Dr. Allen contracts with Wellness Psychological Services to offer services in both our Tampa and St. Pete offices as well as remote video services online across the state of Florida
Hi, I am Dr. Madison Allen. I am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist trained in treating mental health concerns and helping individuals to address challenging life and relationship circumstances. My primary areas of clinical interest and training are in the treatment of anxiety disorders, stress management and perfectionism, self-esteem and identity development, and women’s issues. I also have specialized training in couples therapy and enjoy working with couples to promote healthy relationships and address barriers that may be impacting a couple’s sense of relationship satisfaction.
My primary aims as a therapist are to help the individuals I work with get to a place of improved health, functioning, and satisfaction and to achieve their therapeutic goals. In my experience, I have found that successful and meaningful relationships are one of the most significant factors contributing to our mental health and sense of well-being. It is because of this that I not only work to help my clients to improve or strengthen their personal relationships, but also why I focus on developing a strong therapeutic relationship and rapport within therapy. I strongly ground my practice in the idea that when individuals feel secure and supported, they are able to take the risks necessary in therapy to change lifelong patterns and improve their sense of well-being and satisfaction.
In my work, I utilize an integrative approach to treatment to assist individual’s in meeting their goals. I primarily implement strategies and interventions from Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Reality Therapy, Attachment theory, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Interpersonal Psychotherapy. It is through this integrative approach that I work with my clients to not only process difficult past and current experiences, but to also implement an effective treatment plan to meet their goals.
ANXIETY & STRESS MANAGEMENT SPECIALIZATION
As a Clinical Psychologist, I have extensive training and experience in the treatment of anxiety and anxiety-related disorders. Anxiety is rooted in the emotion of fear and, for many of us, low levels of anxiety can be adaptive, motivating, and protective to us. Small amounts of fear and worry can be the thing that motivates individuals to turn in work assignments on time or to look both ways before crossing the street. However, individuals with anxiety disorders often process their life experiences through a lens of excessive worry and fear that can make day-to-day functioning difficult. I have training and experiencing in working with a wide variety of anxiety symptoms from very mild subclinical symptoms to debilitating disorders. I start by understanding your unique experience of anxiety, how it developed, and what may have precipitated the onset of your symptoms. We will then work together to challenge anxiety-provoking thoughts and improve your ability to effectively cope with any distressing physical or emotional distress associated with your anxiety.
Many of the clients that I work with are high achieving individuals with stressful schedules and busy lives that make balancing career, family, relationships, and personal enjoyment challenging. Many of these individuals struggle with managing their stress effectively and can feel anxious, overwhelmed, and unfulfilled in their day-to-day. I am passionate about working with these individuals to identify underlying causes for distress and improve a sense of balance.
RELATIONSHIP ISSUES & COUPLES THERAPY SPECIALIZATION
As I detailed above, relationships are fundamental to my work with every client that I see. Whether they be romantic, family, peer, coworker, or any other relationship, our sense of satisfaction and fulfillment within our relationships is crucial to our well-being. I believe that our earliest and most significant relationships create models for how we interact with others that we come into contact with. I work with my clients to process these significant relationships and how these impact long-standing and maladaptive interpersonal patterns that can cause problems within our relationships. My clients may seek treatment to work through relationship problems individually or may choose to bring the other party into session, when appropriate.
The couples that I work with often seek therapy to address very common relationship concerns, including issues with communication, frequent arguments, intimacy issues, and transitions within the relationship. Although these issues are typical for most relationships, over time couples may find themselves bogged down by the severity and frequency of these issues, which can lead to problematic relationship dynamics and detachment from one another. I work to provide a secure space for partners to approach these potentially longstanding and tenuous issues from a different angle. Together we will work to process challenges within the relationship, decrease maladaptive relationship behaviors, set boundaries, and improve communication and the couples’ ability to recognize and respond to one another effectively.
Since the beginning of my graduate training, the dynamics of relationships have been one of my primary areas of clinical interest. My doctoral dissertation focused on the emotional support behaviors of romantic partners and I have continued to pursue education and training in this area of specialty. I am trained in Levels I and II of the Gottman Method Couples Therapy and also integrate aspects of Attachment Theory, Emotion Focused Couples Therapy, and Reality Theory into my work with couples.
WOMENS ISSUES SPECIALIZATION
Women face unique life circumstances and there are many social, economic, occupational, and relational factors that can specifically impact the mental health of women. Certain experiences related to physical development, relationships, pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and aging are challenges that are unique to the experience of women and I am passionate about helping women navigate these circumstances effectively and with sensitivity. Within our society, women are held to specific standards of beauty and behavior that are considered to be the ideal of femininity, which can negatively impact self-esteem, body image, and mood. They are often tasked with the caregiving of others, household responsibilities, and more and more women have full-time careers, which increases stress and reduces time and resources for self-care. Furthermore, women are disproportionately impacted by sociopolitical issues and sexual and domestic violence, increasing the likelihood of trauma-related symptoms. I have extensive experience in assisting women with these issues and enjoy working with women to increase feelings of empowerment, confidence, and overall wellness.
OTHER AREAS OF CLINICAL SPECIALIZATION:
- Mood disorders
- Depressive disorders
- Body image and eating disorders
- Life transitions and adjustments
- Familial conflict and trauma