What is the difference between “counseling”, “therapy”, and “psychotherapy”?
Nothing. They are all words that mean the same thing when we’re talking about getting counseling. Lots of folks use them interchangeably, though that can be confusing for people! We generally use “therapy” or “counseling” in our practice. In the State of Georgia, it takes 4 years and 2,400 hours of supervised post-master's directed experience of professional counseling in a work setting acceptable to the board, with a minimum of 120 hours of supervision.
What are Kim’s credentials?
Kim has been a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC #4336) in the State of Georgia since 2005. Her clients have ranged from college students, to busy business executives, stay at home moms, individuals with physical challenges, military personnel, retirees, and more. Learn more about Kim on the about page!
Do I have to take medication to feel better? Do you prescribe medication?
Whether or not you take medication is a personal decision. Some people find it’s helpful and others prefer not to take anything. If I think it might be something you may want to consider, I will let you know. I don’t prescribe medications, but can make a referral to a psychiatrist who can do an evaluation and determine if medication might be helpful.
Is online therapy better than in person therapy?
A comprehensive study by the Berkeley Well-Being Institute found that online was as effective as face-to-face counseling. In fact, 98% of study participants made significant progress, and 94% preferred working with online over traditional face-to-face therapy. Another study tested the effects of mindfulness-based therapy delivered online. Findings showed significant progress for depression, anxiety, general mental wellness, and mindfulness.
What is yoga therapy?
Yoga therapy is the specific application of yogic tools—postures/exercises, breath work, meditation techniques, and more—to address an individual’s physical, mental, and emotional needs. Many people first learn about yoga through its physical practices, but a common misconception is that it’s all about stretching or movement.
What is TRE?
Tension & Trauma Release Exercises (or TRE®) is a simple yet innovative series of exercises that assist the body in releasing deep muscular patterns of stress, tension and trauma. Created by Dr. David Berceli, PhD, TRE safely activates a natural reflex mechanism of shaking or vibrating that releases muscular tension, calming down the nervous system. When this muscular shaking/vibrating mechanism is activated in a safe and controlled environment, the body is encouraged to return back to a state of balance. Learn more about TRE here.
What else should I know?
Counseling isn’t all about struggle. We celebrate victories. We laugh. Can it be hard? Yeah – change is hard work. Sometimes we’ve been through hard things and they hurt to talk about. But counseling also can be a great joy and can actually be a whole lot of fun. My clients are often surprised by how much we laugh together.
Online therapy and technology scare me. What can I do?
I understand! I don’t consider myself tech-savvy so when I first thought of doing online counseling, it scared me, too! BUT not only is it super easy, my clients have all told me how MUCH THEY LOVE IT! When you have booked your appointment, I'll send you a link to connect via video and I believe you'll be happily surprised at how easy it is. There are some people it is NOT ideal for: If you are in crisis, have a severe psychiatric disorder, etc.
Is hypnosis used in psychotherapy?
Yes, sometimes. More specifically, hypnosis is a form of hypnotherapy, which is a form of psychotherapy. As a result, hypnosis is sometimes used during counseling to relax a patient or client. In this situation, a trained psychologist places the individual into a hypnotic state or “trance,” so he/she can openly and safely explore painful, traumatic, and repressed memories that tend to be “hidden” from the conscious mind.
What is somatic psychotherapy?
Somatic psychotherapy is a holistic approach to a person’s mind, body, spirit, and emotions in the healing process. Traditional psychotherapy involves assessment and a treatment plan. My treatment plan nearly always involves empowering my clients with the tools of movement, breath and mindfulness as research has shown that these are valuable in our overall mental health and well-being.
common myths about counseling
Asking for help is a sign of weakness.
Contrary to this belief, it takes a great deal of emotional strength to seek help for problems that may be too overwhelming to manage alone.
A therapist will fix my problems right away.
The goal of counseling is not for someone else to “fix” your problems. I'm here to help you to identify those concerns and to set goals for yourself. Solving those problems may involve exploring your feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. In doing so, you can explore your options and make a decision for how to best achieve your goals. YOU are the best one to fix your problems!
A therapist can’t understand what I am going through, because they’re not going through it themselves.
I agree that each of us is unique, and to achieve a complete understanding of one’s situation is very difficult. However, I'm sensitive to, and respectful of the unique experiences of each person. Those experiences may include concerns related to your gender, age, cultural background, racial/ethnic differences, sexual orientation, gender identity, family-of-origin, or socioeconomic issues.
“These pains you feel are messengers.
Listen to them.”
-Rumi