Stephanie Birnbaum

Life can become difficult when anxiety, depression, grief, relationship stress, major transitions, or recurring emotional patterns begin to affect how you feel, function, and connect with others. I work with adults age 18 and older who are navigating these concerns and want greater clarity, stability, confidence, and healthier patterns in their daily lives and relationships.

I especially help adults struggling with anxiety, depression, stress, grief and loss, relationship difficulties, women’s concerns, low self-esteem, emotional dysregulation, and life transitions. My style is warm, direct, practical, and collaborative. I believe therapy should provide both support and a clear sense of direction, with space to understand what is happening while also working toward meaningful change.

I help clients identify patterns that may be keeping them stuck, strengthen practical coping and communication skills, and develop realistic next steps that can be used outside of therapy. For clients who want faith to be part of counseling, I also provide Christian and Catholic faith-integrated therapy tailored to each client’s beliefs, values, and goals.

My approach to therapy is faith-centered, integrative, and practical. I provide Christian counseling for clients who want their relationship with God, Scripture, prayer, and Christian values incorporated into therapy. I also provide Catholic counseling for clients who want treatment to reflect Catholic beliefs, traditions, sacramental life, prayer, and spiritual discernment.

I draw from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Positive Psychology, Problem-Solving Therapy, psychoeducation, values-based assessment, emotional regulation strategies, and practical behavioral interventions.

In sessions, CBT helps us identify recurring patterns in thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that may be keeping concerns in place. Motivational Interviewing is used to explore ambivalence, clarify what matters most, and strengthen readiness for change. Solution-Focused Brief Therapy helps identify strengths, exceptions, and practical next steps, while Positive Psychology supports greater awareness of strengths, resilience, and what contributes to well-being. Problem-Solving Therapy is used to break overwhelming concerns into manageable steps and develop realistic solutions.

I also use values-based assessment to help align treatment goals with the client’s priorities and identify cognitive-behavioral loops that may be interfering with those goals. Faith integration may include Scripture, prayer, spiritual reflection, discernment, and discussion of how Christian or Catholic beliefs relate to emotional health, relationships, decision-making, and personal growth.

Clients can expect an active, collaborative therapy experience that combines reflection, skill-building, values alignment, and practical action tailored to their needs, beliefs, and goals.

The first session is a structured but conversational 50–60 minute meeting focused on understanding what brought you to counseling, what feels most important right now, and what you would like to change. I will ask questions about current concerns, relevant history, relationships, stressors, strengths, coping strategies, and goals so we can begin building a clear picture of what would be most helpful.

There is no expectation that everything has to be discussed right away. Clients can choose what they feel comfortable sharing, ask questions throughout the session, and let me know if there are areas they are not ready to explore. My goal is to make the first session feel respectful, manageable, and collaborative.

I may offer observations, begin identifying patterns, and discuss possible treatment goals or practical next steps. By the end of the session, we should have a clearer sense of what to focus on first, what you want therapy to help you accomplish, and how we can work together moving forward.