Did you know that if you are in Virginia, you can receive online therapy from any Virginia licensed mental health professional located anywhere in Virginia. I am a LCSW in Virginia. I provide individual and couples’ therapy. I have been in practice for 45 years. Yes, that means I am old. I am 70 years old. For some folks that is an automatic not interested. For others it is worth checking this person out. I have a lot of life experience. I have experience as a biological parent, a stepparent, and an adoptive parent. There are some similarities and some important differences in those parent types. I have experience working in a public mental health center, solo private practice and in a group private practice that I started with 7 other therapists. I also have been a member of several Boards of nonprofit agencies, the Virginia Board of Social Work (the licensing authority for social workers in Virginia), the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Human Services, State Human Rights Committee, and currently I serve on the board of the Virginia Society for Clinical Social Workers as Vice President.

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

Expectations are really important. I have found that many relationships run into difficulty due to some unspoken expectation not being met. Sometimes it is hard for folks to state their expectations directly. In my work with clients initially I need to find out from you what you want to gain from therapy. I will ask questions about you, your family, your relationships with other people, how you usually do problem solving, and how do you usually express emotions. You can expect me to be conducting an assessment of your issues. This happens initially and is an ongoing part of therapy. By the time someone seeks out a therapist, they have already tried multiple ways to deal with their issues. I don't want to do things that you already know don'work for you.

What treatment methods and tools do you utilize?

Over the many years I have found that using only one way of conducting therapy does not work for everyone. When I work with persons who have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) I use a therapy called Exposure Response Prevention. With OCD I use a very structured approach. With some other diagnosis I might use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Sometimes I need to borrow from Supportive therapy or challenging irritational beliefs. I think the research on the effectiveness of different types of therapy shows that the quality of the relationship with the therapist was the main factor that determined positive outcomes from treatment. I use treatment methods and tools with clients that I find from my assessment to be the best match for that client.

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

One of the strengths that I bring into therapy is my capacity to display resilience. I have experienced many life challenges and had to decide to choose a healthy path forward. One day a friend of mine told me that many people are inspired by the choices I made. I (jokingly) said to him “I did not know it was a multiple-choice test. What were the other options?” I bring a kind of determination to my work with clients that is a powerful presence pulling toward health. From a psychodynamic theory base, it would be called “lending my ego strengths” to clients. We each must walk through our life experience with our own energy, but we can be accepting of a caring presence walking beside us.

About Joe Lynch