New to Grow
My name is Thomas Barhorst, and I started counseling in 2004. In addition to having a small private practice shortly after I received my Missouri license in 2007; I have worked as a K-12 school counselor, in substance use treatment, in a residential treatment setting, in a community mental health agency, helping individuals with disabilities transition into the workforce, and helping graduate students manage stress in their professional programs (i.e. medical school, dental school, etc.). Recently, I have begun providing telehealth therapy after obtaining licensure in Arizona and California. Outside of work, spending time with family and friends is important to me. I also enjoy stories, laughing, listening to stand-up comedy, cooking, playing sports like wallyball and ultimate frisbee on a non-competitive level, watching film noir and psychological thrillers, recently had the opportunity to take my car to a racetrack, and have played bass guitar in a rock band.
Counseling is like having a conversation. Sometimes it helps by being a safe place where you can put complicated thoughts and feelings into words. Sometimes it can be helpful to get an outside perspective on your situation. Sometimes people use counseling to help them with problem-solving or to get strategies for dealing with issues they haven't thought of on their own yet. In our first session, we will probably talk about what led to your decision to schedule an appointment now as well as how any counseling experiences you may have had in the past went. We will think about what could be better as a result of counseling, and how we can work towards helping you manage/overcome your challenges more independently. The first session is also a good time to address any questions you may have about the counseling process, review the limitations of confidentiality, and discuss any difficulties you may have had with the intake process. If you have any questions about my experiences as therapist or would like to further discuss what to expect in counseling, our first session is a good time to address these issues as well.
There are two things I like people to know about me when we begin meeting. First, I want people to know that it's okay for them to tell me I'm wrong. If a suggestion or an idea I throw out doesn't resonate quite right, giving me feedback about how it feels off can help us get closer to understanding what is really going on. Second, I like people to know that I respect that most of the things we talk about are easier said than done. I know that if dealing with these issues in life was easy, people would just work on the problems themselves and wouldn't need counselors or assistance. Keeping this in mind allows me the flexibility to find strategies or solutions that work for you as an individual rather than just giving out ideas or suggestions you could find in a self-help book or internet video. Also, I have a natural curiosity and interest in other people. One comment that I often hear is, "oh... that's a good question." In my approach to counseling, I believe that the therapist's responsibility is not to provide all the answers, but rather to help guide the person to discovering their own answers. Sometimes finding the right questions to think about can be a key to the journey.
My ideal clients are people who know that they need help figuring out what is wrong or contributing to their struggles, and how they can do things differently to get the results in life they are seeking. That person may be new to therapy and not sure what to expect, or they can be someone who is willing to give therapy another chance even if they were less than thrilled with their previous experience. I have found that clients who like to take the lead in developing their own goals (or at least have some ideas coming into therapy about what the problem might be) tend to progress more quickly than those who expect the therapist to be an expert responsible for all treatment decision-making. Ideal clients tend to think about therapy between sessions or try to apply strategies discussed even if they are less interested in therapeutic homework or completing assignments. I have had a variety of experience working with children, families, couples, adults, and individuals with disabilities. I have worked in the fields of educational/vocational counseling, mental health counseling, substance use treatment, crisis intervention, and family therapy. I have extensive experience assisting individuals with anxiety disorders, mood disorders, trauma, personality disorders, and adolescents with behavioral issues such as oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder.
Existential
Taking an Existential approach means that I help people explore what is important and meaningful in their life, so they can become more intentional in their behavior and decisions to align with their own personal goals. The Existential approach can help not only with big picture questions about one's purpose in life and identity, but also smaller situations such as behavior at work, how they respond in a relationship, or how to prioritize time management.
Motivational Interviewing
When I started working with individuals struggling with substance use, Motivational Interviewing empowered people to overcome the hard parts once they discovered the reasons they wanted to make changes in their life apart from what they had always been told by others. Beyond just substance use, Motivational Interviewing helps people explore the changes they want to make in their life and steps they may have already begun taking in their journey. Motivational Interviewing can be used whether someone is considering a career change, re-examining their relationship with others, or just trying to figure out how to get unstuck.
Solution Focused Brief Treatment
Over my career, I've met people who have been frustrated with past therapy experiences that have felt their sessions guided them towards long-term issues or problems other than those they've sought help for. Just like it sounds, Solution Focused Brief Treatment allows individuals to remain focused on the problem(s) that led to them seeking help and information relevant to finding relief for those issues. Solution Focused Brief Treatment can be a good starting place for someone who is looking for more information or wanting to brainstorm how to get past a roadblock in life.