HIPAA: Rules about the use and protection of your private health information:

At your first visit you will be required to sign a statement that you have received information about your rights under HIPAA. This is now a routine practice for all health care visits, including counseling and mental health care. It sets national standards for the use and protection of your confidential health information. (more…)

As a pastoral counselor, I am a specialist in helping people connect their faith to their efforts to improve their emotional or psychological wellbeing. Many people have had very bad experiences with religious folks imposing their own beliefs upon them, and condemning them for having questions, doubts or different experiences and beliefs. This sort of religious intolerance is the farthest thing from the practice of pastoral counseling, and often causes serious damage to human wellbeing.

Pastoral counselors practice (more…)

The introductory session will give you an opportunity to get to know how the therapist works and to share your concerns with them. In my practice, I spend a few minutes up front clarifying the basic expectations of therapy by putting them in writing (see new patient info) and discussing any questions that you might have about confidentiality, payment etc. Then I ask some basic questions that are geared toward helping us both assess what you need from therapy and whether I can provide it. I might say “what brings you in right now?” or something similar to help you explain why you are coming in and clarify (more…)