I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the states of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee, with a specialty in the treatment of anxiety (Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional) and substance abuse (Licensed Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor in Kentucky and Certified Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor in Georgia). I have been practicing counseling/therapy since 2008 and have practiced in multiple settings, including residential, correctional, and outpatient. I am a Disabled Veteran and in long-term recovery from substance use. I have also been a user of mental and behavioral health services. As such, I am personally aware of the stigma associated with reaching out for help. Be assured that reaching out for help takes an extraordinary amount of inner strength and desire to be your best self. My philosophy regarding counseling/therapy is that it is not magic. A secret word or a snap of the fingers does not solve our issues. Therapy is two people talking about life’s difficulties, learning coping mechanisms to manage our reactions to those difficulties so their impact is reduced in the present, and utilizing those coping skills in the future to prevent our previous, undesired, reactions from returning. It takes hard work to make changes in our lives. Congratulations for valuing yourself enough to make a commitment to yourself to do the hard work.

What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?

When I begin working with a new individual, I conduct a full assessment process to understand the individual's life and situation, including their strengths and difficulties in order to create a treatment plan, a plan of action, that we will use to travel their journey together. I offer a relaxed but challenging style, so the individual will be comfortable working on the issues they have sought therapy. Past clients have told me what they learned about therapy is that an ideal client is one who is willing to be challenged & open to new ideas, while also being willing to do the work needed to make the changes they want to see.

Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.

My biggest strengths as a psychotherapist are my life-experiences that allow me to connect with individuals quickly and and with empathy.

About James Brook