Logo for Dr. Lori Millis, Queensbury Psychologist

Dr. Lori Millis, PhD

Licensed Psychologist
Queensbury, NY

(518) 798-8280
Please call 911 if you have an emergency.
Address:
19 Homer Avenue
Queensbury, New York 12804
Hours:
Tues, Wed and Thurs
8:00am – 9:00pm

Logo of tree with many colored leaves and people as the tree trunk

​I see people.

Today you are one step closer to a new you where you feel empowered and on a positive path toward growth and well-being.

Logo of tree with many colored leaves and people as the tree trunk

​I see people.

Today you are one step closer to a new you where you feel empowered and on a positive path toward growth and well-being.

My Approach

As a person-centered therapist, Dr. Millis’ goal is to help you uncover your true potential and lead a life that is worth celebrating. While we can’t change difficult situations of the past, we can work together to better understand and resolve challenges in your life. By applying complementary therapy approaches and techniques, we will unearth long-standing behavior patterns or negative perceptions that may be holding you back from experiencing a more fulfilling and meaningful life.

Dr Lori Millis with white striped blue blouse

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.” JRR Tolkien

Dr. Lori Millis, Ph.D.

Counseling

I can help you achieve more positive outcomes and healthy relationships.

Equine Therapy

Horses are very sensitive and intuitive, and can be a source of comfort to promote trust and growth.

Hypnotherapy

Treatments for anxiety, phobias, substance abuse, and more.

Dr. Lori Millis, Ph.D.

I see people from all walks of life who need a helping hand, someone who will really listen to their concerns. I provide a compassionate yet professional perspective to help my patients heal, and realize their potential.

I’d Love to Help

How Do I Know if Therapy is Right for Me?

At one time or another you may have thought about seeing a therapist. Maybe you thought that if you waited long enough the problem might just go away, or you talked yourself out of it for another reason.

Knowing when to see a therapist can be a little challenging sometimes. After all, everyone has a bad day or goes through a rough patch every now and again, but how do you know when talking to someone might help?

The outline one the right gives some of the reasons you may benefit from speaking to a therapist. Of course, these are not the only reasons to seek out a therapist, but this list can help you make your decision.

Getting Help

In older, more traditional models of therapy, you waited until you were “sick” to get help. In fact, insurance companies only paid for treatment if you already had depression, anxiety, or some other mental illness.

Now that more people are becoming aware of how important mental health is and are more open to discussing it, this older way of viewing therapy is evolving.

Now, there are affordable ways to see a therapist before you experience a mental health problem (e.g., employee assistance programs and online therapy).

Talking to a mental health professional early on may prevent mental illnesses before they start—and it also may help you to think, feel, and perform at your best.

You Want Help Managing Stress

Life is inherently stressful. You can’t get rid of all the stress in your life. In fact, some stress is good for you.

But, if you’re having trouble managing your stress, you may want to talk to someone. Being stressed out can lead to a variety of issues, like being irritable and short-tempered or becoming inefficient and frantic.

A therapist can help you learn healthy stress management skills or they may assist you in problem-solving so you can eliminate some stressful aspects of your life.

You Are Having Difficulty Regulating Your Emotions

Uncomfortable emotions, like anxiety and anger, can be tough to manage sometimes. And while you might have some emotions handled well, there may be one or two that seem to get the best of you more frequently.

A therapist can help you discover the specific anger management techniques that work for you. Or they could help you practice anxiety reduction strategies that help you feel better faster. No matter what emotions you’re struggling with, a therapist can help you develop a plan to ensure your emotions serve you well.

You Are Reaching for Unhealthy Coping Skills

Whether you’re overeating because you’re stressed out or you’re drinking to help you unwind, unhealthy coping skills will introduce new problems into your life—and they backfire in the long-term.

Keep in mind that almost any coping skill can be unhealthy. Watching TV, playing video games, or even reading books can become unhealthy if you use them to avoid solving problems.

A therapist can help you find healthy coping skills that reduce the intensity of uncomfortable emotions, while also helping you face problems head-on.

You Are Struggling to Reach Your Goals

From weight loss goals to financial goals, there are lots of things that can stand between you and your success. And if you’re struggling to overcome the obstacles in your way, a therapist may be able to help.

