Counseling FAQ's

There are a variety of reasons people engage in the counseling process. When life is too stressful, relationships are not working and there seems to be little hope, counseling may be beneficial. Some people suffer from various issues such as anxiety, stress, depression, low self esteem, pain, addictions, obsessions, trauma or abuse, and desire healing and freedom from these. Significant changes in life may also be a reason for seeking help such as marriage, divorce, remarriage, changes at work or in living conditions. People seeking more meaning, contentment and satisfaction in their lives may find answers and help in therapy.

You can expect a comfortable, confidential and safe environment where you will be heard and understood without judgment. An initial assessment will be conducted of the nature of your concerns and problems. A therapy plan including goals and the processes for achieving them will be developed. Therapy helps you work through difficult issues, find alternative ways to view problems and to find practical solutions.

Every person and each relationship is unique. Various issues require differing amounts of both time and effort. For some, 1-2 sessions may help; for others a number of weeks will be necessary. The number of sessions needed will be determined by you and the therapist collaboratively as initial assessment is made.

Sessions are 45-50 minutes. There are a wide range of appointment times and days available starting at 8:00 am until 8:00 pm Monday through Friday. We will be happy to discuss weekend options with you. An on-line booking system is available for you to view dates and times that may be available.

The usual and customary session fee is $100 for individuals, and $130 for couples. The counseling process is an important investment in your mental and relational health. It is our practice to work with each person individually in the event of financial issues. Please call so we may assist you.

We are considered an “out of network” provider, and do not accept insurance. Due to the confidentiality and cost considerations in dealing with managed care, a receipt is provided containing all the necessary information should you decide to to file a claim with your insurance company. You can call your insurance company and ask about your out of network mental health benefits. We will also be glad to assist you in this process if needed.

We provide Christian and traditional counseling. Many people who come for counseling desire to integrate their faith with the process. Our foundational belief is that Biblical principles speak to meaning, purpose and change in order to achieve healthy relationships with others, God and also to the individual themselves. We use Christian principles in the therapeutic process as a source for real personal growth always in a non-coercive manner. Proven secular psychological theories are also integrated in the therapeutic relationship from a wide variety of theories of personality and psychotherapy that do not conflict with scripture.

An overarching principle in the Bible is God’s love for all people and His desire for all to have freedom and live in abundance (John 10:10; Galatians 5:1). The God’s Word consistently teaches us wisdom, knowledge and understanding in order to restore the whole person, and live a fulfilled life.

Having a couple come in weekly and talk about the problem of the week or the crisis of the week is rarely therapeutic. Instead, it should be an orderly process that is a foundation for long term success and an approach for not only improving the relationship, but also maintaining it. Couples therapy should highlight strengths and challenges in your relationship while also suggesting actionable, research based recommendations for therapy. I incorporate a number of different training and therapies with couples. However, my main focus is in the Gottman Method Couples Therapy. This therapy is based on over 40 years of research on couple relationships and focused on what makes relationships succeed or fail. It is designed to teach specific tools and its emphasis is in three general areas:

• To deepen friendship and love
• Productively manage conflict, and
• Create shared meaning together

Couples generally have two stories to tell, feel that if they could solve their problems they would be happy, need a sounding board for their pain, and are looking for hope and understanding. I assess the core issues in relationships and observe how a couple typically deals with those issues together. We build skills and teach tools for a better emotional connection, to build trust and commitment, repair negative events and incidents, and make life dreams come true.

Therapy should be a careful and disciplined process that begins with assessment, goes into a working stage and ends with a maintenance, or follow-up, period.

Assessment Phase: We perform a systematic, careful assessment of your relationship before beginning treatment. This will generally be completed in a few sessions. We will talk about the history of your relationship, areas of concerns and goals for treatment. We will also discuss your personal goals and give you an opportunity to share your thoughts, feelings and perceptions. This phase also includes the on-line “Couple Checkup” assessment. This clinical tool is completely confidential, HIPAA compliant, and research-based to help couples build a personalized treatment plan with your therapist.

Working Stage: We work on the three general aspects or the therapy process- helping couples manage conflict, build friendship and love, and create shared meaning together-in specific exercises in session, in order to be integrated into the relationship outside of therapy.

Maintenance Period: A series of sessions at differing times such as monthly, every 6 months or yearly to “test out” relationship skills and prepare for termination. These types of sessions have been shown to decrease chances of relapse into previous, unhelpful patterns, and are used to fine-tune skills learned throughout the therapy process.