Hi! I'm a Licensed Professional Counsellor (LPC) based in Texas. I received my Masters from the Liberty University, and have been practicing for three years. I help individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, stress, relationship struggles (family and couples), addiction, and anger management. I'm experienced working with individuals that have experienced past trauma, struggling with addiction, anxiety, depression, stress and those just needing to be heard and understood. I'm a listener first, but also an educator to how our mind is able to take control of our negative emotions and will provide skills of how mindfully, we can overcome these emotions and learn to live our best lives.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
In our first session together, we'll start with brief introductions, then dive into the specific challenges you're facing. This will help me create a tailored plan for us to work through in follow-up sessions. I offer a safe place to talk and learn to understand about how our emotions affect many area of our lives.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
I have worked in several different settings, including in-patient, individual, couple and family counseling over the years helping individuals learn how to recognize and regulate overwhelming emotions that negatively impact our daily living. I have experience working with individuals that have experienced past trauma, struggling with addiction, anxiety, depression, stress and those just needing to be heard and understood. I am a listener first, but also an educator to how our mind is able to take control of our negative emotions and will provide skills of how mindfully, we can overcome these emotions and learn to live our best lives.
About Robert Gaertner
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VirtualMy treatment methods
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) that emphasizes acceptance of one's thoughts and feelings, while also encouraging commitment to actions aligned with one's values. In summary, ACT helps individuals develop psychological flexibility by fostering acceptance of their experiences, clarifying their values, and taking committed action towards living a meaningful life. It's not about getting rid of difficult thoughts and feelings, but rather changing your relationship with them so they have less power over you.
Family Therapy
Family therapy is a type of psychotherapy that involves working with families and couples to improve communication, resolve conflicts, and foster healthier relationships. Here are some common techniques used in family therapy: Structural Therapy: This technique focuses on the family's structure, including boundaries, roles, and hierarchies. The therapist may observe interactions within the family and offer interventions to restructure these dynamics in healthier ways. Strategic Therapy: Strategic therapy emphasizes finding solutions to specific problems within the family system. Therapists may assign tasks or homework to encourage behavioral changes and may use techniques such as reframing or prescribing the symptom to shift family dynamics. Systemic Therapy: Systemic therapy views problems within the family as part of a larger system and examines how each family member's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors affect the system as a whole. Therapists may use circular questioning to explore patterns of interaction and help family members understand each other's perspectives. Narrative Therapy: Narrative therapy focuses on the stories that families tell about themselves and their experiences. Therapists may help families reframe their narratives in more empowering or hopeful ways, challenging negative or dysfunctional stories that contribute to conflict or distress. Solution-Focused Therapy: Solution-focused therapy focuses on identifying and amplifying existing strengths and resources within the family. Therapists may ask questions about times when the family has successfully overcome challenges or achieved goals, helping to generate ideas for solutions to current problems. Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT): EFT focuses on identifying and transforming patterns of emotional responses within relationships. Therapists help family members recognize and express their underlying emotions, facilitating deeper emotional connections and greater intimacy. Communication Skills Training: Family therapists often teach communication skills such as active listening, assertiveness, and empathy to help family members communicate more effectively and resolve conflicts constructively. Role-Playing and Role Reversal: Therapists may use role-playing exercises to help family members understand each other's perspectives and practice new ways of interacting. Role reversal can help family members empathize with each other's experiences and develop insight into their own behavior. Overall, family therapy techniques are tailored to the unique needs and dynamics of each family, with the goal of promoting understanding, empathy, and collaboration among family members to create positive change.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a widely used therapeutic approach that focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviors that contribute to emotional distress or problematic behaviors. Here's how CBT works: Identifying Negative Thought Patterns: CBT begins by helping individuals become aware of their automatic negative thoughts—the patterns of thinking that contribute to distress. This might involve keeping a thought diary to record these thoughts and the situations that trigger them. Challenging Negative Thoughts: Once negative thought patterns are identified, CBT helps individuals challenge the accuracy and validity of these thoughts. This might involve examining evidence for and against them, considering alternative explanations, and identifying cognitive distortions (e.g., black-and-white thinking, catastrophizing). Behavioral Activation: CBT often includes behavioral techniques to encourage individuals to engage in activities that bring them pleasure or a sense of accomplishment. This can help counteract feelings of depression or low mood by increasing activity levels and providing a sense of mastery. Developing Coping Strategies: CBT teaches individuals coping strategies to manage distressing emotions and situations. This might include relaxation techniques, problem-solving skills, assertiveness training, and social skills training. Exposure Therapy: For individuals struggling with anxiety disorders, CBT often includes exposure therapy. This involves gradually and systematically exposing individuals to feared situations or objects in a safe environment, helping them to confront and overcome their fears. Homework Assignments: CBT typically involves assigning homework between sessions to practice new skills and techniques learned in therapy. This helps reinforce learning and allows individuals to generalize skills to real-life situations. Monitoring Progress: Throughout the therapy process, CBT therapists monitor the individual's progress and make adjustments to the treatment plan as needed. This might involve reassessing goals, revisiting coping strategies, or addressing any barriers to progress. Focus on the Present: While CBT may explore past experiences that contribute to current difficulties, the primary focus is on the present moment and how individuals can change their thoughts and behaviors to improve their current functioning and well-being. Overall, CBT is a structured, goal-oriented therapy that empowers individuals to identify and change unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors, leading to improvements in mood, behavior, and overall quality of life.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) that was originally developed to treat individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD). However, it has since been adapted for use with various other mental health conditions, especially those involving difficulties with emotion regulation. Overall, DBT is a comprehensive and structured therapy that helps individuals develop skills to cope with distressing emotions, improve relationships, and create a life worth living. It combines acceptance-based strategies with practical skills training to promote emotional stability and well-being.
Christian Counseling
Christian counseling integrates psychological principles with spiritual insights and values derived from the Christian faith. While techniques may vary depending on the counselor's approach and the client's needs, here are some common techniques used in Christian counseling: Prayer: Prayer is central to Christian counseling, providing a means for clients to connect with God, seek guidance, and find comfort and strength in times of difficulty. Counselors may pray with clients during sessions or encourage clients to incorporate prayer into their daily lives. Biblical Counseling: Biblical counseling involves exploring issues through the lens of Scripture and applying biblical principles to address clients' concerns. Counselors may use passages from the Bible to provide guidance, wisdom, and encouragement relevant to the client's situation. Integration of Faith and Psychology: Christian counselors often integrate psychological principles with Christian beliefs to address clients' emotional, relational, and spiritual needs. This may involve exploring how psychological concepts align with or complement biblical teachings, helping clients reconcile their faith with their mental health concerns. Forgiveness and Reconciliation: Christian counseling emphasizes the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation in healing broken relationships and resolving conflicts. Counselors may help clients understand biblical teachings on forgiveness and guide them through the process of forgiving others and seeking reconciliation when appropriate. Community Support: Christian counselors may emphasize the importance of community support and involvement in a faith community as a source of encouragement, accountability, and belonging. Clients may be encouraged to seek support from fellow believers and participate in church activities or small groups. Gratitude and Thankfulness: Christian counseling often emphasizes the importance of cultivating gratitude and thankfulness as antidotes to negative thinking and attitudes. Counselors may guide clients in expressing gratitude to God for blessings, even in the midst of difficult circumstances. Hope and Trust in God's Providence: Christian counseling instills hope by reminding clients of God's faithfulness and sovereignty over their lives. Counselors may help clients trust in God's providence and find meaning and purpose in their struggles, knowing that God works all things together for good for those who love Him (Romans 8:28).