A few things you can say to the person you want to come with you:

“I want to talk to a counselor to figure out how to handle this problem we are having.  I’d like you to go with me so you can help explain the problem and give your point of view.  There is always at least two sides to the story. If you will not go, I’m still going to go for myself, but it won’t be as effective unless you come too.”

If they refuse to come, you can still come for yourself. Often, when one person starts the counseling process, the other(s) will see your progress and want to enjoy life as you are, and they will probably eventually come with you.

Yes!  When one person in a relationship begins to change, the other members of the relationship experience that change and react to it – they will either step up and join you in the change process or they will resist and try to hold you back – not because they want you to fail, but because changing can be very uncomfortable and people don’t like to experience discomfort. Whatever happens, your change process will help you to overcome your suffering which will allow you to work on your relationship(s) more effectively.

The first question you need to ask yourself is “are you willing to end the affair for the sake of your marriage?”  If the answer is “no”, then counseling will fail and cause your spouse even more hurt and suffering.  If the answer is “yes”, then end the affair before coming for marriage counseling so you can give your marriage a fair chance to heal from the counseling process.  If you are having trouble ending the affair, we recommend you start individual counseling, and once the affair is ended, start the marriage counseling process.

Yes, we work with individuals on lots of different issues. Some of the most common issues we address:  depression, anxiety, ADHD, grief, Post-partum depression, past abuse, job stress, life transition, care-giver stress, infertility, spiritual identity issues, divorce recovery, etc.

Finding the right counselor for you is like finding a friend – there are some people you naturally feel drawn to and some you don’t. Training and experience are important when choosing a good therapist, but in the end, you need to feel you can open up and say whatever you need to say to your counselor.

We recommend after 6 -8 weeks of counseling if you don’t notice a change in yourself, tell your counselor this. Depending on how that conversation develops, you will need to decide if you will continue with that counselor or seek out another. We recommend people interview/have an initial consultation with another counselor to help with that decision process.  You never know until you try!

Your privacy is protected by the HIPAA Privacy Law. You can find a copy of your rights under the “Forms” tab.

Your privacy is protected under the HIPAA Privacy Law, even if you use your EAP.

No, we do not. You need to see a licensed medical doctor for medication. We know of several good Psychiatrists we can recommend or you can talk with your family doctor about your needs.

Counseling can help you as a parent regain your authority with your teenager. If your teen refuses to come for the first session, you need to come with your spouse or on your own to discuss how to restore your authority, so your teen will do what you ask. You need to remember teens want things – freedom, technology, friends, nice clothes, junk food, etc. – and these things are not a given, they are privileges that are earned through their respect to you and your rules. When teens realize you are willing to take away these privileges to get them help, they will come – maybe not enthusiastically, but they will come. You have to be willing to use tough love for your child’s own good.  If you struggle with implementing tough love, you need to come for counseling to work on strengthening your execution of tough love.

You should immediately tell someone you trust and if the feeling does not subside, you should call 911 or go to your nearest Emergency Room. Emergency rooms have counselors on staff who can help you. If these feelings pass, make sure you talk with a professional as soon as you can about what you felt to make sure you don’t need further treatment.