I offer counseling and coaching in-person,
over the telephone, or by
e-mail. People come to counseling for a variety of reasons, usually because
some part of their life is causing them frustration or pain.
Individual Counseling for Adults
Individuals seek counseling for a variety of reasons, some of which include a desire to:
• Improve self-esteem
• Become more self-aware
• Alleviate feelings of depression and anxiety
• Get help with a relationship problem
(This would include relationships with friends, lovers,
co-workers, bosses, siblings, parents, spouses, children, etc.)
• Find more meaningful and fulfilling work; change careers
• Successfully navigate a significant life passage
• Learn to be more assertive
• Grieve the loss of a loved one (including a pet)
• Find ways to reduce and manage the stress in their lives
If you are struggling in one or more areas
of your life, a professional counselor may be able to help you see things
more clearly and from a different perspective, recognize obstacles, identify
self-defeating patterns of thinking and behaving, and most importantly,
enjoy a happier, more satisfying, and rewarding life.
You deserve it!
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Couples typically seek counseling or coaching for help with a variety of problems, some of which include:
• A breakdown in communication
• Conflict resolution & management
• Problems with parenting
• Financial stress
• Confusion and/or disagreement about roles and responsibilities
• Sexual problems
• A lack of balance in their relationship
• Lack or loss of trust
• Infidelity
• General dissatisfaction with their marriage/relationship
By the time they seek counseling, some couples are so estranged from each other that they have become "roommates", instead of emotionally and physically-intimate life partners.
A skilled couples counselor can recognize
ineffective and negative
patterns of interacting when a couple is too entrenched in these patterns
to know what's wrong. A therapist/counselor is also able to help the couple
learn new skills and implement more positive and productive ways of interacting
with each other.
If you and your spouse/partner are experiencing
distress in your
relationship, don't wait! The sooner you connect with a good couples counselor/therapist,
the better. I have found that couples who wait a long period of time before
seeking help tend to build walls of anger, frustration, sadness, and resentment.
For these couples, counseling can still be highly effective, but there
is often a lot of healing that must take place in order for the partners
to move forward.
If you would like to schedule a session
for couples counseling, please e-mail me with a general description of
the problem(s) and I will respond to you to schedule an appointment time.
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Our families … they bring our greatest joy and our deepest sorrow … they can frustrate us, haunt us, support us, hurt us, care for us, understand us, reject us, confuse us and love us. I have counseled many families over the years in variety of combinations:
• Sisters and brothers; biological sibling groups
• Biological parents and children (under age 18)
• Stepmothers/fathers and stepchildren
• Step-siblings
• Parents and their adult children
• Foster parents and children
Although each relationship is unique and is treated as such, the issues that most often present themselves in my family counseling practice include:
• Separation and estrangement
• Grief and loss
• Jealousy and competition
• Adjusting to new relationships
• Setting and maintaining limits & boundaries
• Rejection
• Blending families & households
• Conflict
• Lack of effective communication skills
• Family Life Cycle issues (children leaving home, birth of a new baby, etc.)
• Family crisis (divorce, serious mental or physical illness, etc.)
Family counseling can help us make sense out of chaos, communicate more authentically, manage conflict, and heal relationships. It is an investment in our past (for understanding), our present and our future.
If you would like to talk with me
about family counseling, please e-mail me and we can make arrangements
for a free telephone consultation.
Email Sara
Separation & Divorce Counseling
Unfortunately, by the time some couples
get to a counselor's office,
one (or both) is so disillusioned that the relationship cannot be repaired
and a breakup is inevitable. In this case, especially when there are children
involved, a good therapist or counselor can help the couple grieve the
loss of the relationship and disengage in the healthiest way possible
for all concerned.
The breakup of a marriage or other intimate
relationship is one
of the most painful events that many of us experience. It is often a devastating
loss and it typically impacts every area of our lives. It is a time when
raw emotions often run rampant and energy is low. Some say it feels like
they are on an "emotional rollercoaster" … and this is
accurate. It is normal for us to vacillate between emotions … sometimes
experiencing profound sadness, only to be followed by a period of intense
anger.
I believe that one of the greatest challenges
of separation and
divorce is being confronted with decisions to make at a time when we are
least likely to be rational and focused. It is also very difficult to
put our emotions aside in order to make decisions that will be best for
us and for our children. Seeking the guidance and support of a counselor
who has experience with the grieving process … who can also give
you valuable information about how your children & teens may react
to the breakup and what you can do to help them cope with a separation
or divorce, is an investment that is well worth making.
Some researchers in the divorce field
say (and I agree) that it is not so
much the divorce itself that is so harmful to children, but the aftermath.
Parents who put their children in the middle, who make derogatory comments
to (or in front of) the children about their other parent, and who continue
to fight, can (often unintentionally) cause their children great distress,
both in the moment and in the years ahead.
Just as individuals can benefit
greatly from counseling during
this difficult time, couples who seek help/guidance during this transition
process set the stage for their own adjustment and that of their children.
Getting back together after a separation is not as simple as one spouse moving back into the family home. When a couple decides to reconcile, there is often a period of transition … a time typically described as one of excitement and anticipation, but also of awkwardness and uncertainty. Even when the couple has participated in counseling throughout their separation, there is usually a period of healing and adjustment that occurs during and after reconciliation.
Reconciliation counseling can help couples hold realistic expectations and set reasonable goals for this transition period. It can also provide an emotionally safe environment for the couple to discuss and negotiate issues as they adjust to living together again.
Couples who reconcile are not simply "lucky". Both spouses have usually worked very hard, on themselves and on the relationship. Counseling during this time, and coaching (perhaps one session per month) once the relationship is stabilized, can help the couple stay conscious and focused as they build a healthier and happier marriage.
If you would like to talk with me about
counseling for you and your spouse, please e-mail me and we can make arrangements
for a free telephone consultation.
Email Sara
