I am a Retired Army Veteran and former police officer. I am also a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Georgia since 2012. I am very experienced in individual and family therapy, case coordination, and community collaboration, (school systems, Department of Family and Child Services, Department of Juvenile Justice, food pantries, mentoring programs, organizations for the Homeless, Nursing homes etc.). I have worked with local court systems and numerous organizations as a member of the Children in need of Services (CHINS) committee and provided counseling services within Long, Liberty, Bryan, Tattnall, and Candler counties.
To be relaxed to the point of being able to share what is needed in order to start the healing process.
I don't feel I have a specific niche due to my long career and my diverse history. It is important to for me to bond with the client and make plans on a case-by-case basis.
I am grateful to be able to work with people and don't really have a preference when it comes to clients. I allow time to build relationships and trust.
I have been a practitioner of CBT for over a decade. Teaching people to think differently about situations that they allow to affect them negatively is very fulfilling. One specific approach to I use at times is that I teach people how "Thinking affects how they feel and influences how they act".
I identify some of the flaws used when thinking and the negative impacts to how we feel and function. I have experienced almost instant positive changes using this method.
Allowing client's to open up about religion without directing them to do so allows a client to be comfortable integrating their faith into sessions. It has allowed me to assist them in identifying strengths and clarifying what they feel they should focus on and why.
Assisting families through difficult times, behaviors and functioning is very challenging but satisfying. Helping families gather information to make tough decisions that could affect positive change has been responsible for some my most fulfilling moments.
Teaching ways for clients to reach goal through an innovative planning method that relies on the client to build confidence and follow steps that they help create has been a source of great success over the years.