Counseling Services

Couples

I love to work with couples with all types of issues except active, ongoing substance abuse issues. I have had great success with conflicted couples, affairs, premarital counseling, couples who live together, infertility, and marriage enrichment. With a number of different counseling styles, I will custom tailor an approach to your situation based on your goals. Other therapists have referred their challenging couples to me! Most couples with whom I work choose to stay together.

Sexual Issues

I am a Certified Sex Therapist through the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists – www.aasect.org. This is a designation that only a handful of therapists in Kansas City have.I work with couples and individuals on sexual issues including desire discrepancies, enhancing intimacy, loss of interest in sex, sexual abuse, pain issues, teen and child sexual issues, affairs, women’s sexual issues, sexuality after medical problems, alternative lifestyles, and more. I am also a tantra (sacred sexuality) teacher and offer classes to individuals and couples. See the “Tantra / Sacred Relationship” section of this website.

Individuals

I see individuals most commonly to address relationship patterns and issues, sexual issues, depression, anxiety, spiritual issues, meditation, dating, self esteem, mid-life crises, relationships with adult children, spending issues, career concerns, and more.

Dating Coaching

I love to work with single people to help them create great lives on their own, heal from past relationships, and attract their next right and perfect partner. I have given workshops for singles on avoiding the pitfalls of attracting the wrong partner and then how to attract one who is great for them! In counseling, we assess what you have tried, what has worked, what hasn’t worked, and develop a plan for your success! Your plan may include the great qualities you have to offer a partner, the qualities you desire in a partner, assessing past relationship patterns, writing your online dating profile, reviewing your online profile pictures, coaching in online dating, coaching in speed dating, attending groups from www.meetup.com, knowing when and how to use physical affection, dealing with rejection, having a winning dating attitude, education about sexuality, and whatever else you need.

Premarital Counseling, Dating Assessment, or Marriage Enrichment

Premarital Counseling, Dating Assessment, or Marriage Enrichment gives you an opportunity to assess your relationship, learn skills that will help your relationship to be a success, and find out your strengths and areas that could use some growth. We focus on building skills in communication, conflict resolution, making time for each other, negotiating chores, parenting, stepfamily issues, sexuality, finances, family and friends, and spirituality if important to you. Prior to coming in the first time, both partners take an assessment instrument online called Prepare- Enrich, which is sent to your email addresses. After you have both taken it, I get the results and spend about 30 minutes preparing them for you. Then we have 4 to 8 sessions of feedback in which you learn what is working in your relationship for you to build on and what needs growth. It is a fun, interactive process! You may be able to use insurance for this service.

Spiritual Counseling

I have been on the Spiritual Counseling staff of my church since 1994. I am an open-minded Christian and work with clients of all different spiritual orientations, believing that there are many equally valid paths to God. Common things I assist clients with are their prayer life, meditation, finding a faith community, developing a relationship with God, couple spirituality, healing guilt and shame, healing religious abuse, and more. For those not interested in discussing spirituality, I am also respectful of your wishes and never try to push anyone in any regard with their spirituality so long as it is healthy for them psychologically and spiritually.

Separation and Divorce Counseling

When couples are considering separation and divorce, they are usually under a considerable amount of stress. It is often one of the most difficult periods in a person’s life and the entire family is affected. How well the parents deal with the separation and divorce determines to a great extent how well the children manage the challenge. Receiving some input and guidance on this difficult process can help to alleviate stress, keep partners interacting amicably, and keep the children out of the middle.

Parenting and Families

I coach parents on parenting skills and tactics for their particular situation, whether it be dealing with step-family or blended family issues, a child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, oppositional behavior, biting in toddlers, temper tantrums, or child sleep problems.I have worked with a number of situations in which the family concerns relate to adult children or their parents and have had good success in these cases.

Adoption

I am an adoptive parent of a daughter from China. Due to my desire to help other orphaned children, I worked with a couple of adoption agencies from 1995 through 2002 performing home studies, post placement visits, and counseling. Now I help adoptive families who have problems with parenting, adoption issues, and child behavior.