Becky Hellwig, LCSW
Hi there, and welcome! A bit about me; I am a LCSW (NC, ME, FL), LMSW (MI), and LICSW (VT) who has been in the mental health field for over 12 years now! I am the owner of Phoenix Rising and a psychotherapist. I use she/her pronouns.
I believe we each have our own journeys in life, and mine has brought me to this place. I have both a bachelors and masters degree in clinical social work from Michigan State University (go green!), a post grad certificate in sex therapy from the University of Michigan (still, go green!), and a post grad certificate in rehabilitation counseling from Utah State University (last time, I swear… go green!). I have been lucky enough to work in a number of different settings, which include inpatient psychiatric care, community mental health, and vocational rehab on top of my experiences with outpatient therapy.
My practice is a safe and welcoming place for all people seeking healing and support. I am LGBTQ and kink friendly, commited to Anti-Racism, and work with survivors of sexual assault and trauma.
I do not currently work with individuals who are seeking treatment surrounding engaging in sexual behaviors with a non-consenting partner, or who have been convicted of a CSC. I am not specialized in this treatment, and have a list of providers in the Lansing area who I can refer you to if this is what you are seeking treatment for.
I am highly trained and specialize in several unique areas of psychotherapy. I am in the process of pursuing Linehan Board Certification for DBT, and my sex therapist designation. I am always looking for more trainings, new ways of growing professionally, and to keep up with the latest in the field.
Trauma, Incest, and CPTSD
This is a highly specialized area, and it is important to make sure that you seek someone who has training in the treatment of trauma and incest. Not all trauma treatments or providers are the same, and one of the most important things you can look for is someone who you feel safe with. I have an integrative approach to trauma, including utitilizing skills from DBT, Seeking Safety, Prolonged Exposure Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Psychodynamic Theory, Emotionally Focused Therapy, Mindfulness Therapy, and Polyvagal Nerve Theory.
Incest is on it’s own level of treatment. Incest typically results in CPTSD which is more pervasive and impacts each aspect of a person’s life. It can make trust and relationships even harder, feelings of safety non-existant, and brings additional factors to the table. I am specialized in the treatment of incest, including parent child incest, sibling incest, and other family member incest.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
DBT has become quite the buzzword in the therapy community lately. It is important as a client, to know what you are looking for and what services you are getting. Therapy can be DBT Informed, meaning someone takes and uses aspects of DBT, or Comprehensive DBT which means it includes the following 4 components:
- Individual therapy – this meets once a week, and follows a specific structure designed with targets and goals in mind. Your therapist should discuss this with you at the beginning of treatment.
- Skills Training – this can be individually or in a group. It typically lasts a year, and you will go through 3 of the 4 skills modules twice (except for Mindfulness, which you get in between each module and way more than 2 times!).
- Skills coaching – your therapist is on call to help you with learning and applying your skills outside of therapy. This may look differently depending on the therapist, but the main concept is YOU HAVE ACCESS to your therapist for coaching in between sessions.
- Consultation – your therapist is required to attend a DBT Consultation team meeting weekly. This is the component that gets missed most often, and is also one of the most important components! This is support, problem solving, education, and continuing adherence to the model for your therapist.
It is important you know that you have the right to ask about any of the above components, your therapist’s training in DBT, and feel confident in their education, experience, and training. For more information, see my page under Resources.
Sex Therapy
It is not uncommon for individuals to struggle with their sexuality at times during their lives. It may be a low desire, mismatched desires in a relationship, or healing from sexual trauma. I am here to help guide you and work with you on these issues, providing support, education, and psychotherapy designed to target the issues and help you meet your goals.
I have received a certificate in sex therapy through the University of Michigan, and am a PhD student in Clinical Sexology through the Modern Sex Therapy Institute. I am always learning, researching and advancing sexual health awareness.
LGBTQ, Alternate Sexuality, and AntiRacist Safety
While it saddens me to even have to say this, I do want to make it 100% clear that I am LGBTQ and alternate sexuality/lifestyles friendly, and have committed myself to being anti-racist in all of my practices and policies. I work with individuals who are poly, live in the kink lifestyle, and am committed to ensuring a safe and welcoming place for all people.