Willard Vaughn
You may feel desperate, alone, and misunderstood. You feel like you are floating in the bottom of a lake and cannot see the light above you. Everyday, you feel like you are just going through the motions. If this describes you, then I may be the therapist for you.
I make no secret of being a white, cisgender, male with a foul mouth and a very unique view of the world around me.
In my nearly twenty years of experience, I have helped people like you reach their potential and achieve the recovery that they needed. There is no set system or quick fix as others may promise, but I will walk down the road with you. My primary focus is on helping you deal with ambiguity. Often our thoughts and subsequently what we teach ourselves becomes rigid and fairly black and white. Using a pragmatic and authentic approach to therapy I try and help you be okay with things that are beyond your control and work with you to establish yourself as the protagonist in your own story. This is primarily accomplished through conversation and allowing you the client to guide the therapy in the direction it needs to go.
First session
My first session is generally a fact finding mission to obtain some background and give me a better understanding of what brings you to therapy, and outside of therapy what you have been doing to try to solve the problem on your own. I use this to establish a treatment plan. I also want to build rapport and hopefully end the session giving you something to think about.
Strengths
My greatest strength is my authenticity. This is something that I have worked very hard in my own life to establish. I also have a unique way of seeing the world and approaching therapy. I tend to look at issues from a more pragmatic sense while at the same time acknowledging the flawed human that exists in all of us.
Ideal clients
My main focus is on affective disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder. I am also trained to work with those that are diagnosed with a personality disorder, have substance abuse disorders, or who are in need of one on one therapy for life's issues. Additionally, I have lived experience as a first responder, and I also have a specialty in crisis intervention counseling.
Treatment methods
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
DBT gives clients a set of tools to manage intense emotions, regulate distress, and improve relationships. The skills and techniques are applicable to a wide variety of presentations and issues.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
CBT is a goal-oriented approach that identifies and attempts to modify negative or ineffective thought patterns.
Person-centered (Rogerian)
Showing unconditional positive regard and focusing on the relationship part of the therapy is essential in building rapport and establishing a therapeutic framework
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
Man
White
Top specialties
First Responders/Healthcare Workers
Mood Disorders
Self Esteem
Other specialties
Addiction / Substance Use
Anger Management
Burnout
Emotional Regulation
Life Transitions
Peer Relationships
Personality Disorders
Serious Mental Illness / Crisis
Trauma and PTSD
Serves
Adults (18 to 64)
Individual Therapy
Doesn't specialize in
Child Parent Psychotherapy
Christian Counseling
Faith based therapy
Family Therapy
Family Therapy
Family Therapy
Fertility & Reproduction Issues
Foster Care/Adoption
Gender-affirming therapy
Hypnotherapy
Obsessive-Compulsive (OCD)
Parent-Child Interaction (PCIT)
Sandplay
Sex Therapy