Individual Counseling

Individual counseling at Guiding Behavior Counseling, PLLC is ideal for adults experiencing emotional unsteadiness, distressing thoughts, low self-esteem/worth, and challenging patterns. We have expertise in areas such as ADHD, Autism, anxiety, depression, OCD, trauma, stress management, emotional reactiveness, relationship and communication concerns, hopelessness, and difficulty adjusting to transitions. Guiding Behavior Counseling, PLLC supports and provides a safe space for clients within the BIPOC, neurodivergent, and LGBTQIA+ communities.

Guiding Behavior Counseling, PLLC primarily utilizes the principles of ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) within the therapeutic services to promote emotional healing. ACT was developed to help guide individuals and families to reduce the struggle with challenging thoughts and feelings, bring clarity to one’s values, and commit to actions that align to one’s values. ACT is an evidence-based modality across many different symptoms and diagnoses; ACT supports an expansion in perspective so challenging thoughts and feelings feel lighter and are less of a barrier to living a fulfilling life, and more actions are aligned to a fulfilling and meaningful life.

Guiding Behavior Counseling, PLLC also utilizes the Safe and Sound Protocol informed by Dr. Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal Theory which is an evidence-based treatment for trauma and anxiety symptoms, sound sensitivities, and improved auditory processing, behavioral regulation, and social engagement. It incorporates listening and music therapy within and between sessions to regulate the nervous system and support ongoing cues of safety and healing nervous system dysregulation where needed. It has been shown to enhance the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions and have long-lasting effects on nervous system regulation.

In addition, other service modalities can be incorporated into services, including DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy), I-CBT (Inference-Based Cognitive Behavior Therapy), Exposure-Response Prevention (ERP), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Written Exposure Treatment (WET). DBT was developed to provide specific tools and skills addressing increased mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. I-CBT consists of 12 modules and was developed and is an evidence-based intervention to support understanding where obsessions come from, how we become hooked in them, reducing the influence of obsessions and doubts that occur within OCD and ultimately, time spent within mental rumination and physical compulsions. ERP is an evidence-based intervention to support the reduction and influence of compulsions that occur within OCD and reduction of avoidance within anxiety and phobias. EMDR consists of 8 phases and is an evidence-based intervention to support the reduction in trauma symptoms through trauma reprocessing and integration techniques. WET consists of 5 sessions and is an evidence-based and short-term intervention to support the reduction in trauma symptoms for those experiencing PTSD and trauma symptoms.

Through evidence-based therapeutic modalities, therapeutic rapport, and compassionate practices, Guiding Behavior Counseling can support in understanding one’s own behavioral and thought patterns, and taking active steps to increase:

• Increased nonjudgmental awareness and allowance to one’s own emotions, behaviors, and experiences

• Skills and strategies to reduce the barriers associated with challenging thoughts and emotions

• Communication and listening skills

• Emotional support, increase focus to the present, coping, and grounding

• Actions aligned to one’s own values, even in the midst of challenging thoughts

• Connection, compassion, and care with oneself and others

• Engagement, meaning and fulfillmernt within day to day life

• Resolution and integration of previous triggers to current and future quality of life and fulfillment

• Specific skills-building targeted to individual needs (these can include supporting executive functioning skills and strategies, increasing helpful verbal and nonverbal communication patterns, engaging in exposure-based interventions and CBT to feared/avoided/trauma situations within a highly supportive environment, and building self-worth and clarity in values)

We specialize in ADHD, Autism, anxiety, depression, trauma, and OCD. We understand the impacts of developmental trauma a neurodiverse individual potentially has experienced and still experiencing. We take a unique approach within our services to support the unique strengths and struggles within these areas. Our services can be tailored for short or long-term needs. All of our services utilize evidence-based approaches and research across many diverse cultural groups.