COUPLES COUNSELING + PSYCHOTHERAPY
About The Practice
I received my Master's degree in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University Los Angeles and a certificate in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy from the Los Angeles Institute and Society for Psychoanalytic Studies. I completed psychoanalytically-oriented clinical training at Valley Community Counseling Clinic and the Center For Individual and Family Counseling. I also help individuals with suicidal ideation using training I completed with Didi Hirsch Suicide Prevention Center. I continue to stay involved in consultation and learning. I am based in Pittsburgh, and meet with California patients virtually.
The Way I Work:
When working with individuals and couples, I use a psychodynamic approach to improve day-to-day functioning and bring about changes that last a lifetime. The confidential and inquisitive nature of this work allows us to deeply discuss, rework, and give meaning to past and present experiences.
Often the focus of the work will be on building an awareness and tolerance of one’s full range of emotions. From there we’ll work to recognize how, in order to avoid distress, one returns to patterns of thinking and relating that may not be serving them well. With this acknowledgement of old patterns needing adjustment, we’ll develop, explore, and practice using new habits.
My style is open, curious and light-hearted. This means that I work with people to think and reflect deeply about their mind and body experience, while also allowing humor to take up valuable space in the work.
Who I Work With:
I tend to work best with individuals and couples who find themselves feeling stuck.
I work best with people who have complicated relationships with their work, their spouses and or their parents. The might have issues around sex and general creative performance and want to show up more for life but struggle to do so.
People who feel all this while going through tough parenting periods (fertility, pregnancy, birth, toddlerhood, “difficult” children), challenging relationships (new relationships, separation and divorce) and career struggles are also a likely fit.
The Offerings:
Weekly in-depth, explorative and restorative psychotherapy looks to uncover, understand and rework broken patterns.
For those looking to overcome relationship issues, couples counseling works in a more goal-oriented fashion.
Bonnie Levy Wargo, MA, LMFT, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist CA #116581, PA MF#001392
About Psychotherapy
Taking back the reins of life.
Psychotherapy provides the opportunity to develop a greater sense of control over the complex, unknown and uncertain aspects of life by:
simplifying mental clutter
understanding emotional experiences
addressing unmet needs
helping to set boundaries
working through discomforts
learning when, and how, to let go
Getting more out of each day.
People come to psychotherapy for a number of reasons. Many find that this work helps to:
build self-esteem
conquer daily fears
create a sense of purpose
decrease anxiety
increase productivity
lift feelings of depression
release feelings of guilt and shame
strengthen relationships
unlock creative expression
Contact
Office Location
305 S. Craig St. Suite 300
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Video sessions are conducted through a secure video platform.
Phone
(213) 973-9878
bonnie@bonniewargo.com
Fees
Fee:
The fee per 50-minute session is priced according to relative market rates. We’ll discuss the fee when we have a free exploratory call.
A Note on Frequency:
When considering cost and schedule, please note that the focused nature of this work requires a minimum frequency of one session per week.
With some individuals, as the treatment deepens and intensifies, session frequency may increase to multiple sessions per week.
A Note on Insurance:
For Pennsylvania clients, I am in-network with Aetna and UPMC.
For California clients, I do not accept or work with any insurance providers. Someone with an insurance plan with out-of-network benefits for mental health pays for their sessions in full and then receives a billing statement from me that they can submit to their insurance provider for reimbursement. Please note that it is the responsibility of the patient to verify coverage requirements and limitations, know their deductible and reimbursement rate, and to submit all forms for reimbursement through their provider.