Dr. Gary Zomalt: Psychotheraphy as a vessel of various thoughts

Gary Zomalt From www.flickr.com

Mental health specialist Gary Zomalt looks at psychotherapy as an “insightful” conversation between two people — where one person predominantly talks and the other predominantly listens. The process aims to foster helpful insights from the problems and issues confronting the “challenged” party. However, insight alone is not enough. The crucial part of the process is for the patient to retain the insight and incorporate it into his or her life in meaningful ways.

Gary Zomalt From eliminatingstress.org

Creating meaning. When struck by problems, people normally search for the meaning of their suffering. Psychotherapy also behaves that way in that it uncovers meanings of a certain point, event, or condition. A good therapist will gently challenge patients to examine inconsistencies in their perceptions and beliefs about themselves and their interactions with others.

Recognizing patterns. Part of what Dr. Gary Zomalt does as a psychotherapist is to help patients become more aware of the patterns and behaviors that make up their entire thinking process. Psychotherapy is a means to discover the many possible sources that contribute to the development of certain behaviors. Through patterns, people are able to solve problems more quickly and diversify their perspectives more easily.

Gary Zomalt From Smart Recovery

Forming solutions out of the problems. Sometimes, the solution for a particular problem is represented in the problem itself. However, they are solutions that have stopped working, and in some cases have produced new problems. Psychotherapy is a great tool to help people not get stuck in a cycle of the same wrong solutions to their dilemmas.

For more information on Dr. Gary Zomalt and his therapy sessions, visit his Facebook page.

Dr. Gary Zomalt: The development of "psychotherapy apps" for smartphones

Researchers are developing smartphone apps that can take the role of psychotherapists. The question is: will these apps be effective? Read this Gary Zomalt blog to learn more.

The past decades saw how technology has constantly expanded. Now, this expansion is attempting to change people’s perception on the psychotherapy realm, through smartphone therapy apps that—if successful—could ease common mental problems like anxiety, depression, and even alcoholism.

Gary Zomalt Photo credit: http.cdnlayer.com

In previous years, researchers have been testing video-game-like programs that can supposedly alter people’s emotional and mental habits, just like what a psychotherapist can do. An example of a “psychotherapy app” that scholars and academics are developing is the one that utilizes the cognitive-bias modification approach, or CBM.

3R Counseling and Consulting is an institution based in Fresno, California that helps patients cope with mental problems such as addiction. It was founded by Dr. Gary Zomalt, an expert psychotherapist.

Gary Zomalt Photo credit: theamazingworldofpsychiatry.files.wordpress.com

The CBM approach seeks to break some of the brain’s bad habits, which are the roots of most mental conditions. For example, in the case of people with social anxiety disorder, their minds are subconsciously programmed to only focus on threatening faces among many others—like mechanically spotting a rotten apple in a basket full of fresh ones. This pattern causes them to easily become intimidated, resulting to high levels of anxiety.

Gary Zomalt Photo credit: newsatjama.files.wordpress.com

In the app that features CBM, users with social anxiety disorder are shown two faces, one with a neutral expression and another one that looks hostile. The app then will put much activity—like random numbers that pop out—around the neutral face, forcing smartphone owners to focus on the head with a blank expression, rather than the aggressive one. If done repetitively, the exercise can train the eyes to automatically look away from hostile faces, lessening the anxiety individuals feel around other people.

The so-called “psychotherapy apps” are still in their infancy stage. But no one can deny how big their potential is, which is basically grounded on one idea—to provide psychological help that’s accessible to anyone at any time and in any place.

Learn more about Dr. Gary Zomalt by checking out his Twitter page.

Dr. Gary Zomalt: Joining NASW's mission

Dr. Gary Zomalt seeks to be instrumental in transforming the lives of communities, families, and individuals. His track record reveals that he did just that, having served as head of several social welfare institutions aside from practicing psychotherapy. A clear mark of Dr. Zomalt’s dedication to social work is his membership with NASW, where he joins other social workers in the country in serving their respective communities.

Gary Zomalt Photo Credit: Judykopmanfried.com

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest membership organization of professional social workers worldwide. It currently has over 145,000 members across 56 chapters—a chapter for every state in mainland United States. It has additional chapters in five select cities and one international office. Dr. Gary Zomalt is a member of NASW California.

One of the association’s main goals is enhancing its members’ professional growth and development by providing up to date information and research, advocacy, and other resources. It also offers publications, discounts to certain products and services, and continuing education to its members. It creates and maintains professional standards of social work and promotes policies meant for the benefit of the community.

Gary Zomalt Photo Credit: Teachers.net

The NASW’s goal of enriching social work comes a long way in helping communities. It offers more opportunities for social workers, and sets the profession in a new light. In a world in need of more individuals with concern for others, NSAW’s programs serve as an invitation for more people to take up the mantle of service to the community.

From Gary Zomalt

Like this Dr. Gary Zomalt Facebook page for updates on the doctor’s work.

Helping people with disabilities: Dr. Gary Zomalt and the science of rehabilitation counseling

Dary Zomalt Photo Credit: DARA - Drug & Alcohol Rehab Asia

Rehabilitation counseling is a psychotherapeutic process designed to help people with physical, sensory, cognitive, or developmental disabilities achieve their personal goals. Rehabilitation counselors and psychotherapists like Dr. Gary Zomalt are often found in private practice, in rehabilitation facilities, universities, government offices, corporate headquarters, and other organizations where people are being treated for congenital or acquired disabilities with the aim of helping them go to or get back to work.


