnosis as a valuable and beneficial treatment as applied and used since 1958. In “Psychotherapy” magazine (Volume 7, Number 1), various types of techniques were listed and profiled in a review of relevant literature by Alfred A. Barrios, PhD. In the above quoted text, the techniques that proved to generate the greatest success in providing lasting change were the following (listed in order of success rate):
Treatment Success Rates
Hypnosis — 93% recovery after 6 sessions (approx. 1 1/2 months @ 1 session per week).
Behavior Therapy — 72% after 22 sessions (approx. 6 months @ 1 session per week).
Psychotherapy — 38% recovery after 600 sessions (approx. 11 1/2 yrs @ 1 session per week).
Source: Psychotherapy Magazine, Volume 7, Number 1, as stated by Alfred A. Barrios, PhD
Processing of personal & professional issues can include such things as:
Resolution to issues you have with clients, co-workers, friends, family
Coping with stress, anxiousness, anger
Changing behavioral patterns
Healing emotional wounds
Overcoming traumatic experiences
Experiencing richer relationships
Gaining confidence
Ending self sabotage
Feeling greater self love
Communication skills…
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“Working with Deborah has been very powerful. I have worked with a variety of therapists over the years in an attempt to resolve old traumas and lesson their impact on my adult life. I’ve tried talk therapy and EMDR. While I learned a lot through these other processes, I never experience relief from the emotional suffering I continued to experience. After my first session with Deborah, I noticed substantial relief of my symptoms. I intend to continue my work with Deborah so that I might experience true emotional freedom.”
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Start by scheduling a FREE 15 minute conversation
to discuss how I can help you and determine if this is right for you. Click below.
DBT: Practical Life Skills
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT®) is a cutting edge, well researched, therapy model created by Dr. Marsha Linehan. Its use has expanded from mental health settings to schools, prisons, addiction centers, and more.
DBT teaches skills in the areas of mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. These skills are useful to anyone. DBT utilizes a balance of acceptance and change.
When you learn and practice these practical life skills you can find yourself implementing them when you need them the most.
Integrating DBT skills into your life can provide effective tools for:
Mindful living and self-awareness
Coping with stress, getting through difficult times
Interpersonal interactions, communication skills
Emotion regulation strategies
In my sessions with you, (or your child), I can teach practical life skills in an engaging way with the use of music activities and original songs.
I was first introduced to DBT when I worked as a Clinical Therapist at the Colorado Mental Health Institute in Pueblo, Colorado. I worked on the adolescent unit, providing music therapy for the patients. I received training in DBT, co-led DBT skills groups with the psychologist, and led my own DBT skills groups.
Being a music therapist, I found myself using music to teach the skills in my DBT groups, and later reinforcing the DBT skills in my music therapy groups.
This led me to write a book called Music Activities & More for Teaching DBT Skills and Enhancing Any Therapy. It was published by Authorhouse in 2010.
My passion for integrating DBT with music therapy also led to the creation an entire training for music therapists on using DBT in their music therapy, and to spearheading some research on the effectiveness of the combination.
Music Therapy
Integrates with other modalities for powerful results.
Music and music activities are used to reach therapeutic goals that are non musical, such as:
- Self-expression
- Stress reduction
- Improve self-esteem
- Emotion Regulation
- Distress Tolerance
- Mindfulness
- Interpersonal Effectiveness
- Learning
- Anchor skills into memory
- Impulse control
- Health benefits
Music therapy is multi-sensory, is motivating, is engaging, and its fun!
Research in music therapy supports its effectiveness in many areas.
As defined by the American Music Therapy Association:
“Music Therapy is an established health profession which is clinical and evidence-based. Music is used within a therapeutic relationship to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals.
After assessing the strengths and needs of each client, the qualified music therapist provides the indicated treatment including creating, singing, moving to, and/or listening to music. Through musical involvement in the therapeutic context, clients’ abilities are strengthened and transferred to other areas of their lives. “
How did I get started?
I always knew that I wanted to do music with children. When music therapy came to my school, (Colorado State University), I jumped right on board. I have spent since 1976 as a credentialed music therapist, working with a variety of ages and needs to support individuals in reaching their particular goals.
When I worked at the Colorado Mental Health Institute I was introduced to and learned about DBT (see DBT tab). I worked there for 11 years. Since then I have had a passion for and specialization in working with mental health using music therapy. I specialize in DBT informed Music Therapy and am author of Creative DBT Activities Using Music, published in 2020 by Jessica Kingsley.
I also provide online continuing education classes for professional music therapists to support them with new ideas and strategies and in earning required continuing education credits to maintain their Board Certified Music Therapist credentials.
Start by scheduling a FREE 15 minute conversation to discuss how I can help you and determine if this is right for you. Click below.
What People are Saying
” I find myself making healthier choices without really thinking about it. And my energy is not taking a dive in the afternoon;Amazing! I can hardly wait for my next session!” Retta C. Health Professional
“Learning to “tap into” the subconscious mind for support and guidance. I feel much “freer” and less overwhelmed, and I therefore feel as though I have more energy to give to my clients at work.” Amy H., Therapist
“I’ve already experienced an increased amount of mental clarity with this type of subconscious work which has been beneficial in all aspects of my life.” Diane W., Housekeeper
“My partner and I are still together after 20 years. We met right after the session I did with you on imagining my perfect mate! That meeting changed my life. I am forever grateful. Anthony Bogart, Health and Yoga Specialist
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“Working with Deborah has been very powerful. I have worked with a variety of therapists over the years in an attempt to resolve old traumas and lesson their impact on my adult life. I’ve tried talk therapy and EMDR. While I learned a lot through these other processes, I never experience relief from the emotional suffering I continued to experience. After my first session with Deborah, I noticed substantial relief of my symptoms. I intend to continue my work with Deborah so that I might experience true emotional freedom.”
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“I can’t believe this! I had a session on my addiction to sugar last week, a week before Halloween. I made it all the way through Halloween without even wanting a piece of candy!” Joanne V. Educator
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“Deborah Spiegel has provided invaluable treatment for adolescents as a Music Therapist. She has often been able to assist teens with healing from traumas and finding/developing inner strength to address their treatment. Further, she is a skilled DBT group leader. ” Deborah Pool LCSW, Social Worker
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“My children both had hypnotherapy sessions with Deborah. My daughter was having behavior problems in her classroom that stopped right away. Her teacher commented on the change. My son had a fear that was addressed and the sessions helped him overcome that fear and take action in a way we never expected. I recommend this work.” Parent of 2 children
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“I recently had some sessions with Deborah. One of the things I wanted help with is that I was feeling misunderstood, left out, disconnected, and like nobody cared. In my session I was introduced to my nurturing inner mother. It felt as if she was a real person right there with me. I felt overwhelmingly cared for and acknowledged. I felt she was genuinely interested in me and my life, acknowledging and validated my likes and interests and even shared my interests. I felt appreciated and loved and valued. That feeling of security, worth and belonging is still with me.
How it’s helped me in my life is that when I’m in a stressful situation that brings up insecurities I can feel her (my inner mother) with me. It calms me down and I feel a self worth equal to anyone else, so I can relate to other people from confidence and security instead of inadequacy and insecurity. It helps me step forward when I used to hold back.” Michael S.- Mechanic
Start by scheduling a FREE 15 minute conversation to discuss how I can help you and determine if this is right for you. Click below.
Now, Jessica Kingsley Publishers has published a new version of this book, with a self-help section in it. It’s called 