Therapy Services

remote sessions

Sessions are provided via telehealth in a HIPAA compliant platform.  Clients must be residents of either Georgia or Maine to participate in online therapy. 

Services Provided

Individual Therapy

Individual therapy is a joint process between a therapist and a person in therapy. Common goals of therapy can be to inspire change or improve quality of life. People may seek therapy for help with issues that are hard to face alone.  

Therapy can help people overcome obstacles to their well-being. It can increase positive feelings, such as compassion and self-esteem. People in therapy can learn skills for handling difficult situations, making healthy decisions, and reaching goals. Many find they enjoy the therapeutic journey of becoming more self-aware. Some people even go to ongoing therapy for self-growth.

Online Therapy

Teletherapy can be a good fit for people who have difficulty accessing mental health services.  Some people feel more comfortable communicating openly via email than in person with a therapist. Others may feel therapy is more accessible this way, since they do not know when they may need support the most.

People who are new to therapy may find it easy to participate in online therapy sessions. The fact that treatment takes place in the home may also reduce the stigma associated with receiving mental health services.

Family Therapy

Family therapy or family counseling is designed to address specific issues that affect the psychological health of the family, such as major life transitions or mental health conditions. It may be used as the primary mode of treatment or as a complementary approach.

 

I provide family therapy as an adjunct to individual therapy per client request, or if I feel that bringing in family would be beneficial to your treatment. 

Treatment Specialties

Anxiety Disorder

Anxiety is a normal reaction to danger, the body’s automatic fight-or-flight response that is triggered when you feel threatened, under pressure, or are facing a challenging situation, such as a job interview, exam, or first date. In moderation, anxiety isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It can help you to stay alert and focused, spur you to action, and motivate you to solve problems. But when anxiety is constant or overwhelming—when worries and fears interfere with your relationships and daily life—you’ve likely crossed the line from normal anxiety into the territory of an anxiety disorder. While having an anxiety disorder can be disabling, preventing you from living the life you want, it’s important to know that you’re not alone. Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health issues—and are highly treatable. Once you understand your anxiety disorder, there are steps you can take to reduce the symptoms and regain control of your life.
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Depression

Feeling down from time to time is a normal part of life, but when emotions such as hopelessness and despair take hold and just won't go away, you may have depression. More than just sadness in response to life's struggles and setbacks, depression changes how you think, feel, and function in daily activities. It can interfere with your ability to work, study, eat, sleep, and enjoy life. Just trying to get through the day can be overwhelming. No matter how hopeless you feel, you can get better. By recognizing the different symptoms of depression, you can take the first steps to feeling better and overcoming the problem.
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Dialectical Behavioral Therapy-DBT

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, DBT, is based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, CBT, and was developed by psychologist, Marsha Linehan. DBT is specially adapted for those that experience intense emotions.

The 'dialectical' in DBT means combining opposite ideas. DBT helps people accept the reality of their lives and behaviors, as well as helping them learn to build a life worth living by changing harmful behaviors and developing healthy coping skills. DBT is especially effective for treating and managing a wide range of mental health conditions including Borderline Personality Disorder, Self-Harm, Suicidal Behavior, PTSD, Substance Use, Eating Disorders, and Depression and Anxiety.
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Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic depression, is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings that include emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression). When you become depressed, you may feel sad or hopeless and lose interest or pleasure in most activities. When your mood shifts to mania or hypomania (less extreme than mania), you may feel euphoric, full of energy or unusually irritable. These mood swings can affect sleep, energy, activity, judgment, behavior and the ability to think clearly. Episodes of mood swings may occur rarely or multiple times a year. While most people will experience some emotional symptoms between episodes, some may not experience any. Although bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition, you can manage your mood swings and other symptoms by following a treatment plan. In most cases, bipolar disorder is treated with medications and psychological counseling
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Anger Management

Anger management is the process of learning to recognize signs that you're becoming angry and taking action to calm down and deal with the situation in a productive way. While anger itself isn't a mental illness, in some cases, anger can be connected to mood disorders, substance use disorders, and other mental health conditions. Anger becomes problematic when it's felt too often or too intensely or when it's expressed in unhealthy ways, which can take a toll physically, mentally, and socially. For this reason, anger management strategies can be beneficial and can help you discover healthy ways to express your feelings.
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Grief & Loss

