C. Messenger, Ph.D. Child Psychotherapist, Orlando, Florida
Charlene, Ph.D.
Child/School Psychologist
Florida
As people globally are adjusting to the unprecedented and tumultuous new reality brought by COVID-19, many are struggling with the swift, unforeseen impact on both the economical-financial and the emotional-social aspects of their lives. This is true for both people who have directly lived through the anguish of the disease itself and those experiencing the shockwaves of agonizing loss and despair. With this in mind, I want to offer my endorsement of an experienced mental-health therapist who has made this her specialty: Adult Life Transitions.
I have known Ms. Wyles as a professional colleague and later as a personal friend for 30 years. During that time, I have witnessed firsthand not only her increasingly specialized training and extraordinary healing abilities, but also her application of the skills to her own life cycles which, like all of us, include loss and grief as well as joy and success.
Ms. Wyles' educational degrees and training certificates cannot fully convey the "real-life" aspect of her holistic, yet highly individualized approach. Allow me to list and describe some of the professional Services she offers, including their true impact.
- Counselor Educator: This degree is designed to educate other Counselors, both those at the beginning of their college instruction and experienced therapists needing more specifically designed training. In this sense, Ms. Wyles rejuvenates the healers, guides the Counselors, and helps restore and improve all clients.
- Grief Recovery: I personally dislike this term because it does not reflect the torment of suffering and depth of heartache, we go through with the loss of a loved one, or even loss of the person we remember as we witness their mental and emotional declines after trauma. The word grief does not seem big enough to me to explain the heart that tears apart again and again at just the thought of the cherished loved one who is lost. Thus, I will point out that Verniece herself has experienced first-hand her own profound grief with the accidental death of her only son, a young adult, some 15 years ago. Working with Ms. Wyles, you will benefit not only from her outstanding post-graduate training, but also from her deep compassion and personal insight.
- Career Development: Even though this is of course the correct term for the service, I again want something more profound that will reflect the devastation of suddenly losing your livelihood, your dreams of future accomplishments, your ability to provide the basic needs and occasional special surprises for your loved ones. Verniece can guide you when so much more than your "career" has been taken away from you.
- PTSD: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder has a long history of being misunderstood, ranging from "shell shock" in early wars to more recent events culminating in suicide as well as other manifestations of anxiety and depression. COVID-19 has been stressful for all of us and traumatic for many. But for those with near-death experiences and front-line health workers agonizing day-after-day, it has been totally devastating, with many verbalizing, "I will never be the same".
- Mental Health/Wellness: Here, we could cluster many issues ranging from Personal Development to Life Transitions. When life throws you a curve ball, or you just want to make some changes to improve your life, Ms. Wyles can help you clarify your goals, envision your future and guide you how to get there.
- Engrained Patterns: While related to PTSD, which results from sudden or repeated onset of a major trauma, this area is more defined by the life-long patterns of negativity and bad choices, often starting from early childhood abuse, not just physical, but often more toxically mental or emotional abuse or neglect.
Given the wide range of issues that fall under the umbrella of Adult Life Transitions, I have been most impressed with Ms. Wyles' ability to integrate mind, body and spirit, while remaining focused on specific problem areas that need the most work and attention. This, then, leads to a review of the tools Verniece uses to facilitate such dramatic life transitions.
Foremost is her gift of Compassionate Experience, which many people perceive as highly developed intuition. Her insights and advice often seem to "come out of the blue" while working with a client. Other important and well aligned tools include EMDR, Color, Sound/Music, Therapeutic Touch, Stress Management and Visualization.
With polls showing that at least half of Americans believe COVID-19 and its associated struggles have affected their mental health, it is an honor to recommend Ms. Verniece Wyles' Adult Life Transition counseling via both personal and virtual sessions. Ms. Wyles' work with mind-body-spirit is much appreciated not only by her clients, but her professional colleagues as well.
Sincerely, Charlene Messenger, PhD.
Child/School Psychologist