“When a person realizes he has been deeply heard, his eyes moisten. I think in some real sense he is weeping for joy. It is as though he were saying, "Thank God, somebody heard me. Someone knows what it's like to be me”
Dr. Carl Rogers, "On Becoming a Person"
A Bit About Therapy
According to the American Psychological Association, “(Psychotherapy) helps people of all ages live happier, healthier and more productive lives.” Through the use of various psychotherapy methods and collaborative treatment measures, my patients develop life-changing habits to help them cope with any of life’s various obstacles and find lasting positive lifestyle change. My therapy sessions are designed to dissect personal issues at your family's own pace.
Mission Statement
Cuyahoga Valley Mindful Health and Wellness aims to provide high-quality, accessible clinical care for all families in need, regardless of present income status.
If you feel uncomfortable with our cash-pay rates and are presently without insurance, please reach out to us via the Chat Function and we can discuss ways to qualify you/your family for state-sponsored Medicaid insurance plans.
We offer services at a Sliding Scale rate to ease financial burden on you/your family and look forward to working with you/your family in our warm and professional private practice settings.
Our present Sliding-Fee Scale provides families without qualifying insurances to be provided clinical counseling services at a per-session cost of $45hr as a part of Cuyahoga Valley Mindful Health & Wellness's mission to serve everyone in their time of need.
Life Coaching Services are also offered at a $45 fee rate per hour to assist you/your family in time of need; however, please note that Life Coaching is not a Clinical Service and does not represent equal service to Counseling and Psychotherapy Services.
Sliding Fee-Scale & Our Commitment
Rates & Services
Our Services & Cash Rates
Calendly.com/EricMRiesterer
Scheduling: Calendly.com/EricMRiesterer
Our Providers
Eric Riesterer, M.A., LPC, Therapist, Life Coach & Practice Founder
About Eric
Eric Riesterer is a licensed professional counselor and is pursuing his licensed professional clinical counseling license in Cuyahoga Falls. He also sees clients via online therapy using Doxy.me, a HIPAA-compliant and confidential telehealth software. Eric also provides non-clinical Life Coaching Services to help individuals find balance, satisfaction and meaning in their lives.
Eric completed his Master’s in Counseling and Human Developmental Therapy at Walsh University. His experience in counseling psychotherapy began in 2019 through Non-Profit work in the Canton and North Canton communities through Commquest Services, Walsh University’s Fr. Herttna Counseling Center and school-based psychotherapy services through Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health at GlenOak HS/MS and Plain Elementary school. Transitioning to Private Practice, he has 4.5 years of experience focused on helping clients with anxiety, depression, trauma treatment, family counseling, child/adolescent counseling and boy’s/men’s issues throughout Northeastern Ohio.
Eric's job is to provide you with a safe environment to process stressors, traumatic experiences and your personal relationships with educational strategies, resources and skills to place you in a position to excel through your own use of skills on a daily basis and to help restore balance within your life.
Eric believes that counseling is an empowering experience that allows you to take charge of your own mental health with his guidance from life experiences and education alongside you in a journey to wellness.
Eric's specialties include working with anxiety, depression, grief and bereavement, trauma treatment, relationship issues, school-performance, boy's/men's issues, family counseling and assisting in the exploration of balance within your life.
Eric enjoys working with patients at critical points of their lives such as childhood, adolescence, midlife and retirement where patients experience the highest levels of growth. He believes that his unique experiences help relay complicated clinical theory to address your needs in therapy and Life Coaching. Eric's experience outside of counseling includes several years of collegiate athletics and a post-collegiate athletic career with a proven track record in reducing performance anxiety and stressors associated with the high pressures of elite athletics and competition. Eric has worked with several school districts as a track & field/cross-country coach and many of his athletes have found his clinically psychological approach to athletics helps ground them in the moment and move towards peak performance and enjoyment in sport. Eric also understands that stressors of our military members with 6 years of experience in the US Army Reserves working in petroleum/oil transportation and tactical-environment setup of oil/gas systems. Eric has personal experience from his Army Reserves career adjusting to and managing many of the stressors associated with military service and he understands the problems and turbulence that service members face as a professional peer able to help you move forward with your mental health and finding peace and balance in daily living.
