Who do you work with?
I work with anxious and stressed individuals from teens to adults. More specifically, I help:
- Anxious adults and teens ditch their inner critic so they can enjoy their lives and relationships again.
- Divorced men stop feeling paralyzed by loneliness, so they can find the confidence to start over.
- Divorced women stop repeating the same mistakes in their future relationships.
- Men in tough relationships who want to be the best husband or boyfriend they can be without losing themselves.
- Overwhelmed and burned out moms who want to love themselves as much as they love their family.
How long does counseling take? How often will we meet?
I know most people don’t call me as soon as the problem starts. You call when you are ready to dig in, so I meet with you once a week for the first month. Then we re-evaluate the frequency of appointments and your progress each month until you reach your goals.
Your counseling session is where you gather energy, hope, and clarity to work on new ways of thinking and relating between sessions. You definitely don’t have to be in therapy forever to make progress. While there are no guarantees, some clients find the relief and clarity they are looking for in as few as 8 sessions. While others may attend counseling for a longer period of time, such as 15-20 sessions.
What are the benefits of therapy?
While I cannot guarantee the specific outcome or result you will receive from participating in counseling. I can share some of the growth my clients have developed by working on themselves throughout the therapy process:
- Not letting anxiety keep you isolated and disconnected
- Take other behavior less personally
- Meet own needs better instead of over-giving until depleted
- More comfortable connecting emotionally and physically with their spouse
- More confident than can handle challenges or emotions on their own
- Less angry at their ex and more clear on what need to work on in future relationships
- Care about others while being less of a people pleaser
- Pursue goals instead of being frozen in fear
- Needing to take less medication to manage symptoms
If any of these benefits of therapy sound like areas you want to work on or grow in, schedule free 15-minute phone consult with me. And you’ll be one step closer to reaching your personal and relationship goals.
How much does counseling cost? Do you take my insurance?
For a complete list of my rates for counseling services as well as answers to frequently asked questions about whether or not I take insurance and which ones, please read my Fee page.
What kind of therapy do you practice?
Mental health professionals vary in how they think about problems and challenges people face. Some professionals think problems reside within the person, while other professionals think problems are based on the person’s past or a medical condition.
My approach is based on Bowen Family Systems Theory which considers a broader context of emotional and relationship system variables when addressing life challenges. I offer an alternative perspective to think about how problems that occur within an individual impact what goes on between people and vice versa. In this way, problems that are created and/or reacted to in a relationship system are then addressed and corrected by the system itself.
How do I get the most out of counseling?
The more active you are in the process, the more you will get out of counseling. The most important thing is to be ready to take responsibility for the direction of your life and/or your part in the relationship problems. We all want someone to tell us what to do sometimes, but I want you to walk away feeling empowered and trusting yourself again.
People don’t often realize they need to come prepared to their counseling session. Having goals or problems you want to address will help focus the session. And observing and monitoring your own progress toward your goals will help fine tune the work you do between sessions.
Counseling is an investment of time and money, and you want to get the most out of your investment in yourself and your relationships. For more ideas including keeping a counseling journal, read 8 Ways to Make the Most of the Counseling.
How do I schedule an appointment with this counselor?
Appointments are available on weekdays from Tuesday-Thursday and one evening a week in my Independence MO office. In addition, I also offer online counseling to Missouri residents via telephone or video sessions.
Finding a counselor near you that is a good fit for you is a personal decision. To help you explore what it would be like to work with me and further answer your questions about counseling, schedule free 15-minute phone consult with me. And you’ll be on your way to discovering how you can begin growing your confidence and connections.
Note: Individual counseling for anxiety, divorce recovery, men, and women is available in my Independence office and online. (Also serving clients in Greater Kansas City areas, such as Blue Springs, Grain Valley, and Lee’s Summit MO).