Counseling Services Overview

Our counseling service provides Motivational Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for individuals, couples and families experiencing emotional, behavioral, relationship and/or substance abuse difficulties. The treatment process usually consists of the following four steps. The main objective of these steps is to customize the treatment according to the client’s needs.

Step 1 - Assessment

Assessment is the first and most important step to effective treatment. The purpose of the assessment is to diagnose/understand the cause of symptoms. Assessment consists of 2-5 hours of interview. The first session is scheduled for two hours in order to accomplish a large portion of this task. Upon the completion of the assessment, the client is informed of the diagnosis and whether the clinician can provide the necessary treatment. If the problem lies outside of the clinician's area of expertise, or if the client is in need of more intensive care, the clinician will make the appropriate referral and facilitate the client's transition into the required treatment modality.

With adolescent clients, the key to accurate and thorough assessment is the cross-referencing of information. The parent or guardian is encouraged to sign a release enabling contact with the school and others responsible for the care of the adolescent. Information from the different sources is then cross-referenced in determining the most appropriate diagnosis. Please read The First Step In Your Child’s Treatment At Strength For Change article on our Articles link for additional information regarding the adolescent assessment process.

Step 2 - Treatment Planning

Once a diagnosis has been determined, an individualized treatment plan is developed. Within our Motivational Cognitive Behavioral Therapy philosophy we have great flexibility in customizing our treatment approach. Clinicians match the client’s diagnosis, age, personality and stage of change to the most appropriate treatment strategies prescribed by the American Psychiatric Association best practice guidelines. The only treatment strategies used are those with research data indicating effectiveness in reducing symptoms and improving functioning. For example, anxiety disorders may be treated with individual therapy that teaches cognitive (thought) restructuring and relaxation techniques, while ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) may be treated with family focused and behavior modification therapy in conjunction with (if parents choose) medication administered by a psychiatrist.

Step 3 - Treatment

Once the individual treatment plan is developed and agreed to by the client, the therapeutic process begins. Treatment may last anywhere from 6-50 or more sessions. This depends on the diagnosis and the client's goals. The first several sessions of treatment focus on the reduction of distressing symptoms. In some cases an individual can respond quickly and treatment is completed in a relatively short period (6-15 sessions). If the client's goal is to change long-standing emotional, behavioral and/or relationship difficulties, then treatment may need to be extended beyond the initial symptom reduction stage. There are several stages in treatment following the symptom reduction stage; clients are asked to evaluate and discuss the effectiveness of each. If the client decides on additional sessions, goals are updated and treatment is continued.

Step 4 - Therapeutic Termination & Booster Sessions

Therapeutic termination occurs when all the goals of treatment have been met or when therapy is not effective. If all the goals have been met then termination is scheduled along with follow up booster sessions. Booster sessions are typically scheduled 1-3 times during the first year following treatment. They are designed to review and further develop the skills worked on during therapy. If treatment is not effective, then the clinician makes the necessary referral and assists the client with the transition to another clinician or treatment modality.