I am a licensed psychotherapist and hold bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology. I have over 30 years experience and have performed thousands of hours of counseling. I have worked across a broad spectrum of mental health settings including private practice, CPS, Residential Treatment Centers, substance abuse facilities, psychiatric hospitals, and conducted psychiatric evaluations in a hospital ER. I've seen it all and dealt with it all. My life’s work has been dedicated to assisting people overcoming problems, and living happier, more rewarding and fulfilling lives.

What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?

In our first session, we will discuss what brings you to therapy; what you wish to address. I look beyond the symptoms and focus on the root cause of issues. This typically involves exploring the underlying thoughts, beliefs, fears, emotions and experiences contributing to your current challenges. We will develop a framework for reaching your counseling goals in a supportive, collaborative environment.

What treatment methods and tools do you utilize?

Every client is different. Some clients just want to gain clarity and insight or to air out some issues. Some are having a difficult time coping with past trauma. Some might be in crisis. Some suffer from low self-esteem or fear or depression. Some feel stuck in a negative pattern and don’t know how to get out of it. Some just need supportive therapy. I tailor my approach to suit the needs of each individual client.

Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.

People and their behavior can be complex and not easy to understand. My greatest strength is likely my ability to understand a client, to troubleshoot the difficulties they are experiencing, and identify the root cause. If the root cause is not identified, then you risk treating the symptoms and not the cause. Once the root cause is identified, that is the area to intervene. One of my favorite treatment modalities is called strategic intervention. And this is a simple description of strategic intervention.

About Paul Ellingsen