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I am Dr. Ralph Casazza, a licensed psychologist; with clinical training & experience focusing on the treatment of issues related to depression, anxiety, work stress/career counseling, communication skills development, chronic medical conditions, pain management, PTSD, substance abuse, & other addictive behaviors.
My approach
My therapeutic approach is eclectic and variable, depending on the client’s needs. I have received training in a variety of approaches, including CBT, Psychodynamic, Reality Therapy, Rational Emotive Therapy, DBT, Jungian Therapy, and Humanistic Therapy, among others.
My focus
I have worked in various settings and with different client populations, including adults, senior citizens, medical populations (hospitals, nursing homes, and rehab facilities), LGBTQ+, substance abuse clinics, etc.
My communication style
I do a lot of listening during sessions but also provide responsive feedback in recognition of client needs, especially during a crisis situation or when familial stressors and work-related time limits are involved.
My journey to mental healthcare
Becoming a psychologist was initially triggered by a massive layoff from a Fortune 500 organization where I was a managerial trainee, but our division was sold to a European conglomerate. As part of the severance package, I was enrolled in a career assessment program which helped reveal & define my career interests. The assessment results indicated that I would be most satisfied in a “helping” profession and, ideally, in a counseling-related environment. Acting on those results, I entered a Master’s in Marriage & Family Counseling program at California State University. However, as I finished that program, my interest level rose even higher. I decided to go for additional training & entered a Doctoral program in Psychology at the University of North Dakota. It is a wonderful feeling to use this training to help people as they navigate life’s twists and turns.
My goals for you
I usually try to develop therapeutic goals in coordination with the client's input and desires. Periodically, I will do a client check-in regarding satisfaction with the pace of goal achievement or if a course correction is needed.
My first session with you
During the first session or two, a client can expect that I will gather a lot of information, including a psych history, to accurately assess the client’s needs and develop a realistic, achievable treatment plan. Of course, I will also include time to discuss the client’s immediate concerns. Note: this clinician does not provide court-related or court-ordered evaluations over the Rula telehealth platform including leave of absence (LOA), return to work (RTW), and substance use monitoring for court compliance purposes.
