Hello, I am a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in the State of Florida and I have Master's degrees in both Counseling and Psychology and in Biblical Studies and Theological Foundations. I have been practicing for 14 years and assisted numerous clients with pre-marital counseling, marriage and family challenges, and individual counseling. I also facilitate groups around topics that are relevant to strengthening relationships.
In the first session, clients can expect an exchange of information to establish a therapeutic alliance and what therapy entails. The client will also be able to talk about the presenting problem and articulate his or her main goal to achieve in the process.
As a provider, I seek to establish a safe zone for the client to speak while helping them to identify the root cause of the problem and develop a treatment plan with goals and objectives established by the client.
I utilize a collaborative approach with clients, helping them to gain personal insight regarding themselves and their current challenges. With this approach, clients view their experiences in a more positive manner and from a different perspective, resulting in understanding and acceptance of themselves.
Employing cognitive behavioral therapy can be an effective tool to help clients understand the connection between cognition (thoughts), affect (emotions), and behaviors (actions). This understanding helps clients to make better decisions to achieve better outcomes.
A foundational skill in relationship is communication. Many times couples are not able to communicate assertively and effectively, causing repeated rehearsal of the symptoms without identifying the root issue. Utilizing assertive communication provides an avenue to resolve long time disputes resulting in conflict resolution.
Faith based therapy affirms clients' beliefs and helps them to recognize that their challenges are not unresolvable. Given the opportunity to state the challenges being experienced and helping to interpret them according to their beliefs promotes relief and a renewal of hope.