I can help you address a variety of issues, like motivational problems, perfectionism, and self-sabotage—all of which can make reaching a goal nearly impossible.

You Want to Improve Your Relationship(s)

There are many reasons why you might be struggling to manage your relationships. Attachment issues, difficulty being assertive, and the fear of confrontation are just a few.

A therapist can help you discover problems that are interfering with relationships and assist you with the skills and tools you need to form and maintain healthier connections. Your work together may include anything from learning how to establish healthier boundaries to discovering why you often sabotage your relationships.

You Want to Increase Your Self-Awareness

Do you ever wonder why you do the things you do, like break up with a partner who seems good for you or say inappropriate things when you’re nervous? A therapist can help you discover the reasons for your behaviors.

A therapist can also help you learn about the patterns in your life, like your thinking patterns or your relationship patterns. You also might discover the self-limiting beliefs that are holding you back in life like believing you aren’t smart enough to succeed.

Perhaps you have some communication patterns that are off-putting. Or maybe you struggle to get your intentions across in a helpful way.

An objective opinion from a therapist can help you take a step back and review the types of patterns that keep repeating in your life. Then, they can give you tools to help you break free from the ones that don’t serve you well.

You’re Going Through a Transition

Starting a new job, moving to a new city, becoming a parent, or ending a relationship are just a few examples of major life transitions that might create a fair amount of distress for you.

Talking to someone might provide you with the emotional support, guidance, and advice you need to adapt to the changes in your life.

You Want Some Parenting Support

Parenting is tough. And it can be scary at times. After all, how do you know if you’re giving your child too much responsibility or not enough support?

If you’re questioning your parenting skills or you have a question about whether your child’s behavior is normal, talking to a therapist might be in order.

A mental health professional can empower you to make the best choices for you and your child. Whether that means giving you the tools you need to parent a child with ADHD or it just means giving you some reassurance that you’re on the right track.

A little objective feedback from another party might be instrumental in ensuring that you’re raising an emotionally healthy child who will grow up to become a responsible adult.

You Want Help Processing a Traumatic Event

Traumatic events, like near-death experiences, don’t always cause people to become traumatized. People respond to traumatic events differently and sometimes, they’re able to process them in a way that they don’t develop PTSD.

A therapist can help you deal with a traumatic event. This could prevent you from developing PTSD or it may help you find more meaning in your life. It may even help you grow from your experience.

Your Mood Is Affecting Your Work

It’s normal to feel down or anxious sometimes. But if your mood is getting in the way of being effective and productive at work, it may be a sign it’s time to talk to someone.

A therapist can help you get unstuck. Processing your emotions, practicing new skills, and changing the way you think are just a few of the strategies that a therapist might use to help improve your mood so it doesn’t get in the way of your occupation or education.

Your Emotional State Is Impacting Your Appetite or Sleep

There may be times when you don’t notice that you’re stressed or that your mood is “off.” But, you might notice a major change in your appetite or sleep habits.

Some people lose their appetite when they’re struggling emotionally. Other people eat more in an effort to control their feelings.

The same can be said for sleep. Some people experience sleepless nights while others sleep too much when they are having a hard time.

You might not even experience a change in the number of hours you sleep. You might just feel exhausted all the time because the quality of your sleep is suffering.

Once a physician is able to rule out possible medical causes for your change in sleep or appetite, a therapist can help you determine if there are emotional causes.

Therapy can even be beneficial for people who experience chronic insomnia. Cognitive behavioral therapy, for example, uses a variety of strategies to help people train themselves to sleep better.

You’ve Lost Interest in Activities You Used to Enjoy

Whether you love gardening or you find great joy in visiting antique shops, losing interest in activities you usually find pleasurable is a sign that something may be “off” in your life.

Of course, it’s normal for your interests to come and go. But if you lose interest in almost everything you like to do, your disinterest may be a sign of something bigger.

Maybe you are growing a little depressed. Or maybe you are developing some anxiety. A therapist can help you uncover why you’ve lost interest in those things as well as help you see how the lack of fun activity can take a toll on your well-being.

Together, you might create a plan to help you feel better and incorporate more pleasurable activities into your daily life.