My counseling philosophy is built on four pillars
Partnership
I use a partnership approach in which we work on the problems together. I will never tell you what to do; I will help you clarify the problem and develop solutions to resolve it.
Honesty
Counseling will only be helpful if we are both completely honest. There is no way to solve a problem until we’ve defined it clearly. This takes honesty from both of us. Honesty can be very freeing, but it can also be very painful. Unfortunately counseling often has some painful stages.
Confidentiality
Our conversations are private. That means that you are safe to bring up the most difficult topics. (To see more about confidentiality, go to the FAQs)
Solution Focused
Counselors love to talk with people. But people don’t start counseling just to “talk”, people start counseling to solve problems. You get to choose which problems you want to solve, and what type of solution you are looking for.
The Counseling Process
First Meeting
At our first meeting, we will quickly take care of some basic paperwork and get busy. My job in this first meeting is to understand your view of the problem, clarify what you want changed, and offer some ideas of what I think would be the best method to address your concern. For couples, I attempt to understand the strengths and weaknesses of your relationship.
Course of Change
During most meetings we will start the conversation by catching up on any changes since we last met. We will then move on to any homework that I asked you to complete and we will discuss any new thoughts the homework elicited. I prefer to use a combination of insight and behavioral therapy combined with education about the roles of boundaries, communication techniques, role of conflict, and the impact of your past experiences on the current situation. Each week we will discuss progress toward your goals and adjust accordingly.
Moving On
You will know that you are finished with counseling when you are feeling like you have met your goals. We can discuss any “next steps” and ways to keep from “backsliding” into old behavior.
About Me
I received my Bachelor’s degree in psychology and Master’s degrees in clinical social work and business administration from The Ohio State University. I am licensed as an Independent Social Worker with the Supervision Designation – the highest level of licensing in the field. In addition, I am a certified Sexual Recovery Therapist and I teach graduate-level social work at The Ohio State University. (More information about licensure and certifications can be found under the "More" tab.)
My focus is helping clients solve the problems that are important to them – specifically men's issues, family conflict, marriage therapy, sexual struggles, affair recovery, anxiety, and depression.
With over 30 years of counseling experience, I operate primarily from a systems-oriented perspective helping people think through the belief systems that are causing them difficulty.
