FAQ

Our availability includes the following:

Monday: 9 am – 7 pm [Midtown location or virtual]
Tuesday: 9 am – 7 pm [Germantown location or virtual]
Wednesday: 9 am – 5 pm [Midtown location or virtual]
Friday: 10 am – 6 pm [Midtown location or virtual]
Saturday: 10 am – 3 pm [Germantown location or virtual

To schedule an appointment with me, please call (901) 270-6823, email appointments@asapcounseling.org, or contact me through my Psychology Today Profile.

ASAP Counseling is a private pay practice. This page will be updated as coverage is accepted. In the interim, a superbill or payment receipt can be provided to you for submission for reimbursement.

I accept all major credit cards, CashApp, PayPal, or Zelle. I do not accept cash.

To provide a sliding scale, I must evaluate your income to assess where you would fall on a sliding scale. To simplify matters, I do not offer a sliding scale. However, I will make sure you can receive the treatment you need.

Insuring that you have access to the treatment is very important. If my current rate is unacceptable, please don’t hesitate to be direct about it. I would be happy to support you with finding an option that will work.

Psychotherapy is another word for therapy, counseling, or talk therapy. I tend to use the terms counseling and therapy most often and interchangeably. In essence, therapy uses strategic conversations to assist you with identifying, understanding, and changing unhelpful beliefs, unhealthy emotions, and/or concerning behaviors.

While the major work will lie with you, research and individual experiences offer significant evidence that therapy makes a significant difference in the lives of people who do the work to evolve and change for the better.  In the words of the author Louis Everstine,

“Psychotherapy is an art. Good therapy is good art. Great therapy is everlasting art, like the Mona Lisa.”

While each approach focuses on helping people improve their lives, there are differences. Therapist and counselor are interchangeable terms used across each of these fields. However, there is a very high-level way to nuance these careers:

Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) provide support and guidance as they assist clients with developing the skills needed to overcome events of the past or making more effective future choices in any area of an individual’s life that they have the training and license to address.

Marriage and Family Therapists (MFT) work primarily with couples and families to assist with improving relationships, family dynamics, or both.

Social Workers typically try to understand the client’s needs, including their mental or emotional state, to help them connect to the social services or resources they need. Social workers practice on various levels and must have a specific licensure status to work in private practice.

Psychologists must complete an advanced degree in psychology. The psychological approach incorporates research, assessment knowledge, or both to understand a client’s needs better.

State licensure boards across the country govern each of the above fields. Each requires a master’s degree and an understanding of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).

Life Coaches support their clients in achieving either specific goals for a short timeframe or multiple goals over more extended periods. Life Coaches are not required to complete minimized education requirements or specialized training.

 

Yes, there are a variety of therapeutic strategies and approaches that I use to assist my clients. Here are three that I use most often:

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a structured process we might use to determine the most pertinent issues or concerns you’d like to address or possibly fundamental beliefs that may influence how you think about those issues or concerns. By gradually examining and reconsidering these thoughts, we create opportunities for change in your life.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is a therapeutic approach through which I will teach you skills and strategies that are intended to assist you with improving your internal and external relationships. Mastering each skill offers an improved outlook on communication, managing emotions, and conflict resolution, just to name a few opportunities.

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is a 12-session psychotherapy series that treats Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD is known to have a positive impact on individuals who have endured a variety of traumatic experiences. With each session, we will evaluate the specific symptoms associated with PTSD and gradually dismantle the distorted beliefs often brought on by traumatic experiences.

I am eclectic in my use of therapeutic strategies. There are other approaches I use and many more that I will learn and use throughout my career. My primary reason for exploring new techniques is that each client is unique, and the approach used should provide maximum benefit or help to address those individual needs. I may use the same strategy but in a different way or timeframe with other clients. Each session is an opportunity to create something specifically beneficial for you.

Yes, I am a Christian counselor by lived experience, and I utilize spiritual disciplines during sessions based on your preference as the client. Prayer, scripture, and fasting are welcomed approaches that can enhance therapy for some people.

I support Christians and non-Christians through my practice. My primary focus is to meet you where you are and support you in evolving to become the best version of the person you desire to become.

Yes, you absolutely can. You don’t have to have a complicated life or a severe mental health issue to benefit from counseling. One significant advantage of having a trusted therapeutic space is having a place to process concerns without feeling judged.

Sometimes, clients want a voice of wisdom, or a sounding board, to assist with problem-solving or career decisions. Therapy is an investment in a strategic tool that benefits you in staying mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually well in every way possible.

There is significant evidence of the connection between our minds and bodies. Stress, anxiety, and other mental health concerns can cause headaches, nausea, high blood pressure, strokes, etc. For this reason, collaborative care between your therapist, primary care physician, and often your astor is an excellent strategy for your overall wellness.

As your therapist, I would work with you to uncover how your mental and physical symptoms interconnect. If you agree that this information might be helpful to share with your doctor, pastor, or both, we will discuss completing a release of information for the relevant parties.

No, I will not. I am responsible for being aware of the various medications my clients may be taking to the extent that they want to share that information with me, but I do not prescribe medications.

If receiving medication might benefit you, collaborative care with your doctor or a medication management facility may prove beneficial. If there are challenges with your medications, we can strategize how to communicate this to your doctor.

The time in therapy varies depending on the issues presented and the goals you would like to accomplish over time. Typically, I anticipate a specific number of sessions, but we’d discuss how you feel about terminating sessions or if you’d prefer to extend sessions well in advance of your final session.

Confidentiality is critical for creating a safe therapeutic environment. My clients share some significant moments in their lives with me. Sometimes, they are secrets, fears, or even surprises to the client. Whatever the case, you must know that you can trust me with what you share and that I will not judge you. I want you to know that I will be here with you and for you. If wounds must be reopened to give them air to breathe or so they can be reset properly, I’m here to support you through that work. The pain is therapeutic and offers a chance for complete healing.

With that being said, there are exceptions to confidentiality that I will specify during your first session and periodically reemphasize as you receive treatment. These exceptions are in place for your safety as well as the safety of others. Confidentiality exceptions are also to be considered if you request a release of information for other parties. Thank you in advance for respecting these parameters. They create the space we need to see the amazing things that happen in therapy.