"No one should have to walk alone."
Welcome to
Akahai Emotional Wellness, LLC
Mental Health Counseling Services
EMDR * Narcissistic Abuse * Psychopathic Abuse * Pathological Love Relationships * PLRs * Domestic Violence * Intimate Partner Violence * Trauma Therapy * PTSD * CPTSD * Depression * Anxiety * ADHD * Abuse * Sexual Assault * Childhood Trauma * Healing * Recovery
Meet Kevin
Akahai Emotional Wellness, LLC is owned and operated by me, Kevin Faust, nationally board-certified and state licensed mental health counselor, certified narcissistic abuse treatment clinician (NATC), certified clinical trauma professional (CCTP), and EMDR trained clinician. I am a licensed counselor in Hawaii as well as Pennsylvania.
I work with adult clients in many different areas including depression, anxiety, trauma, abuse, PTSD, complex PTSD, anger, emotional regulation, adult ADHD, motivation, and relationship issues.
But I specialize in treating womxn with symptoms of narcissistic/psychopathic abuse from men.
If you think I may be a good fit for you, please email me at KevinFaustCounseling@gmail.com.
Akahai Emotional Wellness, LLC is dedicated to being inclusive. I recognize that all of us are different and unique. I strive to show acceptance and to celebrate these differences. All are welcome here.
What I offer
I am mainly offering telehealth (video) sessions at this time, although, on occasion, I have seen clients in person. I do individual counseling and typically do not do couples counseling. I mainly work with adult womxn, but may see children or men at times, depending on my caseload, waitlist, and other factors.
Wondering why I spell womxn with an "x" like this? This is to show inclusivity. If you identify as a man, I do not specialize in treating you. I am sure other clinicians do, but I do not. My training focus is on working with womxn who have suffered abuse from men.
Please email me at KevinFaustCounseling@gmail.com for any questions or concerns about what I can offer.
Why see a trauma therapist?
I am a trauma therapist.
What is a trauma therapist?
I am a certified clinical trauma professional (CCTP), a certified narcissist abuse treatment clinician (NATC), and I am trained in eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy.
In the 1980s, EMDR was used to treat PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). These days, EMDR is used for all kinds of different issues, and not just trauma.
I have also completed a great deal of training through the National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine (NICABM) on the treatment of trauma. These trainings were conducted by some of the leading trauma clinicians and researchers in the industry today, such as Bessel van der Kolk, MD., Peter Levine, PhD., and Francine Shapiro, PhD.
Dr. Shapiro was the psychologist who originated and developed EMDR therapy. She has since passed on, but her work, her trainings, and her teachings allow us to continue to learn from her research and her experience in the field. I also keep up with current research through organizations such as the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA).
When a mental health clinician uses the term "trauma," they have a much different definition than an emergency room doctor. This is explained in greater detail in the "Blog" section of this site. I talk about psychological trauma as occurring when our stress level is greater than our ability to cope with that stress in the moment. This happens to children fairly easily, and happens to adults quite often as well.
We all have trauma. And we will work together to identify it so we can begin to heal it. So often our mental health is negatively affected by past traumas that never get fully processed, leaving us with maladaptive behaviors and cognitive distortions. I will help you identify these issues and then work to heal them.
Narcissistic Abuse
I am a certified Narcissistic Abuse Treatment Clinician (NATC). The Association for NPD/Psychopathy Survivor
Treatment, Research & Education has worked tirelessly on the research needed to develop the first official training and certification program on treating narcissistic abuse in the United States. You may hear clinicians simply refer to this organization as "The Association."
You may be wondering how to know for sure what narcissistic abuse is. You may even wonder if you, yourself, are a narcissist.
Narcissistic people do not typically look for therapy. Narcissists are rarely able to admit to making mistakes, and people who do not believe they make mistakes do not look for therapy. I have seen narcissists in therapy if they were court-mandated after a domestic violence (DV) charge, but more covertly, I have seen narcissists in therapy when they are looking for couples counseling. In this case they are typically looking for a therapist to validate that their partner is the one who is in the wrong. Sometimes narcissists will even go to individual therapy, but they typically will surf around until they find a therapist they can manipulate and who will only validate them and not challenge them on their abuse.
Someone with narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) typically has a consistent pattern of trying to impress others, needing to be admired by others, and lacking empathy in some ways. Some do show empathy and kindness often enough that it may be extremely difficult to see the narcissism. These people are often referred to as "covert narcissists."
Then there is antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). These people show a consistent pattern of disregard for rules and laws, typically violating the basic rights of others. This disorder is sometimes easier to spot due to arrests, physical fights, and aggressiveness, but not always.
And even deeper into this spectrum of dysfunction is the psychopath. Psychopathy is a condition characterized by the absence of empathy and the blunting of other emotions. Callousness, detachment, and a lack of empathy enable psychopaths to be highly manipulative. Nevertheless, psychopathy is among the most difficult disorders to spot.
Psychopaths can appear normal, even charming. Underneath, they lack any semblance of conscience. Their antisocial nature inclines them often (but by no means always) to criminality. They typically know right from wrong. They just lack any moral code keeping them from doing wrong.
I often refer to anyone in the "cluster-B" personality disorder group as a narcissist. The latest research shows that there is not only narcissism traits in all of the cluster-B personality disorders, but also that at least 60% of those who fit in the cluster-B group, fit criteria for having multiple diagnoses in that cluster-B group.
When someone fits criteria for one or more of these, your life with them will be quite difficult. They may bully you, pick on you, call you names... they may be physically abusive, or may stick to more emotional abuse, psychological abuse, or financial abuse. They will typically only want to be seen as the hero or the victim, but never the villain or the perpetrator of abuse. They gaslight, lie, cheat, minimize, deny, and blame. Their goal is to have you guessing your own sanity. This way, they have the power and control.
But you can be free! You can get your life back! I can help you do it!
I will work with you using EMDR and we will work to desensitize you from those trauma triggers, minimize the FOG and confusion, and help you reprocess what you have experienced, setting you free from your trauma symptoms, finally allowing your body to feel safe again.
Reach out now if you are ready to take the next step towards your freedom.