In the United States, rehabilitation professionals were initially recruited from a variety of social service disciplines, including public health nursing, social work, and school counseling. Although the emergence of educational programs began in the 1940s, it was not until the accessibility of federal funding for rehabilitation counseling projects in 1954 that the profession began to grow, establish a unique identity, and create its own niche in the medical world.

Gary Zomalt Photo Credit: Matthew Wild

Before, rehabilitation counselors and special-case psychotherapists like Dr. Gary Zomalt exclusively served working-age adults with physical impairments. Today, the need for rehabilitation counseling services has extended to persons of all age groups suffering from a range of disabilities. Rehabilitation counselors may also provide general and specialized counseling to people with disabilities in public social service programs and private practice settings.


According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 129,500 professionals working in the field of rehabilitation counseling in 2008. The number was expected to grow by 19 percent annually, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. Many of these rehabilitation counselors are self-employed and work in group practices or private practice, primarily due to laws allowing them to be paid for their services by insurance companies and to the increasing recognition that counselors are well-trained, reliable, and effective practitioners.

From Gary Zomalt

For more updates about Dr. Gary Zomalt and his psychotherapy sessions, visit his Facebook page.

Dr. Gary Zomalt: Guidelines before seeking therapy

Gary Zomalt Photo Credit: chalwiz

According to mental health physicians like Dr. Gary Zomalt, therapy works best when patients attend all of their scheduled appointments. The effectiveness of therapy depends on their active participation as it requires time, effort, and regularity. As patients begin therapy, some goals have to be established with their therapist. They are also encouraged to periodically review their progress with their mental health physician.

The following are basic guidelines on how patients could get started with therapy:

Identify sources of stress
Keeping a journal that records both stressful and positive events can be very helpful in identifying key areas to work on.

Restructure priorities
Emphasizing positive and effective behavior has to be the utmost concern of patients. Downbeat attitudes do not help in developing an esteemed personality.

Gary Zomalt Photo Credit: Ahmed Al Akel (AL H A I T H A M)

Make time for recreational and pleasurable activities
Psychotherapists like Dr. Gary Zomalt agree that recreational activities are some of the most effective outlets people may seek to release their emotional distress. Engaging in these activities before therapy starts will help them recover sooner.

Communicate
Explaining and asserting people’s needs to someone they trust is a crucial means toward developing self-respect and reliance to others.

Try to focus on positive outcomes
Finding methods to manage and reduce stress is by far the most important feat people may attain. Disregarding stressful events or thoughts will help them cope with adversities a lot more easily.

Gary Zomalt Photo Credit: Linda Templeman

For more updates about Dr. Gary Zomalt and his psychotherapy sessions, visit his Facebook page.

Dr. Gary Zomalt: The basics of organizational restoration

Restoring an old, rundown organization is a very tall order in itself. Bringing it to the top tier is another. Dr. Gary Zomalt, a psychotherapist with a penchant for management, managed to achieve both in the Fresno County Department of Children and Family Services during his tenure as the organization’s Executive Director from 2001 to 2006.

Dr. Gary Zomalt Photo credit: Fresno CFS

Dr. Zomalt approached the problems systematically, focusing on means with which to cut the expenditures without damaging the organization’s growth. He did so by outsourcing them to external government and nonprofit organizations while at the same time finding new revenue sources. In doing so, he was able to solve the department’s budgetary crisis which would have led to the termination of 100 social workers.

From Gary Zomalt

At the same time, Dr. Gary Zomalt improved the department’s organizational structure by recruiting a new executive team and working closely with local government institutions. The department was not only able to expand but also swiftly adopt national best practices, helping improve its service quality.


His efforts have had dramatic results. He was not only able to cut expenses without harming the department’s functions but also improving them, turning an underperforming department on the threat of financial collapse into a top-performing organization.

Dr. Gary ZomaltPhoto credit: Fresno CFS

Under Dr. Gary Zomalt, the Department was able to fix its problems without resorting to layoffs and, in effect, manage to reach national standards. More information on Dr. Zomalt’s career and accomplishments is available through his Facebook page.

Dr. Gary Zomalt: The benefits of positive emotional granularity

Cheerfulness is the best promoter of health, and is as friendly to the mind as to the body.

–Joseph Addison

Gary Zomalt Photo Credit: NatalyaKorotkova

Psychotherapists like Dr. Gary Zomalt state that optimism is directly proportional to stable health. Studies have revealed that positive emotions serve a buffering function and provide an effective antidote to the stresses associated with negative emotions and poor health.


Positive emotional granularity or the tendency to represent experiences of positive emotion with precision and specificity is one good measure to determine the physical and psychological health of an individual. Highly “granular” individuals have the ability to set aside negative emotions and can manage their problems effectively. Individuals with “less granularity,” on the other hand, can hardly express positive emotions when distressful events wreak havoc in their lives. They tend to exude unhealthy responses and are therefore prone to depression, heart disorders, and anxiety, among other conditions.

Gary Zomalt Photo Credit: Smart Recovery

Psychotherapists like Dr. Gary Zomalt believe that individuals with higher positive emotional granularity consider problems as manageable rather than stressful, and are more likely to develop coping mechanisms thoroughly rather than respond impulsively. Hence, they tend to have a more stable health because they are able to use their personal resources efficiently.


Accommodating positive emotions amid adversity could provide the much needed psychological rest an individual has to acquire in replenishing and restoring further coping efforts.

From Gary Zomalt

For more information about Dr. Gary Zomalt, visit his Facebook page.