Clinical Scope of Practice:
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Anxiety Disorder Treatment
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Performance Anxiety/Sport-Related Anxiety Treatment
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Adjustment Disorder Treatment
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ADD/ADHD Treatment
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Autism Spectrum Disorder (Mild/Moderate) Treatment
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Autism Spectrum Hyperfixation Moderation Treatment
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Autism Spectrum Social Stressor Resilience Building
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Autism Spectrum Comorbidity Mental Health Symptom Management
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Boundary Setting/Boundary Counseling
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Boy's & Men's Issues
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Child/Adolescent Counseling
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Child & Adolescent Emotional and Verbal-Linguistic Communication Development
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Couples Counseling (Under Supervision)
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Divorce Counseling for Children and Adolescents
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Depression Treatment (Mild/Moderate/Severe & Seasonal-Affective)
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Family Psychotherapy & Sibling Relationships
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Financial Economic Stressors and Adaptive Coping Strategy Management
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Video-Gaming Addiction "Internet-Gaming Disorder" (Proposed Diagnosis for DSM-6, ICD-11 Code "6C51"... "He's Addicted to Fortnight!")
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Gambling Disorder Treatment
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Midlife Crisis Counseling
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Mindfulness-Based Counseling
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Men's Sexual Infertility Issue Counseling
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Military Adjustment & Military Issue Counseling
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Purpose/Meaning Exploration & Logotherapy
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School-Based Counseling Services
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Study Skills & ACT/SAT/ASVAB Preparation
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Cleveland Metroparks Walk & Talk Therapy/Life Coaching (Empirical Research supports this modality for ADD/ADHD, Autism, Anxiety, Depression, and Trauma Treatments.)
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Substance Use Long-Term Recovery (Maintenance/Outpatient)
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Adolescent Alcohol/Drug Outpatient Treatment (Outpatient Level-of-Care)
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Cannabis & Tobacco Cessation
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Sleep Counseling
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PTSD & "C-PTSD & 4f Trauma Response Model Interventions
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Veteran-Specific Specialist in Trauma Response & Treatment Modalities
Therapeutic & Clinical Work Experience:
• Public Mental Health at CommQuest Behavioral Health, Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health, Applewood Centers.
• Intensive Outpatient, Traditional Outpatient, School-based Mental Health Counseling, Crisis Counseling, Substance Abuse Counseling (Both Office & School-Based Services.)
•Non-Profit Work at Commquest Behavioral Health (Office & IOP Substance Abuse Counseling, Individual & Groups)
• University Student Mental Health & Peer Support at Fr. Matthew Herttna Counseling Center at Walsh University.
School-Based Counseling Experiences:
• Non-Profit Work at Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health (Glen-Oak/Plain SD, Elementary/MS/HS.)
• Non-Profit Work at Applewood Centers (Maple Heights SD, Elementary.)
•Private Practice Work at Nancy Lowrie & Associates (Brecksville SD, Elementary.)
•Private Practice Work at Winston Counseling & Consulting (Akron Leadership Academy Charter School, Elementary.)
Private Practice Experiences:
• Private Practice Experience at Winston Counseling and Consulting (Cuyahoga Falls), Nancy Lowrie & Associates (Brecksville), Columbus Therapy & Hypnosis (Columbus), PMA Psychological Assessment (Ohio City.)
Specializations:
• Mild/Moderate/Severe Psychotherapeutic Services, Specialist in Boy’s/Men’s Issues, Anger Management, Autism (Mild/Moderate), Trauma-Informed Psychotherapeutic Care, PTSD/C-PTSD, Communication and Social Skills Development, Nonprofit & Private Practice Style in Comprehensive Assessment, Treatment Plan Development, Wiley Treatment Plan Utilization, Veteran’s Issues, Life Coaching Services.
