Searching for mental health information on the Internet is easy but there is so much information that it can be confusing to know if what you found applies to your situation. A professional Christian counselor can learn who you are and then answer questions, provide psychological insight customized for you, and develop an ongoing relationship to help you explore personal issues — all from a biblical perspective. I provide interventions that address spiritual, emotional, and mental health concerns.
Note: If you live outside of Ohio and cannot travel to my office, I am not able to provide Licensed Counseling services.
Online counseling — “e-therapy” — is talking to a professional counselor through the Internet to give you the perspective, knowledge, and support you need to grow beyond your current troubles. You can meet with a professional for personal counseling from the privacy of your own computer. Your concern may require only one session to address a focused question. Some concerns require an ongoing conversation. Online can be via phone or video.
E-therapy is a viable alternative when face-to-face counseling is not accessible. It’s effective. It’s private. It’s conducted by skilled, qualified, and ethical professionals. And for some people, it's the only way they can get help from a professional counselor.
Online counseling is different than traditional face-to-face counseling. There are ways online counseling is better than face-to-face counseling and ways face-to-face counseling is better. Online counseling is not a substitute for traditional counseling. I believe that people recover because of the therapeutic relationship between client and counselor. Online counseling lacks part of the experience of the relationship (experiencing the physical presence of one another is important for growth). If you have the opportunity to see a counselor face-to-face, I recommend you consider this option.
Sometimes, it is not possible or practical to see a counselor face-to-face:
Online counseling is:
In fact, online counseling is also called “convenience counseling” and “technology-assisted counseling”. If you cannot visit a counselor’s office, online counseling can be a helpful and effective alternative.
Online relationships can have a remarkable intensity and intimacy that is very real. Some degree of anonymity can provide an opportunity to take more risks. Many people reveal intimate thoughts and feelings much more easily than they do face to face.
Online counseling is not appropriate when:
If participating in a support group or reading self-help information is all the help you need, then that’s wonderful. However, certain situations and difficulties are tougher to deal with alone. A professional counselor has developed specialized techniques of caring which have the potential to change your life, even when you have deep and persistent problems. This describes professional counseling — the intervention of a person who has the specialized knowledge, training, skill and experience to help.
The assistance of a professional can help you identify your needs, enabling you to deal with them faster and more reliably through specialized treatment techniques. If you needed an antibiotic for an infection, wouldn’t you go to your doctor for the right treatment? Why deny yourself proper care for your emotional health? Unfortunately, most people take better care of their cars than their own emotional health. It is healthy to have an emotional/spiritual/psychological tune-up too.
All forms of convenience counseling require a form of payment up front (usually a credit card). Our sessions will take place via a prearranged telephone call or a PsychologyToday.com video connection.