Gina provides Individual and Couples counseling. She works with a wide variety of ages. She enjoys children, teens, and adults.
Individual Counseling
I enjoy working with individuals to help them better understand themselves. Sometimes what we have been doing for years has been getting in the way of our own happiness. Other times we find ourselves blocked by what seems to be an unmanageable obstacle. Obtaining another perspective on a problem can sometimes help tremendously. I approach therapy as a coach might work with an athlete. Individuals have their known game plans that have helped them with varied degrees of success. As a therapist, I look at the strengths and listen for personal goals. I explore blocks and obstacles. Together we explore new strategies to gain success.
Specific areas she has helped people with are:
Attention Deficit Disorder and ADHD |
Employment challenge |
Adoption Issues |
Grief and loss |
Addictive Behavior |
Life Transitions |
Anxiety and Related Disorders |
Parent/Child Issues |
Conflict Management |
School behavioral problems |
Depression and Mood Disorders |
Retirement Adjustment |
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Teen Counseling
I love working with teens. I have spent many years helping them learn to move from acting out behavior to effective communication. I find that teens struggle to find the right way to get adults to understand their view point. They sometimes give up or act up. Parents end up in power struggles forgetting they are in power. The balance between protecting and guiding is a tightrope that many families find part of the challenge course of adolescents. The goal line is independent, self sufficient adults. Independence needs to be practiced before the big launch. I help parents and teens communicate and work towards this goal.
Children
There is nothing like a toddler to bring out the toddler in all parents. Parenting can be hard. Managing feelings and expectations as parents can be a struggle. Kids are faced with many hurdles and sometimes become scared, angry, and depressed. I use a family approach to assist parents and kids to climb the success ladder together.
Couples
I used to hate working with couples. In fact, I took it off my website! I found it difficult when couples would fight and expect me to choose sides. No one would win. I then became trained in the Imago approach to Relationship Therapy. It was created by Dr. Harville Hendrix, author of, “Getting the Love You Want: A Guide for Couples” (1988). In this approach to couples work, I am the facilitator of conversations. Couples are directed in strategies that they can use right from the start. Listening to our partners feelings and core issues in an empathic way can help heal our relationships. I teach the 'Imago Dialogue.' This can help couples move from blame and reactivity to empathy. Once this process is learned, it can be a game changer. Conflicts can become opportunities for new growth. Couples can then rekindle their relationship with excitement and more passion.