Better Days and Nights,  P   L    L    C  

The pursuit of personal happiness and awareness has led me on a lifelong quest for knowledge, wisdom, understanding and love. During this pursuit I have: started and run multiple businesses, been a high school athlete, commercial artist, classic artist, taught at a university, built and remodeled houses, raced stock cars, backpacked, hiked and camped, kayaked, surfed, scuba dived, skied, traveled, been a husband for 40+ years and have raised two children. My life has also provided me with challenges such as: being abused as a child, mental abuse, depression, anxiety, economic difficulties, spiritual choices and career choices. Always knowing in my heart there was happiness and peace, I pushed on. Life at one point finally brought me to a place where I realized I needed help to attain my quest of happiness. I sought out a therapist. That choice changed my life in such a dramatic way I was compelled to share the potential that could be attained through therapy. Becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor or Therapist has allowed me to fill that desire to help people towards their life’s desires or goals. To help someone, a couple or family to move towards the changes they are interested in, I believe that person/therapist needs to have not only the education, but also the life tools to help appropriately. The ability to have the empathy and understanding gathered from a life of experience and education will reflect the true sense of a positive therapeutic relationship.

Theoretical Orientation and what to expect,

Every individual is a unique and complex being. I will use your responses to my initial assessment to identify your emotional, mental, physical, social, spiritual, economic, and career goals. We will then collaborate to create a therapeutic contract for our sessions. It is important to have open and honest communication in order for appropriate counseling goals to be established.

The counseling theories I use in session are Person Centered Therapy, Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. Person Centered Therapy focuses on creating a strong professional relationship between the counselor and client, creating a safe environment in which the client can explore his or her own personal growth and development. Motivational Interviewing is a counseling style for eliciting behavior change by helping clients to explore and resolve ambivalence. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is problem focused and action oriented, utilizing specific strategies to help address and solve issues.

When working with couples and families a systemic approach is used. Family Systems Therapy relates to people in relationships, dealing with the interactions of groups and their patterns and dynamics.

As stated above, depending on your individual needs, I will use different methods of counseling. Sessions will have a variety of focuses such as: self-awareness, life choices, problem solving, and goal setting. Other areas of counseling may include: responsibility, your strengths and limitations, self-concept, acceptance, and creating positive change. Outside of session there may be homework assignments such as, journal writing, reading, and/or other creative activities to assist with your personal discovery and expression.

My expertise includes: couples and family relationship counseling, career counseling, and the use of journal writing and other creative techniques. During my master’s program at Appalachian State University, my concentration was Marriage and Family. In addition, I studied Gestalt techniques, as well as therapeutic writing. In my past profession I was a commercial artist. During my continuing I have focused on Addictions, Expressive Arts, Motivational interviewing, and have attained a Certification as Trauma Counselor. 

You can expect to be challenged in a caring and empathetic manner. My challenges are designed to assist you with self-examination, and seeking alternative options and strategies for handling life. I believe a trusting, working relationship between counselor and client is important and I will strive to achieve that with my clients. 

I am comfortable working with individuals from diverse cultures and lifestyles. My philosophy is that all people are to be accepted and respected. I will be as objective and genuine with you as I can. Overall, counseling is a process in which you, the individual, gains knowledge, skills and tools that will facilitate continued growth and development after counseling has ended.