Hi I am a licensed therapist in Georgia. I have had 18 years experience. I work with young children, middle schoolers. teens, adults and couples. I love assisting people. I have also expanded my practice to include grief counseling.
In the first session I will introduce myself, and discuss HIPPA guidelines and limitations. I will ask them to tell me about themselves, what they like to do, etc. I will identify how session are done weekly or bi weekly and how they can contact me and how I can contact them. I want them to begin to tell me about their reasons for coming to therapy.
I have a lot of experience working with children and couples. I also have a speciality of working with military and family members of military personal. I have the ability to relate to several different people. I also use self disclosure when appropriate, in that it will be of benefit to the client.
I love to work with clients age 7-99. I also like to work with couples. I believe that should focus on people's strength and address the things that they think that is needing to be worked on first.
I use this and other models ie, Solution-Focused, Person-Centered and ChristIan Counseling. I used the methods focusing on a clients strengths, needs, abilities, and preferences. I also believe in personal accountability. I use Christian focused if the client identifies with this. I am personally a Christian. I want clients to be able to recognize triggers of issues, with giving insight to positive coping methods.
I have had a lot of experiences with couples. I give insight that there are different communication styles. I also ask them to do the 5 language test if they have not. I also give insight to the ''I statements versus the ''You statements. I also encourage them to list 3 things of why they fell in love with their spouse, or partner.
I use this in my practice with children and parents, by identifying both the feelings of parent and child. I address the positives about the relationships, the needs of the relationship, and develop behavioral contracts with parent and child, with rewards, and things to do if the expectations are not meet. I provide insight to the parent on feelings of the child, and feelings of the parent to the child.