WHAT IS COUNSELING?
Counseling is used by individuals, couples, & families to resolve conflicts, improve personal feelings & behavior, to change behaviors & attitudes as well as to improve relationships. I meet with clients in sessions which usually last about one hour. The meetings are often spaced one week apart.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
I first need to understand what the clients view as their problems or issues. These may be emotional states of depression or anxiety, anxiety attacks or panic attacks, conflicts in dating relationships, marriages, or issues between parents & their children. There may be issues of a child doing poorly in school or responding inappropriately to parental or school authority. My education & experience allow me to interpret the clients’ feelings, thoughts, & their physical responses to get to the underlying issues & causes of the problems. I then offer ways to resolve the situation in positive and healthy ways. In many respects, counseling is like any other job. Electricians first obtain some form of training, then they go to work every day & spend their time working on electrical issues. Over the years they develop an expertise in their field. The same is true of dentists, plumbers, surgeons, and most other jobs where the practioners spend their time in one field & continuously learn about the various issues that are likely to arise, as well as the techniques & treatment methods that are developed. I spend my days working with relationship issues; romantic, parent-child, employer-employee, sibling, & any other type of relationship you may imagine. I also work with my clients to improve the most imoortant relationship in their lives; the relationship they have with themselves. I may discuss the clients’ feelings of anger, anxiety, depression, fears, & any number of other issues. While counselors are required to meet certain educational requirements, we are also required to take a licensing exam and to regularly take classes that pertain to our work.
WHO NEEDS IT?
We call a dentist when we have dental problems, a plumber when we have plumbing problems, & a doctor when we have medical problems. None of us is an expert in everything, so we reach out to those who have specialized education, training, & experience in specific areas. It’s the same with counseling. We contact Mental Health Counselors when we have emotional or behavioral problems that require knowledge that licensed counselors have. The human brain is considered to be one of the most complex and least understood pieces of matter in the universe, & the human mind even less so. Less is known about the mind than almost anything else. Counselors devote their working time to the understanding of the mind. We have specialized education and training & must pass rigorous exams before being licensed as Mental Health Counselors.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?
There is no way of determining how many sessions are needed to help resolve the issue(s). I use methods that require fewer sessions rather than more. Also, the use of hypnosis often results in a dramatically reduced number of sessions. After the first or second session I can usually tell the client about how many sessions are needed to get the desired results.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
When a person calls for information & to discuss their reason for wanting counseling fees are discussed prior to making the appointment.
WHO CAN PRACTICE COUNSELING?
Counselors must be licensed in the State of Florida to practice counseling in Florida or to call themselves Mental Health Counselors. A minimum of a Masters Degree (MA) is required along with a passing grade on an exam, as well as thousands of hours of supervision.
WILL INSURANCE PAY?
I am not in any HMO or PPO. I am treated as an out of network provider. Many insurance companies will pay a percentage of the fee. If this is a concern it is best to contact your insurance carrier and tell them that you are interested in seeing an out of network Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC). They can tell you about coverage. Medicare does not reimburse at the present time.
Counseling/Psychotherapy Testimonials
“I’m a Clinical Psychologist in private practice and saw Marty for personal reasons. I have worked with other therapists in the past and was impressed with how quickly he understood me and was able to help me successfully deal with the issues. He’s very talented.”
“When I started with Martin, I was concerned that I’d be ‘stuck’ in therapy for years. He’s not like that. He works very quickly and the problem was taken care of. I now know that I can call him and just have a few sessions. He’s a great resource.”