About Counseling
Let's talk about the counseling process...sometimes referred to as "therapy". You're probably looking at this website or considering working with a therapist because there is a problem or issue you're struggling with. You may have already talked to your family, friends, coworkers, or spouse/partner trying to get advice but you still feel stuck. Maybe you're feeling desperate because you're depressed or anxious and things are feeling out of control. Maybe you've been drinking too much, hoping to forget about things for a little while and taking out your frustrations on other people. Perhaps you feel misunderstood and things in your life haven't turned out like you hoped. Or maybe you've been told you need to "get over it", "snap out of it", or “deal with it” one too many times. This is where counseling might be beneficial for you.
Counseling isn't simply about listening and it's not just about giving advice. It's also about developing strategies and tools to help you deal with the problems that are affecting you. It's also about learning new ways of thinking and looking at obstacles from a different angle and taking action. Part of my job is to help you learn and practice doing things a little bit differently to get different results.
Why is the company called Third Gear Counseling? Good question...Third Gear is about trying to help you get oriented and gain traction to work through the issues that are affecting you, especially if you feel stuck. Think about riding a bike or driving a car in the mountains. If you've got an uphill climb and you're trying to get momentum, then that often requires shifting into third gear. It's usually a transitional gear to help you prepare for something different. Counseling is about change...and change can be hard. If it was easy, then everyone would do it. Change takes effort, energy, commitment, and awareness of the issues that are holding you back.
Working with a licensed professional counselor (LPC-MHSP) means that you're working with someone who has been formally educated and trained in specific approaches to helping people, and trained to use techniques that have been studied and evaluated for effectiveness. This means more than simply listening. The counselor plays an active role. There are tools and techniques that you can learn to use and apply in your life to help you address your challenges and create change for yourself.