Counseling Philosophy
Carol is committed to fostering a climate of emotional safety and trust with her clients. She recognizes the challenge in finding a therapist that you can feel vulnerable with and connect with well. She offers openness and acceptance of who you are and where you are with the challenges of life. She understands that we are all hurting individuals that need support, caring, and understanding. She creates a counseling climate that moves toward goal formation and hope. She counsels clients within a Christian context and also embraces those whose faith may be different or may just be trying to sort things out. Carol’s primary focus is guiding clients to wellbeing; deepening their understanding of their uniqueness; and establishing healthy relationships.
Some of the common presenting issues may be emotional management, rumination of thoughts, feeling stuck in pain from the past or feeling trapped in resentment or bitterness. Sometimes trauma is lurking from the past and haunting memories and the flooding of emotions are holding you back. Also addiction patterns can feel like you’re in a perpetual self -defeating cycle. What’s below the surface? Let’s explore. Triggers can present themselves in many contexts. Understanding how to work through their intensity in reaction, can bring more inner calm into your life. Understanding the sometimes dark cloud of depression can help you move towards a more meaningful wellbeing. Maybe you’re struggling with self- esteem – I want to be God’s best but I can’t seem to take that next step. Self-esteem affects our relationships. Maybe in all this you are having challenges spiritually. Where is God in the middle of all of this tough stuff? He’s there. Let’s talk. Starting to open up to understand what is below the surface is our task together.
Background
Carol and her husband Clint have had quite an adventure together. From their early days in Calgary, to Dallas, and now San Diego, the glue that holds everything together is their faith. When you ask Carol how she got here, she would say that God directed her path and she trusts in that.
Carol completed her Master of Science degree, specializing in Counseling Psychology at the University of Calgary. She was licensed in Canada as a professional counselor and upon moving to Dallas in 1992, Carol attended Dallas Theological Seminary where she completed a Master of Arts degree in Biblical Studies. Since then, she has worked in a private practice for over twenty years as a licensed professional clinical and marriage and family counselor.
She understands that there are often some internal dynamics that are going on that not only affect a person on an individual level but also can impact relationships. Working within marital dynamics, behavioral and emotional patterns emerge that often create some level of disengagement with one another. Sorting through this and working towards new and healthier patterns is a helpful goal. Often there are communication issues that have fostered unhealthy conflict. People can be conflict avoidant because they have not had the opportunity to see a healthy form of conflict. This can change.
Working with family systems, we can take a look at each role the family member is playing out to better understand how to move towards healthier functioning.
Though Carol is now based in San Diego, she is still licensed in Texas. In addition to her San Diego office practice, she also provides remote counseling services through video conferencing and is therefore accessible to anyone in the state of California or Texas. Try it sometime - it works really well!
