Frequently Asked Questions

Is Counseling Right For Me?

If most of the following statements are true for you during the past month, you could benefit from seeking a professional therapist for help:

I am concerned about a behavior, feeling, or something I am doing.
This behavior or feeling has been getting worse in the past few weeks.
I have tried stopping or reducing this behavior or feeling on my own.
My attempts at stopping or reducing this behavior or feeling have not been successful.
I over-rely on my friends or family to help me with my current troubles.
I am finding it more difficult to cope with things than usual.
I am having trouble concentrating at work or school.
I like to think things through or talk about things that bother me.
I have talked to my family doctor or healthcare professional about the behavior or feeling that’s troubling me.
I have talked to my friends or family about the behavior or feeling that’s troubling me.
I have read books or went on the Internet to discover more about the behavior or feeling that’s troubling me.
I’ve been in therapy before and it’s helped me.

What is EMDR?

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a mental health treatment technique. This method involves moving your eyes a specific way while you process traumatic memories. EMDR’s goal is to help you heal from trauma or other distressing life experiences. When you undergo EMDR, you access memories of a trauma event in very specific ways. Combined with eye movements and guided instructions, accessing those memories helps you reprocess what you remember from the negative event. That reprocessing helps “repair” the mental injury from that memory. Remembering what happened to you will no longer feel like reliving it, and the related feelings will be much more manageable.
EMDR has several advantages.

It works. Dozens of studies have found that EMDR is effective.
It tends to work faster than other forms of therapy. People receiving EMDR typically start seeing results much sooner than with other forms of therapy.
It involves less homework. Other forms of therapy typically involve journaling or other types of homework outside of your sessions. EMDR usually involves only writing down any thoughts or ideas you want to bring up at your next session (if and when those thoughts happen).
It’s usually less stressful. EMDR focuses on processing and moving past your trauma. Other methods involve having you describe and even relive negative events.

EMDR therapy is a relatively new — but very effective — method of helping people with traumatic memories. It’s also an option for people of all ages, including children. Though this treatment is best known for its use in treating PTSD, ongoing research shows it can treat many other conditions. Though it can’t treat all mental health conditions, this therapy method can make a big difference for people struggling with painful events in their past.

What is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)?

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a type of talk therapy (psychotherapy). It’s based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), but it’s specially adapted for people who experience emotions very intensely. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of talk therapy that helps people understand how thoughts affect emotions and behaviors. “Dialectical” means combining opposite ideas. DBT focuses on helping people accept the reality of their lives and their behaviors, as well as helping them learn to change their lives, including their unhelpful behaviors. Dialectical behavior therapy was developed in the 1970s by Marsha Linehan, an American psychologist.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is especially effective for people who have difficulty managing and regulating their emotions. DBT has proven to be effective for treating and managing a wide range of mental health conditions.
The structure of dialectical behavior therapy can vary some from therapist to therapist, but, in general, DBT involves these four types of sessions:

DBT pre-assessment.
Individual therapy.
Skills training in groups.
Telephone crisis coaching.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is an effective treatment to help people who experience very intense, negative emotions. The sooner you can start therapy — and stay committed to it — the sooner you’ll have an improved quality of life.

Do WE Need Marriage Counseling?

If marriage were a car, then these issues are like your engine light blinking red: Get it into the shop (i.e., counselor’s office) ASAP.

1. Trust issues/infidelity
Trust is foundational. Does your spouse keep secrets from you? Are they jealous? Sneaky with social media? Have they cheated? Do they feel the need to control?
“Infidelity can be a sign of character issues such as selfishness, untrustworthiness, and lack of self-control that need to be addressed in order for it not to repeat,” explains counselor Paula Butterfield. “It can also be an indication of … avoidance and escaping as part of attachment and intimacy issues.”

2. Spiritual differences
Many falsely assume they can love their partner into becoming faithful or religious.

3. Abuse
I cannot be any clearer: physical, emotional, or sexual abuse warrants an immediate need for help. The offending person promises it won’t happen again—until it does.
If you stay with an abusive spouse, you risk your safety and well-being, perhaps your life. You risk the safety and well-being of children and pets.
If you have any doubt about whether your situation is abusive, err on the side of caution. Get help.
Reach out to a pastor, counselor, abuse shelter, friend, lawyer, even the police.
But take action. Don’t stop until you find someone who listens and wants to help.

4. Addiction and mental health problems
“It’s just a little pot.” “I only drink to relax.” “Lots of people take Xanax.” “Porn doesn’t hurt anybody.” “It’s retail therapy.”
Truth: Addictions and compulsive behaviors present a wearisome whack-a-mole untamed by willpower and promises to change.
The same can be said for mental health issues. We’ll all likely experience some sort of mental health problem during our lifetime. But serious or chronic mental illness requires much attention and can cause much pain.
Please. Get honest about struggles. Seek real, long-lasting help sooner rather than later.
~By Garrick Conner

What is Online Therapy?

E-therapy, telehealth and virtual therapy is the use of electronic media and information technologies to provide services for participants in different locations. It is used by skilled and knowledgeable professionals (e.g., counselors, therapists) to address a variety of individual, familial, and social issues.
E-therapy can
(1) include a range of services, including screening, assessment, primary treatment, and after care;
(2) provide more accessible modes of treatment than the traditional ones to those who actively use the recent development of technology;
(3) help people access treatment services who traditionally would not seek services because of barriers related to geography, transportation, childcare, shame and guilt, stigma, or other issues; and
(4) be provided as a sole treatment modality, or in combination with other treatment modalities, like traditional or existing treatments.