LMHC, 5 years of experience
Hi, I’m Philip Crouse, a licensed mental health counselor specializing in helping individuals navigate anxiety, depression, and life transitions. I use evidence-based approaches, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, to help clients identify unhelpful thought patterns, build coping skills, and make meaningful changes in their daily lives. My goal is to create a supportive and collaborative space where you can feel heard, understood, and empowered to reach your personal goals.
In your first session, we’ll start by getting to know each other and discussing what brings you to therapy. I’ll ask about your background, current challenges, and goals for treatment. Together, we’ll explore your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to identify patterns that may be contributing to your concerns. This session is also an opportunity for you to ask questions about therapy, my approach, and how we’ll work together. By the end, we’ll have a clear plan for moving forward and concrete next steps tailored to your needs.
What stands out about my therapeutic approach is that it is collaborative, practical, and results-oriented. I combine evidence-based methods, primarily Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, with individualized strategies tailored to each client’s needs. I focus on helping clients identify and challenge unhelpful thought patterns, develop effective coping skills, and apply these strategies in real-life situations. Many clients find that this approach not only reduces symptoms like anxiety and depression but also empowers them to make lasting changes, build resilience, and achieve meaningful personal goals.
I am best positioned to work with adults who are motivated to make positive changes in their lives and are seeking practical strategies to manage challenges such as anxiety, depression, stress, or difficulty coping with life transitions. I work well with clients who are open to exploring their thoughts and behaviors, willing to engage in structured interventions, and looking to develop skills that foster resilience, healthier thinking patterns, and more effective problem-solving. My approach is collaborative, goal-oriented, and tailored to each client’s unique needs.
I have extensive experience using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in my clinical practice. I primarily use it to help clients identify and challenge unhelpful thought patterns and beliefs, and to develop healthier coping strategies. My approach typically involves collaboratively setting concrete, measurable goals and using structured interventions such as cognitive restructuring, behavioral activation, exposure techniques, and skill-building within the session. For example, with clients experiencing anxiety or depression, I guide them in recognizing negative automatic thoughts, examining the evidence for and against these thoughts, and developing more balanced, realistic perspectives. These skills are practiced and reinforced in session, allowing clients to actively apply what they learn at their own pace. I find CBT to be highly effective because it empowers clients to take an active role in their own growth, fostering lasting behavioral change. I tailor CBT techniques to each client’s unique needs—whether addressing trauma, substance use triggers, or other mental health concerns—ensuring interventions remain client-centered and outcomes-focused.
I regularly use Motivational Interviewing (MI) in my practice, especially with clients who feel ambivalent about change or are struggling with substance use, legal stressors, or other life transitions. MI is a collaborative, client-centered approach that emphasizes respect, empathy, and autonomy. Rather than telling clients what to do, I guide conversations in a way that helps them explore their own motivations, values, and strengths. In practice, I use MI techniques such as open-ended questions, reflective listening, and affirmations to help clients resolve ambivalence and build confidence in their ability to change. For example, with clients navigating addiction, I help them identify personal reasons for change and reinforce even small steps toward progress. I find MI to be highly effective because it empowers clients to take ownership of their goals, reduces resistance, and fosters lasting motivation for positive change.
I incorporate Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) to help clients focus on practical solutions and future possibilities rather than remaining stuck in past problems. This approach is especially useful for clients who want to set clear goals and see progress in a short period of time. In practice, I use SFBT techniques such as identifying exceptions, scaling questions, and envisioning a preferred future. For example, I may ask clients to describe times when the problem was less intense, or to imagine what life would look like if their concerns were resolved. These conversations highlight strengths and resources that clients already have, helping them feel more capable of making changes. I find SFBT effective because it emphasizes hope, resilience, and achievable steps forward, which can be particularly empowering for clients managing stress, anxiety, or major life transitions.
I integrate a trauma-informed approach into my practice to ensure clients feel safe, respected, and empowered throughout the therapeutic process. This means recognizing how past trauma can affect thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and tailoring treatment in ways that avoid retraumatization. In practice, I prioritize creating a supportive and collaborative environment where clients maintain control over their pace and goals. I use grounding techniques, psychoeducation, and strengths-based interventions to help clients build resilience and develop healthier ways of coping. Trauma-informed care is not a specific set of techniques, but a framework that guides how I deliver therapy—always with sensitivity, empowerment, and safety at the forefront. I find this approach effective in helping clients heal from trauma while fostering trust and long-term growth.