Individual Counseling

Individual

We often find that life can be challenging and is often stressful. We experience a mountain of emotions such as feeling anxious, depressed, confused, or overwhelmed at some point and need help dealing with feelings and problems that may seem beyond our control. Individual counseling (sometimes called psychotherapy, talk therapy, or treatment) is a process through which clients work one-on-one with a trained mental health clinician in a safe, caring, and confidential environment.

Anxiety

Everyone experiences anxiety from time to time, such as worry over an upcoming work responsibility, school exam or first date. Anxiety disorders, however, are marked by worry and racing thoughts that become debilitating and interfere with everyday functioning.

The first step for many people who struggle with anxiety is to create awareness of their thoughts and then learn to manage those thoughts with a counselor’s help. Although the strategy of identifying negative self-talk and addressing one’s thoughts is old hat to most counselors, it may be an entirely new concept for some people.

Depression

Feelings of sadness are a normal part of life. These feelings usually last only a few hours or days before they gradually disappear on their own.

When feelings of sadness last two weeks or longer, affect most areas of your life, and stop you from enjoying the things you usually like, you may be experiencing depression.

If you are depressed, it’s important to talk to someone you trust such as a friend or family member. Consider seeking the help of a professional who knows how to help with depression.
Some people feel awful but do not realize that they are having problems with depression.

Depression can be treated successfully. Getting help with depression allows people to get their life back to normal quickly.

Adolescent/Teen

Teens may have mental health problems when their actions, feelings, or thoughts regularly create obstacles in their lives. Everybody has times when they think or feel something that they don't like. Other times, people do things that other people don't like. Both of these situations are normal. But when the unwanted thoughts, feelings, or actions regularly create problems, there may be a mental health problem.

Some reasons for therapy for teens: depression, anxiety, behavior problems, substance use issues, stress, school & social-related issues, legal problems, trauma, low self-esteem and/or grief.

Child

In therapy, kids talk and learn how to work out their problems. Going to therapy helps them cope better, communicate better, and do better.

Kids and teens need therapy when they have problems they can't cope with alone. Or they need help when problems affect how well they do, feel, or act. If things don't get better on their own, kids may need therapy so things can improve. Sometimes, entire families need support while trying to communicate, learn, and create boundaries.

In therapy, kids learn by doing. With younger kids, this means working with the whole family, drawing, playing, and talking. For older kids and teens, therapists share activities and ideas that focus on learning the skills they need. They talk through feelings and solve problems.

Trauma

Trauma is complex in its impacts, and therefore treatment needs to be complex as well. In a gradual way we need to strengthen various aspects of a survivor’s well-being: emotional, physical, cognitive, spiritual and social.

As a trauma-informed therapist I am aware of the complex impact of trauma (any perceived trauma) on a person’s suffering and how it shapes a person’s efforts to cope. A trauma-informed approach integrates a thorough knowledge of this impact into every aspect of treatment. It also means that any person or organization that claims to be trauma-informed makes emotional and psychological safety a priority for the people I serve.

Addiction Services

The decision to seek treatment for addiction is no easy one, and requires a great deal of trust between clients and their counselors. As such, I take care to create a strong bond with my patients, known as a therapeutic alliance.

A therapeutic alliance is the trust clients feel with their counselor, allowing them to feel vulnerable sorting out their problems and work together effectively. Strong alliances like this ensure that clients view their counselors as trustworthy, and know that their best interests are on the forefront. This allows counselors and patients to work together even during tribulation.

While this trust takes time to develop, patients should eventually feel comfortable speaking freely during sessions, feel relief after an appointment, and feel a desire to go back

I provide a necessary support system for individuals recovering from eating disorders, drug and alcohol issues, gambling addictions, and other behavioral issues. By forming a relationship built on trust with my patients, I provide the support, resources, and judgement-free guidance that patients can utilize on their road to addiction recovery.

E-Counseling

E-Counseling or Online therapy is the delivery of mental health counseling via the Internet. People also know it as e-therapy, distance therapy, Internet therapy and web therapy.

Studies have proven the efficacy of therapy via the internet to the point where it has become a viable alternative and supplement to in-office therapy. There are even people who can afford and make time for in-office therapy but choose online therapy.

This website and its content has been prepared by Spark Counseling & Consulting, LLC for general informational purposes only and does not constitute personal medical or mental health advice. If you think you may have a medical or mental health emergency, please call 911.

Viewing the information on this website is not intended to create and does not constitute a therapeutic relationship.