Clinical and Life Coaching Skills:
Eclectic Counseling Style: Addictions Counseling (Mild/Moderate/Severe), Art Therapy Interventions, CBT (Adults & Pediatrics), Mindfulness-Based CBT (M-CBT/MBCT), REBT, Play-Therapy Interventions, Walk & Talk Therapy for ADHD/Anger Management/ Anxiety/Depression/Autism/Trauma Treatment and Life Coaching Services, School-Based Counseling (Elementary/MS/HS Experience), Crisis Counseling (SI/HI), Communication/Social Skill-Development, Men’s Counseling & Individual Counseling for Husbands Alongside Your Couples Counseling/MFT, Grief-Counseling and School Trauma-Response Interventions (Walsh University’s Perry MS Suicide Contagion Response Team 2019 via Student Biofeedback Lab), Trauma Counseling & 4f Trauma Style Interventions, Logotherapy & Existentialist Counseling Interventions, Faith-Based Counseling Services, Person-Centered Counseling, Collaborative Psychotherapy Approaches, Physical and Mental Health Lifestyle Integrations to Counseling, Lifestyle Counseling, Midlife Crisis Counseling, Addressing Socioeconomic Barriers/Coordination of Resources and Coordination with Treatment Teams/Careteams/Parole Officers/Court-Mandated Reporting.
Supervision & Client Rights Advocacy and Legal Disclaimer
Cuyahoga Valley Mindful Health & Wellness is Temporarily Not Accepting New Patients for Psychotherapy or Counseling Services as of 6/1/23 as supervision is not available at this time for Eric Riesterer, LPC. Eric Riesterer is able to see clients as a life coach upon initial consultation based on your/your family's needs and assessed level-of-care necessity.
Anticipated Re-Opening 6/24/24
Life Coaching Services Are Presently Open (6/1/23 - 6/24/24) to New Clients at a Rate of $45hr Until Clinical Supervision is Available.
Cuyahoga Valley Mindful Health & Wellness LLC is Presently Hiring Clinical Supervisors at the Below Email (Updated: 5/7/24.)
330-255-8715
Life Coaching Services Legal Disclaimer:
Life Coaching Services are not a Clinical or Medical Service and are not empirically supported as equal to or equivalent to Treatment as Usual compared to Psychotherapy Counseling Services and/or Psychological Mental Health Treatment Services, nor are Life Coaching Services appropriate for neither diagnosis nor treatment of Mental Health Disorders under the DSM-V-TR/ICD-11.
Life Coaches are not operating in the role of Medical Physicians, Licensed Professional Counselors/Clinical Counselors or Board-Certified Psychologists and are not certified to provide Medical or Psychological Advice in a Life Coach capacity regardless of Licensure Status of the Life Coach.
Life Coaching Services provided by a Life Coach do not guarantee the resolution of Mental Health Symptoms regardless of any active/inactive Professional Licensure Status of any Life Coach. Any concurrent Professional Licensure Status held by a Life Coach is not reflective on the abilities or capabilities of the Life Coach and any concurrent Professional Licensure Status does not guarantee any improvement or resolution of concurrent mental health symptoms and/or diagnoses or any physical health conditions.
Clients receiving Life Coaching Services are not eligible for Clinical Mental Health Counseling and/or Psychotherapy Services concurrently at Cuyahoga Valley Mindful Health & Wellness but may become eligible for Counseling/Psychotherapy Services upon termination of Life Coaching Services if Life Coaching is not the right option for you/your family.
Cuyahoga Valley Mindful Health & Wellness recommends that all clients participating in Life Coaching Services speak with their general practitioner, M.D., or D.O., as to whether additional counseling/and or psychotherapy services may be more appropriate for your mental health and/or daily living needs in addition to any provided Life Coaching Services.
Life Coaching is not suitable for any clients seeking resolution of Suicidal and/or Homicidal Ideation and all SI/HI concerns should be handled by a licensed Psychologist, Psychotherapist and/or Counselor in a definitive Clinical Mental Health Counseling role.
