My Approach
At EMDR-Counseling, PLLC, I take a client-centered approach to mental health counseling. My focus is on creating a safe and supportive space for individuals to be able to address unresolved trauma, depression and/or anxiety. I specialize in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), to help individuals process and heal from trauma. I believe that everyone can heal from trauma and grow and heal. I am here to support you on your journey.
Therapy Philosophy:
Self-improvement is life-long. Behavioral health therapy shouldn’t be. People can recover from unresolved PTSD, anxiety, and depression with the right provider and treatment. My job is to help alleviate and heal suffering. I am an expert in healing trauma and addressing stress and anxiety. You are an expert in your life, you have lived it. I take the responsibility of your care very seriously. I believe in treating people with kindness and compassion.
What are you looking for in a therapist?
My brilliant wife once said “Therapists are like ice cream. We are all made of the same basic ingredients, but we have different flavors and tastes. Behavioral health providers get the same basic education and studies on how to provide counseling. It's our experiences, specialties and personalities that flavor how we help.” It is important that you (as the patient) find the right “flavor” of counselor that will best serve your needs.
Military vs Civilian Experience:
The question that gets asked with a fair amount of frequency is “As a veteran, how can you help me with “the bad thing(s) that happened to me?” It’s a fair question. The answer is yes. My time in the military was five and a half years, I was in practice long before I served. When I joined, I was already fully licensed and my clinical experience had been shaped as a civilian. The Air Force only added the military culture component. Serving in the Air Force, most of the Airmen I served had a range of issues that I already had experience in treating with EMDR and other therapies. These problems included childhood abuse, grief, depression, life choices/transitions, performance anxiety, leadership issues, sexual assault (military and civilian). There were few combat traumas. The fact is, since I left the service, I’ve treated more combat trauma than I did before. With respect to the work we will do, there is no difference between the person who wore the uniform and who didn’t. We approach your therapy in a very individualized manner. Some people want to get the work done and over with, others need a slower gentle approach. The goal is the same-to get you healed so you can reclaim your life!
What will to expect when you see me the first time?
The first time we meet is an evaluation of your needs and what you are experiencing. By the end of the evaluation, we will discuss your diagnosis, my treatment recommendations and expectations. I will be very clear about the results. In the first session, I will ask what you expect of me as your provider. You will have the opportunity to ask questions at any time. I will answer. If I don’t know the answer, we will figure it out together. Remember-I’m an expert in my field; you are the expert in your life.
For more information please contact me so we can discuss what you need.