Midge Harris, MS, LPC
e-mail: midgeh@charter.net  Phone: 608-233-3037 ext. 2

I have been practicing for nineteen years and have been in private practice for fourteen.  I received my Master's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and I have had sixteen years of experience working on a wide variety of clinical issues in different settings.  

As a therapist I believe life is about changes, both good and bad. Some changes we have control over and some we do not.  Changes involve choices. Giving yourself a choice gives you control over change--it can even make some changes enjoyable. Many people get stuck when choices need to be made and need help getting unstuck.  That is what therapy is about.

I work with a number of different populations:

Counseling with Adults:  In this day and age adults are trying to cope with problems that were often never experienced by their parents. I offer specialty treatment in areas including anxiety, depression, reaction to trauma, grief, loss, sexual abuse survivor issues, and parenting problems.

Counseling with Adolescents:  Adolescence is inherently a difficult age, and a significant number of adolescents are suffering from depression, problems of adjustment, insecurities, or issues of loss.  They respond well to therapy because they welcome the chance to talk openly about problems with peers, parents, siblings and school.  Therapy often focuses on impulse control and on developing the skills to make good life choices.

Counseling with Young Children:  I have specialized training in the assessment and counseling of young children with behavioral problems. I use play therapy and behavioral management for the following: ADHD, esteem building, learning disabilities, conduct problems and childhood issues of neglect and sexual abuse. I put particular emphasis on parent-child relationship difficulties. 

Counseling the Family:  I have developed a specialized approach in assessing and treating family relationship problems. I have applied my work with divorcing families, in assessing parenting capacities, mediating custody disputes and providing co-parent counseling and support.


Areas of Special Expertise:

  • Play Therapy:  Play therapy is one of the most effective ways of working with children, especially young children.  It quickly establishes rapport, and it allows them a space in which to express issues that they would not be able to address in any other way.  Children respond especially well to animals, also.  My dachshund, Emma, works as my "co-therapist"--and she has achieved some truly remarkable results! 
  • Vocational Rehabilitation:  Returning to normal life after trauma or injury can be extremely difficult and even painful.  My graduate training and years of experience in vocational rehab allow me to give the kind of expert guidance and empathetic support that is needed to get through this very difficult time of adjustment.
  • Seniors' Issues:  Older adults face issues that are different from those of younger people:  issues of family relationships, grief and loss, independence, and caregiving.  I have worked for many years with seniors, and have confronted many of the same issues myself.
  • Serious Mental Illness:  Not all therapists work comfortably with severe mental illness.  I have had extensive experience working both with individuals and with the families of the seriously mentally ill, in inpatient and outpatient settings. 


Experience and Additional Training:
  • Inpatient psychiatric hospital
  • Licensed Professional Counselor
  • Crisis counseling in school tragedies
  • Years of training at the Midwest Conference on Child Sexual Abuse
  • FAST program in the schools
  • Vocational Assessments
  • Grief and Loss training
  • Therapy for adults with eating disorder issues
  • Therapy for adolescents/adults who were abused as children


My Philosophy:

Life changes can be threatening or challenging.  They can involve opportunity or loss.  Therapy is about helping you meet these changes productively:

  • The seven-year-old girl who is starting at a new school and is afraid of all the newness and the loss of her friends has to face both challenges and opportunities. 

  • The 20-30 something woman whose young child has been diagnosed with autism can feel that her world has changed in ways that are overwhelming. 

  • A 50 something woman who has spent her life raising her children may need to reassess her goals now that the nest is empty. 

  • The 75-year-old man, caring for his wife who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, may need an experienced and supportive voice as he copes with changes in a lifetime of companionship and love. 

Counseling need not be long-term. My philosophy with adults is to start at the place in time where their life is not working for them. This approach is effective because adults usually know where and why they are stuck. My experience with young children and adolescents is usually longer term because it takes time to establish trust with their therapist. 

For many years I have been helping people have happier, more successful lives. I focus on ways people can heal themselves and grow in perspective and contentment by learning new skills. I look forward to each new client I see.

 

MPC
 2803 Marshall Court, Madison, WI 53705
Phone: (608) 233-3037  Fax: (608) 233-5893
Click here for more contact information