Counseling in Cleveland TN

Everyone needs a little extra support sometimes, especially when feeling stuck, anxious, disconnected, or overwhelmed. Talking with a professional in a private setting can make it easier to share things you might not feel comfortable talking about elsewhere. Having someone outside your usual circle of support can help you see things in new ways, find helpful resources, and practice steps that lead to positive change.

Both are good options. Many people prefer to be in person where it feels like they’re getting away from their regular life, but others prefer to meet online for convenience. I like both, depending on what we’re working on so I provide secure, HIPAA-complient video conferencing, and my office in Cleveland, TN is easy to reach for Bradley County, the Chattanooga region, and north-GA. A mixture of some of each can work well. We can discuss what would be best for your situation and preferences.

My clients have said that my voice and presence is soothing and they are able to relax, which makes healing easier. Besides providing a peaceful environment of support, I like to listen to what’s on your mind and heart. Then I love to share new information to help you understand the internal and interperaonal dynamics of your struggles, which then leads to resources to support your growth and courage to experiment with new patterns of living and relating to others to make life more meaningful and fulfilling. I do this through handouts that you can keep to consult later, experiential activities to practice how you want to feel, links to online resources, books, articles, and courses, as well as referrals to appropriate connections and safe, therapeutic groups to practice your skills in as you start to apply them in your regular life. In subsequent sessions, we will debrief how this is going and fine-tune our focus.

I like to meet weekly, especially in the beginning, until you start to see improvement. Continuing to meet weekly is more likely to help you maintain momentum toward meeting your goals, but we can discuss what is preferable in your situation. This frequency often reduces over time to continue support as positive change is solidified.

We will work together to identify therapeutic goals and monitor progress toward them. This can be adjusted at any time and I welcome feedback about the process in order to help you meet your goals as quickly and thoroughly as possible. Depending on their goals, some of my clients have seen positive change quickly and finished after a few weeks, and others have stayed with me for years finding value in the process or returing when a new need arises. I have dual goals: (1) to work myself out of a job by training you to be your own counselor and connecting you to your natural support system and (2) to be a supportive resource for you over time. I look at counseling as a long-term relationship because that kind of support has been helpful for me to be alble to return to off and on through the years. Therapy is individualized and moves at your pace.

I can bring my best you you by not working with insurance companies. I’ve found that the process of billing insurance can limit the time, focus, and depth we’re able to bring into your therapy. When we work privately, our sessions stay fully confidential — your information and diagnosis do not need to be shared with anyone or stored in an insurance record. You and I decide what care looks like, not an insurance company.

If you’d like to use your benefits, I can provide a superbill for you to submit directly to your insurance company for possible out-of-network reimbursement. Every plan is different, so it’s a good idea to call your insurance provider to ask what they cover for out-of-network mental health services.

Working this way allows me to give you my full attention and flexibility, without the paperwork and restrictions that can interfere with your care.

This information varies by state and can change over time or with extra training, but in general, in Cleveland, TN:

A Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), which I am, has a 2-year (or more) Master’s degree in a counseling or psychology-related field plus 3 years of experience under supervision to become licensed. This is similar to Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT) and Licensed Clinica Social workers (LCSW). (Licensed Master Social Workers (LMSW) work under supervision or focuses on case management rather than therapy.)

A Psychologist has a PhD, PsyD, or EdD in Psychology and, besides therapy, they can do psychological testing and teach in a university setting more easily.

A Psychiatrist is a Medical Doctor with extra training to specialize in Psychology so they can prescribe mental health medication. A Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner can also prescribe medication.

Any licensed professional in this field can also be called a “therapist” or “psychotherapist.”