LPC, 4 years of experience
New to Grow
I'm Ben Northrup, a licensed professional counselor with a passion for helping individuals navigate life’s challenges with strength and self-compassion. I specialize in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), psychosis treatment, helping family members of individuals with symptoms of psychosis, and support for anxiety and depression. I earned both my undergraduate and graduate degrees from Lock Haven University and have worked in a range of clinical settings—including group homes, partial hospitalization programs, women’s centers, and community-based mental health. These experiences have shaped my client-centered, practical, and empathetic approach to therapy. Therapy sessions with me tend to feel more casual in nature and use everyday language (no psychological jargon). While therapy is a serious matter and we will talk about serious subjects, it should never be a time that either of us dread. I believe in taking time to learn about, or help you discover, hobbies and parts of life that you enjoy. I take time to help you develop more personalized coping skills and problem solve using your strengths. So, whether you're feeling overwhelmed, seeking tools to manage emotions, or navigating complex mental health challenges, I'm here to support you in creating meaningful, lasting change.
First sessions are a lot like planning a road trip. At our first session, you can expect me to focus on 3 main points. 1) Building a safe and comfortable environment. This means getting to know you as more than just your mental illness. I want to know about your life, what you enjoy, what you don't enjoy, your values and beliefs etc. I also give you a chance to get to know me. I want you to be comfortable in the vehicle we're taking our road trip in. 2) Setting goals. Where are we going on our trip and why. I want to know what you'd like to accomplish with therapy and why you want to do that. My goal is that eventually we will be able to utilize specific goals so we have a clear vision of what you want your life to look like at the end of the therapy process. 3) Ensuring that you know what to expect from therapy. I will talk a bit about confidentiality, the therapeutic process, and how my personal therapy approach can help you get to where you want. I will make sure our initial "road map" sounds okay with you and ensure that you understand it's okay if you want or need to take detours.
My greatest strengths as a therapist are; patience, empathy, acceptance, being authentic, and being dedicated once committed. These strengths have helped me form very strong therapeutic bonds with individuals from many different backgrounds and ages. I don't rush the process, I believe all emotions come from a place of validity, and I am determined to help you achieve your goals.
I enjoy working with individuals who are curious about themselves and the therapeutic process. Individuals who are open to problem solving, willing to explore change at any pace, and motivated to grow. While I specialize in personality disorders and psychosis-related disorders, my diverse clinical background allows me to work flexibly and effectively with a wide range of clients. I welcome people from all walks of life and value all qualities that different backgrounds can bring to growing a healthy therapeutic relationship.
I have had my DBT certificate since 2022 and have been actively seeing DBT clients daily as well as teaching DBT class. I utilize the skills taught in DBT with many clients outside of the DBT program as well.
I have found that CBT can be used to help individuals in almost all cases. Identifying unhelpful thoughts, creating realistic thoughts, and enacting behaviors to change those thoughts is a technique that I use almost daily.
I utilize a specific form of CBT called Recovery-Oriented CBT for individuals who are experiencing psychosis symptoms. I have a certification in this and complete 60 hours of training in this field each year. I also work with family members of individuals who experience psychosis to help them understand the symptoms and find ways to help their loved ones while also maintaining their own mental health.