There are many other problems that I treat in the office, though I do not have any additional training beyond regular Psychologist expertise in these issues.
GRIEF: I work with clients with grief and loss, as these are often aspects of depression and anxiety. I also encourage clients to attend Grief support groups.
EATING DISORDERS: Many of my clients present with disordered eating. While for some this is caused primarily by depression or anxiety, many women and teens also have significant body image issues and disordered eating to self-soothe, to feel a sense of control, to improve their fragile sense of self-worth, or to modulate their emotions. Disordered eating can include excessive dieting, binging, binge-purge cycles, and over-eating. Many clients feel a sense of shame, secrecy, or a feeling of loss of control regarding their difficult relationship with food. I usually refer to a a physican for a medical evaluation and to a dietitian for a consultation. Depending on severity of the eating issues, I may refer to a specific specialist. Beyond the Mirror is a good local treatment center for clients with eating disorders. Nevertheless, I find that many of my clients benefit from learning useful coping strategies for dealing with difficulties in life. Since improved coping usually translates to greater self-confidence and higher self-esteem, clients often begin to relate in a more healthy way to their bodies and to food.
ASPERGER’S AND OTHER SPECTRUM DISORDERS: I do not consider Autism, Asperger’s and Spectrum Disorders to be my area of specialty. I often see clients with these diagnoses for consultations regarding their anxiety and social problems. Clients who present with milder symptoms, and who like to learn new strategies, often benefit from talking to me in therapy. Such therapy usually focuses on the client sharing her perceptions or concerns and learning coping strategies. I also have found that kind but direct feedback about the client’s behavior toward me or toward others in the session (e.g., toward parents or a spouse) can be extremely helpful to clients who can handle such information. Enthusiastic clients will express appreciation for having received feedback as to how they come across to others, and we work directly on facial expression, tone modulation, expressing and sharing feelings, and bringing something to offer to social situations. For clients who want to see a specialist in this area, I recommend Dr. Michael Griffith, and Dr. Rachel Bedard, as well as the CSU assessment center with Dr. Rozin.
ADDICTIONS: Dr. Ostoja does not specialize in the treatment of traditional addictions, such as Alcohol Abuse or Drug Abuse. However, these difficulties often accompany other problems such as depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety. Many clients have less severe forms of addiction, including excessive shopping, mild substance abuse, or sexual and romantic addictions. I have seen clients who benefited from learning coping skills in therapy with me, but who also attended AA or NA meetings and worked the Twelve Steps and had regular Sponsors. When addiction is the primary presenting problem I usually refer to Danny Shearer or to the Mountain Crest CD-IOP program (970-207-4800).