What is "Telehealth counseling"?

Telehealth is a form of practice that many health care practitioners are using.  

Once you have decided to set up an appointment to work with me, I will require your name(s) and email address(es).  I will send an invitation by email and you will schedule an appointment on my Telehealth site at your convenience.  Once the appointment is confirmed, you will be asked to provide payment in advance of the session.  

Counseling over the internet is safe and private.  I counsel in a private, secure office at my residence.  The company that provides the Telehealth portal has met the compliance of HIPAA, and is a secure site.  No one will have access to your information and no one will be able to see the session while it is occurring.

To participate in Telehealth counseling, you will need internet access, a device with a camera and microphone, and a place with quiet background noise.  Marriage counseling will be conducted with both partners in the same room and on the same camera. 

What is Marriage and Family Therapy?

Marriage and Family Therapists (MFT) are mental health professionals trained in psychotherapy and family systems, and licensed to diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders within the context of marriage, couples, and family systems.  MFTs broaden the traditional emphasis on the individual to attend to the nature and role of individuals in primary relationship networks such as marriage and family settings.  MFTs have graduate training in marriage and family therapy and at least 2 years of clinical experience.  MFTs are recognized as a core mental health profession, along with psychiatry, psychology, social work, professional counselors, and psychiatric nursing.

Research studies repeatedly demonstrate the effectiveness of marriagge and family therapy in treating the full range of mental and emotiona disorders and health problems, including mariatl distress and conflict.  Studies show that clients are highly satisfied with services provided by MFTs and clients report marked improvement in work productivity, co-worker relationships, family relationships, partner relationships, emotional health, overall health, social life, and community involbement.  Recent studies of consumers show that MFTs are the mental health professionals they would most likely recommend to friends.  Over 98% of clients of MFTs report therapy services to be good to excellent.

Is it OK for Christians to participate in counseling?

 Some Christian leaders have spoken out against psychology as a discipline that does not acknowledge the role that God plays in restoring mental or relational health and well being.  Dr. Ramsey is not a psychologist but a Marriage and Family Therapist.  Dr. Ramsey provides a Christ centered approach counseling when clients prefer that God be part of their healing process.  Christ centered therapy may include the use of scriptures and biblical examples to illustrate therapeutic insights, praying with clients, direction based on biblical principles and God’s plan for his disciples.  Some examples of reasons why Christians my choose a professional counselor include:

·       Personal Sin:  When sin becomes too much for an individual or couple to overcome with their personal sources of support, counselors can help by facilitating awareness, repentance, and commitment.

·       Spiritual Warfare:  Helping people identify and break down the strongholds in their life that may be challenging their ability to make Christ like decisions and spiritual growth.

·       Undisciplined Living:  Sloppy living habits, careless indulgence, and inattention to everyday responsibilities can lead a person down a path to significant stress.  Learning to prioritize, organize, and make disciplined decisions about how time is spent can be facilitated in counseling sessions.

·       Psychological Disorders:  Overwhelming life events or genetic/chemical issues can result in coping patterns that become too overwhelming to overcome without help.  Counselors are trained to help people identify the stressors that are impacting their well being, and develop new coping mechanisms to undo dysfunctional habits.