What to Expect in Individual Counseling.

–The counseling experience can be likened to a car. You are in the driver’s seat of your car (or counseling experience). You have the brake, the gas, and the steering. I get in on the passenger side as a consultant/guide with knowledge, tools, and expertise in helping individuals to get from Point A to Point B. Ultimately, you make the decisions about where you want to go, how you want to get there, and how fast. Therapy will progress as quickly as you want it to, or as slowly as you need it to. And, there is more than one way to get from Point A to Point B.

–You are the expert in your life. Your right to make choices for yourself is always respected. Together we will identify your goals for counseling.I will review and assess your history, current conditions, future goals, and plan a treatment strategy to help you to achieve those goals in a way that is most suited to you.  This information will always be shared with you.  You can ask, and all information will be given to you regarding your treatment.

–Recommendations are given for things that you can do between sessions to make progress on your goals. However, you decide what is right for you.  I will take into consideration what works as well as what does not work for you. Each client is different, and therapy will be different for each individual throughout the process. I am interested in your feedback regarding what works best for you.

–Building a good working relationship in an atmosphere of trust and acceptance is vital to the counseling process. And, finding a counselor that you feel comfortable with is the first goal. Feel free to ask as many questions as you need to help you select the right counselor to suit your needs.

–Your time is valuable.  Expect your counseling appoints to begin on time or early 99% of the time.

What to Expect in Couples Counseling.

–Couples counseling is provided in a way that attempts to be impartial and fair to both partners–focusing on attaining goals as opposed to blame, which can sabotage goals.

–Strategic Marriage Counseling will be tailored to your unique needs, personalities, and goals. This will be done through an evolving process of continually focusing on goals as they arise one step at a time.  This involves the counselor and couple working together to prioritize goals, which can rapidly evolve during this process.

–Conjoint sessions is the most challenging of all types of counseling.  It is often emotionally intense and can feel confrontive.  One-on-one sessions and individual counseling with marriage goals tends to be more validating and therapeutic for spouses.   Faster progress is often made in one-on-one and individual counseling for these reasons.

–Because conjoint counseling is so challenging, Strategic Marriage Counseling requires focused goal-setting before each session to avoid potential interference.

–For both conjoint and one-on-one marriage counseling ground rules are agreed upon in advance or as a first order of business so as to avoid the potential for interference.

–In Strategic Marriage Counseling, it is the therapist who determines if conjoint, one-on-one, or individual counseling is the best option for the next step.  As an example: one (or both spouses) may think they want a conjoint marriage counseling session.  If the counselor determines that this would not be the best strategic option, the preferred option will be recommended to the couple.

–Your time is valuable.  Expect your counseling appoints to begin on time or early 99% of the time.