Q: What exactly is counseling/therapy?
A: Often the words “counseling” and “therapy” are used interchangeably. Therapy/counseling is a joint effort between a mental health professional and a client to address the client’s needs and difficulties as they work towards healing and solutions. Therapy/counseling is not meant to “fix” anyone. In fact, the only way for you (the client) to receive maximum benefit is if you are willing to engage and do the work requested. It is my job to use my professional skills and experience based in Christian principles and Biblical truths to guide you through your challenges while helping you to identify effective solutions and coping skills.
Q: Does it matter if we meet in-person or virtually?
A: My honest answer is that I prefer to meet in-person if that is practical and desirable for you. I believe there is value in being in the same room.
However, one of the blessings of the internet is that therapy can be conducted virtually. The service that I use is safe, confidential, and HIPPA compliant. There are many valid reasons why you may choose to meet either some or all of your sessions virtually. This option has allowed clients who live many miles from my office to save both time and transportation costs.
Q: How long are the sessions?
A: Expect around 50-55 minutes per session.
Q: How often should we meet?
A: There is no “hard and fast” rule. It depends on what is most helpful to you given your circumstances. This often means a “traditional” approach of one session per week. If you are experiencing a crisis, you may find it helpful to meet more often or have a longer session. Generally, as therapy progresses it is common to have longer intervals between sessions until you no longer feel the need for counseling.
Q: How long will I be in therapy?
A: The answer is that it depends on you and your goals. Therapy is not a “one size fits all”. Every individual is unique both in their past experiences and in their goals for therapy. My job is to help you develop insight and long-term coping and problem-solving skills. My goal is to help you reach a place where you will feel comfortable ending therapy.
Q: What can I expect during therapy?
A: During our first session I will work on completing intake paperwork and giving us the opportunity to get to know each other. During the first few sessions we will work at identifying your needs and goals. We will then focus on exploring Christian options to address the identified concerns and on developing appropriate coping skills.
Q: Is the counseling provided Biblical in nature?
A: Everything we do is based on Biblical principles. I strongly believe that all issues are best addressed by identifying how both the Law and Gospel can be used to help the client find peace in his/her life. Ultimately the Truth is in Jesus Christ who lived, died, and rose for each of use. I do not necessarily use a lot of Bible passages in each session but attempt to use God’s Word as appropriate to the concern at hand. Since the beginning of Christian Counseling and in all of my volunteer sessions with students I have the tradition of ending each session with a prayer.
Q: What if I or my spouse is not a Christian?
A: That is not a problem…not all of my past or present clients are Christian. I do not evangelize clients or attempt to persuade them to join a particular church. I have been a life-long member of the Lutheran Church (LCMS), but I respect everyone’s right to make his/her own choices regarding their spiritual beliefs and church membership. My goal is to treat every client as if he/she is a valued, unique, and special child of God.