Like many, I have always felt “different” from the norm of society. Consequently, I am passionate in my beliefs regarding equality and diversity, and I’ve seen that people simply don’t fit neatly into “boxes”. So naturally, I am very gay-friendly and accepting.

I am drawn to the LGBTQI community and I suppose LGBTQI folks are drawn to me as well, because I’ve had lots of them as clients. I guess you could say I “put out the vibe”.

From 2002-04, I had an FtM client, fully post-op, who was an inspiration to me. He had been through so much medically, socially, professionally and personally in his journey to becoming more authentic. He inspired me to work with trans people.

I have a huge respect and admiration for people who, despite monumental odds and potentially devastating tasks, venture on this journey of affirming their truth. They come out of it with a stronger sense of dignity, humility, humor, authenticity, integrity and mutual respect for their fellow human beings.

This is the definition of some of the terms you will find around my site. I will also expand on each of these terms in other blog posts so that you can fully understand their meaning.

LPC = Licensed Professional Counselor. This is my primary credential which qualifies me to provide counseling/psychotherapy services in Georgia. In a nutshell, it means that I have completed the educational requirements (a Masters degree in Professional Counseling) from an accredited university, have worked for 3 years (varies by state) under general supervision, and have completed an Internship (directed experience), documented the required amount of direct clinical supervision, and acquired the necessary Continuing Education training. For more info, you might like to visit the website of the Georgia Composite Board, which issues state licenses, at www.sos.state.ga.us./plb/counselors.

NCC = National Certified Counselor. This is an additional credential which means that I have passed an exam indicating that the content of my graduate courses met the requirements for the national standard and that I can easily get licensed in any of 48 states without having to take the specific state exam.

EMDR = Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. This is a model of psychotherapy which enables the client to reprocess, or “reprogram” in a sense, the way disturbing events were stored in the brain to move the memory and experience of it to an adaptive resolution. It follows a structured and safe protocol whereby memories manifested by thoughts, emotions and behaviors which become “stuck” can be unclogged and worked through, enabling the client to put held fears, anxieties and emotional boundaries behind them once and for all. EMDR is quickly proving effective with grief, chronic pain, anxiety disorders including Panic, OCD, specific phobias, depression, low self esteem, terminal illness, insomnia, performance anxiety, athletes, and highly stressed executives.

PTSD = Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. This disorder can occur in people who have had a traumatic event in their life which their brain has not been able to fully process and resolve. As a result, certain symptoms (thoughts, emotions & behaviors) can interfere with healthy life functioning. Symptoms can include flashbacks, nightmares, exaggerated startle response and/or anger and hostility, difficulties in relationships, and anxiety or panic.

OCD = Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Mild forms of this disorder are quite common and do not necessarily impede functioning. However, at a clinical level, OCD can involve obsessions, compulsions, or a combination of both. Obsessions are repetitive unwanted thoughts which stem from anxiety, and compulsions are the repetitive behaviors which those thoughts can produce. Common compulsions involve checking, washing, and counting rituals. The popular television show Monk is about a man with OCD

CBT = Cognitive Behavior Therapy. CBT is a goal-oriented, structured and directive form of therapy. It emphasizes the role of thinking in how we feel and what we do. CBT is based on the idea that our thoughts cause our feelings and behaviors (not external things like people, situations and events). The benefit is that we can change the way we think in order to feel and act better. Clients change because they learn how to think differently and then act on that learning. Therefore, CBT therapists focus on teaching rational self-counseling skills and encourage clients to practice skills learned outside of therapy for lasting change. Approaches to CBT include Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, Rational Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Therapy.

GLBTQQI = Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Intersex.

There is a difference between therapy and counseling, although the two terms are so often used interchangeably. 

Therapy refers to more in-depth work that involves exploration of possible causal factors in a person’s presenting complaints, working through potentially complex psychological issues, and processing difficult and personal information. Historically, therapy has tended to be longer-lasting than counseling, although that is no longer necessarily the case. 

Counseling is usually used to refer more to shorter-term treatment which focuses on teaching skills, directing to community resources, and action-oriented behavioral change. 

Therapy tends to go deeper and counseling lighter. Therapy tends to focus inward, while counseling focuses outward, i.e. changing things in the environment or training/teaching the client new behaviors to bring about changes in their lives. Therapy is generally more intensive, personal work that can bring about deeper, more lasting change. 

I have done lots of both and believe that the best work done is integrative and holistic, utilizing both approaches as appropriate to the person, place and time.