Hello, I am Jerry Phillips, a licensed mental health therapist. Welcome to our Grow platform. You can read more about my background, education, experience and therapy approach below. I'm so thankful you reached out for help. My personal and business motto has been for many years, "Helping People Help Themselves". This is also my goal with each client. I recognize that most people do not need to be fixed. Rather they need to be heard and understood. By listening and attempting to understand, I am often able to help guide people to real solutions for their personal issues. It will be a privilege to assist you exploring the concerns you discuss. Background: I have two Master degrees; Master of Divinity (M-Div) and Master of Counseling Psychology (MS). I am a U.S. Navy Retired Chaplain, having served 29 years. While on active duty as a Navy Chaplain, I attended a one year school for Pastoral Counseling. Immediately following this, at my next duty station, I began a second masters degree program for Counseling Psychology. This helped me become a much better Chaplain. I also received extensive training at the US Navy's Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitation Center and then conducted alcohol and drug counseling with military members. Three years after this degree program I was licensed in the State of Florida (my home) as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC). After retiring from the US Navy, I established the Upper Room Counseling Center, serving people in the Central Florida area. During this time I specialized in Anxiety disorders, Grief counseling and Addictions. I have had the opportunity to help many people mature as individuals and recover from their addictions. Today I continue helping people through Grow Counseling Telehealth. To access our live, face to face session, you will need either a computer, tablet or smartphone with a working camera and audio. This type of live video streaming works best with a strong, high speed internet connection. It is also recommended that you use Google Chrome as your web browser. Please be sure your device settings are set to "Allow" camera and microphone use while using Google Chrome. If you need to contact me directly, please feel free to do so. I can be reached at: 334-322-5750 or UpperRoomCC@gmail.com
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
Our first session will include brief introductions, an Intake Interview, identifying your presenting concerns and personal challenges of life, your expectations of therapy and goals, and a summary of how we might be able to help. This will help me create a tailored plan for us to work through in follow up sessions.
What treatment methods and tools do you utilize?
I believe the more knowledge and truth you have will help you make better decisions about your own life issues. In order to reach this goal I first listen and use interactive interviewing to guide me as a therapist in helping you. Some of the tools I often use have a CBT, or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy base. Through CBT you will evaluate your current coping skills and possibly create additional coping skills needed today. I also look at the whole person of Body, Mind and Spirit. Our mental health and behaviors are often a direct result of physical and or spiritual concerns. They all interrelate. Therefore, I do not believe we can fully treat one of these areas of our life without addressing the others. Thus I attempt to address the whole person of Body Mind and Spirit.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
My strengths are derived from my life experiences, 29 years in the US Navy, working with veterans, helping those with different types of addictions, assisting those with PTSD, anxiety and depression, and of course as a minister helping many with spiritual issues. Also, experiencing so much death and grief in both my own personal life and in the military, I can personally relate to others who are grieving or experiencing anxiety issues.