Welcome and congratulations on taking this step to positive mental health. I have worked in the mental health field for almost forty years. (Wow! That's a long time! I guess that's why I have gray hairs!)
I am licensed as both a marriage and family therapist and a professional counselor. I enjoy getting to know my clients and engaging them in the development and prioritization of goals. When possible, I incorporate humor into the work, which helps clients feel more at ease.
My approach depends on the client's symptoms. We work together to set therapy goals. My approach depends upon the symptoms. I use solution-focused questioning to develop workable, agreed-upon goals. In couples' therapy, I often begin by teaching better communication skills. After that, working on the other goals goes more smoothly and quickly. With couples, I sometimes use the Gottman method (a researched approach to marital therapy).
For anxiety, I educate clients on anxiety reduction techniques. If I believe medication may help, I will make a referral for that purpose. In working with depression issues, I look at the causes of the depression and how long the symptoms have been present. That may lead to other goals for treating depression, determining the cause, and discussing whether a referral for medication might be helpful and desired.
The first session is the assessment. The assessment is where you will tell me what is going on in your life that is creating difficulties for you. The assessment is also when background information is gathered, and the goals for treatment begin to be developed.
