Relationship Counseling

relationships

If you are seeking to improve your communication skills, create better understanding, or to encourage a better acceptance of one another, couples counseling may be beneficial to you. A mental health counselor can assist couples in discovering root causes of major points of conflict, assist the couple in restoring emotional and physical intimacy, and provide the opportunity to increase shared support. Marriage is hard work, and couples therapy requires participation, commitment, and willingness from both partners to achieve optimum outcomes. One important aspect that should be considered when choosing to seek a couples counselor is that they are a right fit for you. You're more likely to find success if you're comfortable with your counselor. Do not be afraid to consider things like gender, ethnicity, religious beliefs, or years of experience. This is going to be work that is intimate and creates a lot of vulnerability so you should choose your counselor carefully.

Marriage & Couples

In addition to issues of conflict, separation, and life transitions, marriage counseling is for anyone who wants to improve their relationship. Often individuals wait to see a therapist until things are really rocky, but therapy can be a wonderful preventative tool as well.nnCounseling can give couples tools to communicate better, negotiate differences, have healthy disagreements, and generally enjoy their relationship. Often marriage counseling works best in conjunction with individual therapy; some couples find it helpful to see a provider both individually and together.nn 

Pre-Marital

Pre-marital counseling helps couples prepare for marriage and discuss difficult topics from finances to children so that both individuals are on the same page.n

SYMBIS CERTIFIED:

nA few of our counselors (DeAnne, Jessica, and Jordan) are also SYMBIS certified facilitators (Save your marriage before it starts). SYMBIS is an 8-12 session program that includes an in depth assessment that is tailored to your specific family dynamics- whether its a first marriage, second, or you are blending a family.

Singleness

Whether you are newly divorced and experiencing singleness for the first time in a while, or you have never been married, you can enjoy your time being single. Singleness has purpose and counseling can help you work through your feelings surrounding your current relationship status.

Infidelity

Infidelity leaves a mark on both individuals in the relationship. Counseling after infidelity can be individual, couples counseling or both. Infidelity isn’t just an individual problem; counseling can help the individuals and couple evaluate the deeper issues that can lead to infidelity and learn how to reconcile the relationship if that is their desire.

Prepare/Enrich Tool

The Prepare / Enrich Couples Assessment can aid the couples counseling process by providing objective results, based on how couples answer a brief series of questions which is sent via email. The Prepare / Enrich Couples Report provides a hands-on, comprehensive view of a relationship, which can help determine specific areas to focus on in couples counseling. Prepare / Enrich can help couples get the most from their counseling experience and focus on core relationship skills, designed to facilitate openness and communication. There is a $70 out of pocket cost for this valuable assessment.

Relationship Counselors

Heather’s clinical area of focus is working with adolescent and adult clients dealing with depression, anxiety, relational conflict, grief and loss, postpartum depression, and life transitions. Her approach is to help you learn ways to deal with present circumstances, gain insight from your past, as well as hope for the future. She likes to assess you holistically and work with you to balance all areas of your life: spiritually, relationally, physically, nutritionally, mentally, and emotionally.

Heather has a Master of Arts degree in Community counseling and School Counseling with an undergraduate degree in Psychology. She uses an eclectic approach to counseling including various interventions from (CBT) Cognitive Behavioral, (DBT) Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and (TBRI) Trust Based Relational therapy. She also has an interest in how nutrition and gut health affect mental health. Heather is currently pursuing and learning more about nutritional and integrative medicine for mental health professionals. She only offers sessions through Telehealth as an online therapist for New Life Counseling.

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Rick holds a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling and completed a residency in clinical pastoral education (CPE) and served as a staff chaplain. He worked in Employee and Family resources for 22 years counseling individuals, couples, adolescents and those with addictions and employee issues. Rick is also a Certified Employee Assistance Professional (CEAP).

Rick enjoys working from a Christian perspective and is a Strength-based, Positive, Cognitive Behavioral therapist. He enjoys working with folks who are worried, unhappy, discouraged and searching for meaning in their lives. Couples are able to develop a new closeness through mutual respect and positive dialogue becoming supportive caring allies.

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Mike has a degree in Church Education, and a master’s degree in Counseling. He has his Temp LMHC and is working towards full mental health counseling licensure. Mike serviced as a youth minister for 15 years and has spent the last 10 serving youth and families in a social work capacity, providing in-home behavioral health services in addition to leading and training staff.

Mike is passionate about supporting people in their growth of awareness and acknowledgment, leading to changes in thinking and living.