Cuyahoga Valley Mindful Health & Wellness is not responsible for mental health negligence, harm to selves or others as additional services such as Mental Health Counseling are always recommended alongside Life Coaching Services for any clients struggling with concurrent Mental Health needs outside of the support in Life Coaching Services.
By accepting Life Coaching Services, you acknowledge that Cuyahoga Valley Mindful Health & Wellness offers Life Coaching Services outside of traditional venues such as Office Settings or via Telehealth and is not responsible for injuries or risk from others in public settings. Life Coaching Services do not guarantee Confidentiality in a similar manner to Counseling and Psychotherapy Services as clients may be met in the Community Setting.
Confidentiality may be requested by Life Coaching Clients; however, strict guarantees to confidentiality may be potentially at-risk when meeting outside of traditional Office-Based or Telehealth Professional Environments.
Referrals are available to all active Life Coaching clients at Cuyahoga Valley Mindful Health and Wellness for outside Mental Health and/or Psychological Care for Clinical Mental Health Treatment upon request either written or verbal.
Life Coaches are Mandated Reporters at Cuyahoga Valley Mindful Health & Wellness and reserve the right to contact Emergency Services or Department of Jobs and Family Services upon Immediate Harm to Self or Others, Neglect or Abuse to Children or Vulnerable Populations (Elder Abuse, Disabled/Handicapped Abuse) including, but not limited to Emotional Abuse, Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Financial Abuse and/or Neglect. Home-Visit Life Coaching Services may potentially increase risk of Mandated Reporting and are only provided on a case-by-case basis determined by the Life Coach during Initial Intake due to legal liability and risks.
Life Coaches have the right to decline Home-Visit Requests at any time with alternative location recommendations in the potential best interest of the Coaching Relationship and Coaching Alliance between Client and Life Coach.
Cuyahoga Valley Mindful Health and Wellness reserves the right to terminate service at any time for Life Coaching Services as Life Coaching Services are not a Clinical or Medical Service.
Self-Worth Exercise: Pausing and Reflecting When Experiencing Racing Thoughts/Panic
Struggling with Negative/Bad Obsessive Thoughts?
1. Make a list of 5 attributes that you feel are important as part of you.
(ex., Compassion, Emotional Openness, Loyalty, Intelligence., Motivation...)
2. Write two sentences on each quality. Describe specifically how each quality is important to you and which value system it incorporates (ie., "I value loyalty because it reflects respect for the workplace environment.")
3. Reflect on how specifically each quality might be appreciated by others in your close relationships as well as to those living in your community. Illustrate specific examples how each quality has been appreciated by someone known to you as well as why it was likely appreciated.
Adopted from Dr. Guy Winch, "Emotional First Aid: Healing Rejection, Guilt & Failure." 2014.
Automatic Negative Thoughts, Anxiety & Overthinking: For Children & Teens
What is Ruminative Thinking:
"Rumination occurs when you have constant and repetitive thoughts about something; typically, a problem or situation" (Rodriguez, 2022, Rumination: When Your Thoughts Don’t Have an Off Button Rumination: (thepsychologygroup.com/ruminating-thoughts-and-anxiety/)
Exercise by Dr. Jordan Peterson, PhD., 2021:
1. Journal and Write Down "Every rumination that you can remember. Exhaustively."
2. Write down why you think that you think the anxious thoughts/ruminative (ie., What triggered/brought this thought to mind?)
3. Practice having that thought on purpose and confront the thoughts with journaling.
4. Share these thoughts with a therapist or close support. Challenge the thoughts and examine the believability of the thoughts and to what extent they are based in cognitive distortions.
