What clients have said about our work together:
“I can never begin to thank you for the gifts you have given me! You helped me to heal while beginning to believe in myself again. You are an amazing person and I will always feel blessed to have found you when I needed it most!”
From a card written a year after she completed her work with me.
Pat, Western Mass
“You helped me process the abortion [30 years ago] with EMDR. This is the first time I’ve ever had an annual exam without tears and handholding. That was the biggest test of EMDR’s success. Thanks for everything.”
A woman in Northampton [Phone message left a few months after she completed her work with
me.]
“Joy can break through even on the worst of days and I can dance in my kitchen. That is your gift to me. … This [EMDR] is such amazing work. In an hour I could get rid of something that weighs so heavily. What you do heals the body. Talk therapy can’t do that. … In my many years of talk therapy, life bled into therapy. Now therapy bleeds into my life. It’s miraculous what you’ve done for me.”
P.S., Western Mass
“Dear Farns, I miss you! Everyday I think of the lessons you’ve taught me, and your sound advice, and I feel so grateful to have received your guidance! New York City is amazing and full of craziness (as you know) and your teachings have made it possible for me to succeed here! Work is going well and I’m getting promoted. In the Fall I’m going back to school, even if it’s just one class at a time…I’ve been busy but not overwhelmed, thanks to your confidence in me and for showing me how to believe in myself!”
From a card written nine months after she completed her work with me.
ET, New York City
From a session note near the end of treatment (Name changed):
Mary: I called my eldest sister who really went off on me this past summer. As you’ll remember, her cruel comments triggered my most recent depression and that led me to start working with you. I talked with my eldest sister for 30 minutes, and I was easily able to redirect the conversation.
Farns: How heroic!
Mary: What do you mean?
Farns: You’ve left behind a long pattern of rumination…
Mary: I went to a very scary place [my third major depression] and I walked through it and came out of it. I’m fascinated that you summarize it as rumination. I never thought about rumination as the umbrella on which I was caught. It makes such sense. I’d ruminate about the past, how things are supposed to be. I’m out of the groove on the record.
Farns: I’d say it differently. Your brain has created new vinyls.
Mary: I couldn’t have done this without you. You made yourself available to me in ways that other therapists haven’t. You called me up in the midst of crises and made time for me. You taught me things and then listened when I said NO. You were able to show me paths, and your persona invited me to step deeper into the experience. I knew, “Farns will be there if I go too deep.” Moreover, you’ve taught me you don’t have to be perfect! You so openly shared your own humanity and your mistakes. You’re a wonderful model for me in my own work with people.”
A woman who lives in Northampton
From a current client:
Several years ago I finally got out of a domestic violence relationship. I found myself as a single mother, hopeless, depressed and with no faith. While I was having a conversation with a neighbor at that time, she mentioned how well everything went after her family visited Farns. I thought about it and decided to give it a try.
I needed to be more confident. I didn’t know where I was going or how to deal with my life. I had completely lost any sense of who I was. I had lost the strength or courage to say no to situations that were hurtful. I thought I was completely stupid, even though I had been the first person in my family to go to college. The biggest success with Farns using EMDR with me was overcoming all of my fear from many years of abuse. With his help I am confident and relaxed around my ex and so we can co-parent my son. And I overcame my fear of men. With the support of Farns and my job, I graduated from Smith College as an older student. And graduating with honors was the final proof I needed that my ex was wrong. I am smart.
Once I regained my courage and knew I was smart, we were able to start working on issues related to my parents, and my son. My ex had emotionally isolated me from my son and Farns helped me reconnect with him on deep and wonderful levels.
This is not the end of my story. I look forward to having Farns continue walking with me as I continue on my journey through life. But I am a completely different person than when I began. I have found myself again. I am very strong and I am a more confident, relaxed, loving mother.
Cindy, Western Massachusetts
What parents have said about my work with their child:
“Words aren’t enough to express how grateful I am for you. You have helped me so much and now you are helping [my daughter]. I feel so blessed. As you know, my girls mean the world to me. I felt so relieved when you agreed to see R. I knew right then that she would get better. You hold a special place in my heart. Thank you for being you. Forever grateful,
K.C., Franklin County
You gave [my 12-year-old son] a huge gift. You allowed him to put down the anxiety he’s been carrying around since birth.
A delighted mother after brief therapy with her son, Amherst
As a mother, I am so grateful that Farns has helped my pre-adolescent daughter. She has come to accept and understand the separation between her parents. She finds Farns a wonderful resource for resolving problems she has with me or with anyone else. Sometimes my daughter and I meet together with Farns, and together we find solutions. Sometimes we both count the days until her next appointment because we know Farns will solve the problem! This also lets her put it away and have fun until the appointment. Sometimes Farns sees me alone for parenting strategies and support and that has been a huge help. It’s been so important to have those meetings alone with Farns because he really helps me understand and view things differently [she is not actually trying to make me crazy!] and to use EMDR to create “movies” of successfully handling conflict
differently.
Jacqueline, Belchertown
Kids’ Corner
“For a long time I didn’t want to admit my problems to Farns. Now, thanks to the patient support he and my mom gave me, I can face them head-on and they get better every time. I remind myself when I feel bad, “I know there is a way for me to feel better.”
Donald, Age 11.
“Dear Farnsworthe,
I am here at the Grande Canyon! The plane ride was easy. Your excersises really helped.Today we took a hike inside the Grande Canyon! See you soon.”
Postcard from a ten-year-old
“You ROCK Farns” [at the bottom of a portrait of me.]
A nine-year-old
I thank you a lot. You changed my life with those exercises. I couldn’t imagine another year of fighting. You taught me that I can stop the arguments by stopping my part of it. I’m really glad I decided to listen to my parents and see a therapist — you.
Stratton, 6th grader
“You’re MEGA wonderful.”
A twelve-year-old