Our therapists offer grief & loss counseling in Manchester, CT

Aide A Perez is a Licensed Practitioner Counselor with experience working with both children and adults. She is passionate about helping people of color to address their unique challenges and live more fulfilled lives. Aide specializes in depression, anxiety, grief, and trauma.

Aide completed her Master’s Degree at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Aide utilized multiple treatment approaches including mindfulness, grounding, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), solution-focused therapy, and trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT).

We all go through challenges in life. Aide is confident that she will be able to provide you with support throughout your journey to gain insight, and explore and learn new techniques that will assist you to manage whatever you may be struggling with. If you are ready to do the work, schedule an appointment with her today.

Betsy Ibsen is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor with over 40 years of working in both the mental health and addiction fields. She has treated adolescents and adults in outpatient, inpatient, and long-term residential settings. Betsy has studied how the effects of early childhood trauma have caused both physical and emotional effects on adults. What has impressed her the most over the years is that the human mind is creative, complex, and, above all, flexible. With appropriate treatment and life changes, people can heal, move forward, relearn old skills, develop new ones, rebuild support systems, or discover a network unique to their specific needs. Therapeutic tools and strategies will depend on where the client is on their life journey. She has two tenets of her philosophy that focus her work with clients: "Life is not fair," and "There is never enough time."

Betsy completed her master's degree in Social Work at Boston University and lived in Boston for 20 years before relocating to Connecticut and the greater Hartford area. She also worked as a kindergarten teacher in Italy for a year, spent two summers camping in the Soviet Union, and embraces multiculturalism as a way to connect with, recognize, and respect the strengths and needs of people with differing customs and beliefs. Treatment is only as good as the relationship developed with the client.

Life doesn’t much resemble a Hallmark movie with things falling into perfect place at the end of two hours. It’s messier and more random, and at times unpleasantly chaotic. Recognizing that you need some sense of order, safety, and calmness is the first step. Asking for help is the second. Betsy can offer you the space to start this personal journey, to process what is and isn't working for you and why, what belongs to someone else, and what needs to be given away. Who doesn’t want to feel better?

I have been in this field for over 30 years that has provided me with compassionate & empathic in any capacity possible. I never judge others. I look at the population as diverse, equal - who are all worthy of heart-felt assistance. Indeed, I do not recognize or see color-of-skin, gender, or ethnicity. Despite the discord in our world now, it is most important to realize that we are all human who deserve respect. My life is committed to helping others as much as I can - again, with compassion & empathy that we all deserve. I love what I do and do what I love, so, basically, I don't feel that I work a day in my life."

Among many of my successes include honesty - belief in others - with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Compassion-Focused, Positive-Talk, Person-Centered Therapies, to name a few - and Positive Psychotherapy, Eclectic, with a focus on Positive-Affirmations - for assistance in Increase of Self-Esteem & Self-Love.'"

I totally believe in the quote: "People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care.