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DeAnne has a B.A in Psychology and an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She has her Temp LMHC and is working towards full licensure.

DeAnne works under the umbrella of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, utilizing REBT, EFT, Family Systems, and Motivational Interviewing. She is a certified SYMBIS facilitator for pre-marital couples and is currently working toward Gottman marriage certification.

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Brooklynn has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and is pursuing her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a graduate degree in Applied Behavioral Analysis which she is set to finish this year. Brooklynn has experience working at a behavioral analysis clinic for kids with neurodevelopmental disorders such as Autism. She also spent 5 years in Columbia in the mission field working with kids, youth, and adults facing extreme trauma; she is bilingual.

Brooklynn sees people of all stages and ages though her focus is mainly on children, adolescents, marriage and family therapy, and trauma therapy. She will see children as young as 3 years of age and individuals with special needs including but not limited to autism, down syndrome, and genetic disorders. If an individual is nonverbal, she will provide parent training sessions to the parents so they can implement practices at home.

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Bill has a degree in a master’s degree in Counseling. He has his Temp LMHC and is working towards full mental health counseling licensure. Before joining the team at New Life bill got an MBA & MS in Mechanical Engineering and enjoyed a 40-year career as an engineer and business manager.

Because of his analytical background, Bill brings a pragmatic approach to his counseling relationships, utilizing cognitive behavioral therapy coupled with mindfulness and motivational interviewing.

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Donald is the owner of New Life, has a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Counseling Psychology and Religious Studies; he is also an ordained Wesleyan minister.

Donald’s experience and training includes individual, marriage, and family counseling, business and organizational consulting, personality testing, professional and personal coaching, and spiritual leadership. He is certified with the John Maxwell team and Amen Clinics.

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Jessica is a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC).  She holds a Master of Arts degree in Christian Counseling of Substance Abuse and Addictive Disorders a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.  

Jessica's experience includes working with Medication Assisted Treatment, case management, and program development and management. She has experience running psychoeducational therapy groups with adults and has worked with both residential and outpatient levels of care, including the creation and development of an Intensive Outpatient Program.  She worked at House of Mercy as a Substance Abuse Counselor in the Residential facility and has extensive knowledge and experience working with the Department of Human Services as well as Probation and Parole. She has been utilizing skills from treatment modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Restructuring, Person-Centered Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy, and the Matrix Model.

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Meg holds a Master of Arts degree in Counseling Education and a Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy. She is also a Gottman Certified therapist for couples counseling. She provides therapy for individuals, couples, and adolescents and takes an interpersonal, client-centered, and collaborative approach to counseling.

Her experience includes inpatient and outpatient care for adults and children in a psychiatric setting, music therapy in a rehabilitation hospital, in-home counseling as part of a hospice team, bereavement counseling/management, and a special interest in emotional issues of individuals who have suffered from strokes, traumatic brain injuries, and other physical traumas.

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Bekah has a Bachelors in Family services, a Master of Arts degree in Counseling, and has her Temp LMHC and is working towards full licensure. She is also a certified clinical mental health counselor.

Bekah has had a lifelong passion to bring hope and healing to those around her through a faith-based approach to counseling, using Biblical truths and principles as a guide for counseling. She desires to meet clients where they are at and walk alongside them in their counseling journey. Her faith is a huge part of who she is, and she loves bringing the truth of God’s word into sessions with clients who are open to it. Bekah believes that counseling is a collaborative effort where it takes both the counselor and the client working together to reach the client’s goals. She hopes to equip her clients with the tools they need to create balance and health in their lives.

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Jordan has a bachelor’s degree in social work, a Master of Science in School Counseling, is a licensed social worker (LBSW), and has his LMHC. He has several years of experience working as a residential social worker and school counselor.

Jordan’s counseling approach is faith-based, using Biblical values and principles. He also utilizes Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Emotionally Focused Therapy techniques but likes to remain flexible based on his client’s needs. Jordan is a certified SYMBIS facilitator for pre-marital couples and is certified to give Prepare/Enrich assessments for couples.

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Stephanie's clinical experience includes working with adolescent, adult individuals, and couples utilizing a faith-based approach coupled with the therapeutic models of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Solution-focused practices. 

Stephanie utilizes individualized treatment plans to meet each client where they are at including the areas of depression and anxiety, PTSD, addictions and recovery, relational conflict, grief and loss, emotional regulation, and difficult life changes/transitions.

Stephanie only sees patients via telehealth.

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