Rumination & Anxiety Overthinking Exercise: For Teens & Adults
Pediatrics & Adults: Mindhouse Technique
MINDHOUSE MINDFULNESS VISUALIZATION EXERCISE
1. Find Yourself a Comfortable Position in Your Favorite Chair, Sofa or Bed
2. Close Your Eyes and Concentrate on Your Breathing, Intentionally Noticing each Inhale and Exhale
3. Picture Your Favorite Place for Your Mind-House (Beach, Cabin, Downtown, Woods., etc.)
4. Notice the Steps to Your Mindhouse. What Colors and Form do the Steps Take? Notice the Walls, the Roof…
5. Notice the Sounds as You Begin to Enter Your Mindhouse. What Do You Hear?
6. Open the Door to Your Mindhouse. What Is the First Thing that You Notice?
7. As You Enter Your Mindhouse… What Do You See, Hear, Smell, and Feel within Your Body?
8. With The Help Of Your Therapist, Lead Your Therapist Around Your Mindhouse One Room At A Time. Focus On What You See, Hear, Smell, And Feel As You Move Throughout Your Dream House To Each Room (Hallways, Kitchen, Bedrooms, Bathrooms, Special Rooms…)
Child & Adolescent Psychoeducation
Adverse Childhood Experiences: Impacts of Trauma on the Body, Brain and Behaviors (Why Is My Child Acting Like This???)
Childhood Trauma, Attachment Injuries & Codependency as an Adult
"We must not look to our Adult Partner to be the corrective experience for this Attachment Injury... This is about Grief Work and going internal and finding the place and part of us that feels that I am a nobody, that I don't matter and my values don't matter.
It is the old wounded experience and feeling that is playing out in the current (relationship.)
To follow the Path of Anger as we feel so frustrated that our Partner is unable to meet us emotionally where we need to be met.
Trauma Psychoeducation
How Trauma Affects the Brain: Modern Neuroscience and Biopsychological Lens of PTSD
"It's easy to jump in and try to reason with our kids when they don't handle something well or need to learn something. But we know some things about the brain here that can really help you to stay connected with your child AND help them learn better.
First we need to Regulate. We need to connect and get out of the red light state (language) or our survival brain.
Then we need to connect in the emotional space. "It makes sense why you reacted that way. I'm sorry. I didn't know you were having a hard time..." The point is to connect. This is the yellow light or the emotional brain. We need to speak to that next.
And then, and only then, are you and your child back to green light and can reason.
Regulate.
Relate.
Reason.
In that order."
"With PTSD, our bodies stay on high alert and we don't often revert to that restorative mode and when trapped in a painful trauma response people with PTSD experience 4 types of symptoms:
1. Painful Thoughts
2. Intense Emotions
3. Bodily Changes
4. Behavioral Changes"
4F Trauma Response Model: Fight/Flight/Fawn/Freeze
Stress responses from trauma can result in behavioral patterns that cause dysfunction within your family, at home and at work/school. Trauma responses fall under four categories:
1. Fight Response (Connection/Control)
2. Flight Responses (Withdrawal/Safety)
3. Fawning Responses (Connection/Inaction (Or Codependent Merging... "Merges with Other's Wishes/Demands... (From Dr. Pete Walker, C-PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving, 2013.)
4. Freeze Responses (Avoid/Disconnect)
(Pete Walker, 2013.)
Unfinished Business & Trauma Work: "Cheap Intimacy" and Impacts on Partner Dysfunction
Moving Forward & Healing Trauma: Accepting Emotions through Mindfulness
"The Foundation of Growth of Emotional Flexibility is to Drop the Struggle with Emotions First... When we Open Our Heart to Fully Experiencing Emotion, we can make it more likely that you can Release and Let Go."
"But if instead we are locked up... I can't handle anxiety. I can't go to school, I can't face my boss if it makes me feel scared or uncomfortable, then emotions have all of the control to make decisions in our life...
Acceptance lays the Foundation of Change. It's like Football. Each play starts at the line of scrimmage and Acceptance means Starting Where You Are and each play, Teams begin to make moves toward their Goal." Emma McAdam., LMFT., Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
“[M]an is by no means a product of inheritance and environment. Man ultimately decides for himself! And in the end education is just education towards the ability to decide.”
-Dr. Victor Frankl, "The Feeling of Meaninglessness: A Challenge to Psychotherapy and Philosophy."