LPC, 2 years of experience
New to Grow
Welcome - I'm glad you made it here! My name is Ben, and I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Pennsylvania. As a therapist, I care about my clients and want them to feel empowered to live their lives in the way they see fit. My goal is to provide a beneficial and overall positive experience for my clients.
During our first session, we will work together to create a treatment plan for your time in therapy. This will begin with me getting some background information on you as well as your motivation for therapy. After that, we will decide on what you would like to focus on in therapy and any potential goals you may want to accomplish through our sessions. You can think of this as the roadmap for you time in therapy. As we work together in the coming sessions, we can change the treatment plan if you discover something different you would like to work towards.
My biggest strength is creating a therapeutic space for clients to authentically show up. I consistently provide a non-judgmental environment where it is okay to come as you are. In sessions with me, you are welcome to show up as your authentic self.
I have worked with all types of clients, but I have most often have helped clients struggling with depression, anxiety, stress, relationships, life transitions, resentment, and trauma. If you are looking for a non-judgmental space and a therapist who values you just as you are, then I may be a good fit for you.
Everything I do in therapy is Person-centered at it's core. While I may have expertise in therapeutic methods, I believe that the client is the expert in their own life. I view my role as the therapist is to support the client and do my best to empower them to achieve the progress they deem as most important in their own life.
Positive psychology focuses on my clients’ strengths, values, and what’s going well in their lives. I help clients identify and build on their positive qualities, cultivate gratitude, and develop habits that promote well-being. Through exercises like savoring positive experiences and setting meaningful goals, I support clients in enhancing their overall happiness and life satisfaction. This strengths-based approach complements addressing challenges by promoting growth, hope, and a more balanced perspective.
As an EMDR trained clinician, I guide clients through the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing process using online tools that facilitate bilateral stimulation, including guided eye movements and audio tones. We begin by establishing a safe and comfortable space, reviewing the target memories or distressing experiences, and then proceed with the standard EMDR phases—processing the memories while engaging in bilateral stimulation. I ensure clear communication and frequent check-ins to monitor clients’ emotional states and adjust the pace as needed, creating a supportive environment that allows effective trauma processing.
As a trauma informed clinician, I do not presume to know your experience or the ways in which trauma has impacted your life. I put a heavy focus on client safety and ensuring to the best of my ability that clients leave sessions with me feeling safe and heard.
Using CBT, I work collaboratively with clients to identify and understand the connection between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. We begin by exploring specific situations that cause distress and then examine the automatic thoughts or beliefs linked to those situations. Together, we challenge and reframe unhelpful or distorted thoughts to develop more balanced and realistic perspectives. Throughout sessions, I help clients learn practical skills such as cognitive restructuring, behavioral experiments, and problem-solving techniques to manage symptoms and improve coping. Homework assignments can be used to practice these skills between sessions, reinforcing progress, and promoting lasting change.