LPC, 25 years of experience
New to Grow
I have been practicing psychotherapy part-time for about 30 years while I was a full-time college professor at the University of Miami, The University of Tennessee at Martin, and Middle Georgia State University. Since 2022, I decided to retire from Higher Education and practice full-time as a Licensed Professional Counselor in Macon, GA. Every time I meet with a client, I consider it a "holy" moment when someone allows me to enter into their inner space and I can share some of mine to establish a genuine connection with a fellow sojourner.
The first session will be almost like a "job" interview where I will be asking questions regarding biological, psychological, and socio-cultural-spiritual questions to know all the factors that might be affecting your life. We will have an idea about what we are aiming to improve (including what "official" diagnoses we will use for insurance reimbursement) and what are your personal goals and how I can help in achieving them.
I believe that we are biopsychosocial(cultural/spiritual) beings and when we use a wholistic approach, we are more likely to achieve positive results. I have my own experiences and the experiences of hundreds of clients I have been privileged to work with that serve as an encouragement to try the best therapeutic approaches confirmed by scientific studies and my clinical practice.
I like to work with those who are willing to be honest with themselves and have the courage to improve areas that they (or someone they care about) have noticed need to be addressed. It is possible to grow one step at a time if we decide to face areas we can improve while not forgetting our strengths.
Depending on the client and the particular challenges, I will use different approaches that have been backed up by research including Christian Counseling if chosen by clients.
I am trained and certified in Brief Strategic Family Therapy and have been using it for 22 years. I use it with families who have identified an adolescent as the main problem.
I have an externship at the University of Houston and have been using this approach with couples who have difficulty connecting and communicating effectively.
I have been influenced by Larry Crabb, psychologist and author who emphasizes recognizing our strengths and identity in Christ first and then uncovering the problems that have a spiritual basis.