Grief is the natural emotional response to the loss of someone close, such as a family member or friend. Grief can also occur after a serious illness, a divorce or other significant losses. Grief often involves intense sadness, and sometimes feelings of shock, numbness or even denial and anger. For most people, the intensity of grief eases over time and the episodes of grief become less frequent. Grief is a process or journey that affects everyone differently. It can be exhausting and emotionally draining, making it hard to do simple things or even leave the house. Some people cope by becoming more active. Grief has no set pattern. It is expressed differently across different cultures. Some people like to be expressive and public with their emotions, while others like to keep grief private. Most people find the grief lessens with time. They may always carry sadness and miss the person who has died, but are able to find meaning and experience pleasure again. Some people even find new wisdom and strength after experiences of loss.
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common questions

A number of benefits are available from participating in therapy. Therapists can provide support, problem-solving skills, and enhanced coping strategies for issues such as depression, anxiety, relationship troubles, unresolved childhood issues, grief, stress management, body image issues and creative blocks. Many people also find that counselors can be a tremendous asset to managing personal growth, interpersonal relationships, family concerns, marriage issues, and the hassles of daily life. Therapists can provide a fresh perspective on a difficult problem or point you in the direction of a solution. The benefits you obtain from therapy depend on how well you use the process and put into practice what you learn.

Sessions run from 45 to 60 minutes in length. 

Yes, I take multiple insurance plans.  Please check the Financial page to determine if I am in network with your plan.  I also offer superbills for out of network clients. 

How often you should go to therapy depends on several factors, but the general rule of thumb is once per week, especially in the beginning. How quickly you see results depends on how involved you are in the therapy process, as well as the overall severity of your symptoms.

Confidentiality is one of the most important components between a client and psychotherapist. Successful therapy requires a high degree of trust with highly sensitive subject matter that is usually not discussed anywhere but the therapist’s office.   Every therapist should provide a written copy of their confidential disclosure agreement, and you can expect that what you discuss in session will not be shared with anyone.  This is called “Informed Consent”. Sometimes, however, you may want your therapist to share information or give an update to someone on your healthcare team (your Physician, Naturopath, Attorney), but by law, your therapist cannot release this information without obtaining your written permission.

However, state law and professional ethics require therapists to maintain confidentiality except for the following situations:

  •  Suspected past or present abuse or neglect of children, adults, and elders to the authorities, including Child Protection and law enforcement, based on information provided by the client or collateral sources.
  •  If the therapist has reason to suspect the client is seriously in danger of harming him/herself or has threated to harm another person.

You may schedule a session by phone at 770.744.5468 or by email at vwalshlpc@gmail.com

 

A therapist should be someone that you feel safe and comfortable opening up to. Being in therapy can bring up some very raw and vulnerable thoughts and feelings at times. It is important to make sure that you feel that your therapist is providing you with a safe, empathetic, non-judgmental, and warm environment to be able to explore those thoughts and feelings in. If you do not feel comfortable, heard, and validated, your therapist is not a good fit for you.

The number of counselling sessions you’ll need depends on a range of factors, including:

  • Your number of goals
  • How much you’ve suffered in the past
  • Whether you live in a safe and stable environment
  • Getting clear about the life you want to build

 

I always start with an initial consultation, and you’ll have therapy appointments once a week or every two weeks.  My clients usually benefit from 12 to 20 sessions, and many will also work with me for several years.  As time goes by, we space out the sessions once a month or so before agreeing on an ending.

It is well established that the long-term solution to mental and emotional problems and the pain they cause cannot be solved solely by medication. Instead of just treating the symptom, therapy addresses the cause of our distress and the behavior patterns that curb our progress. You can best achieve sustainable growth and a greater sense of well-being with an integrative approach to wellness.  Working with your medical doctor you can determine what’s best for you, and in some cases a combination of medication and therapy is the right course of action. 

 

Because each person has different issues and goals for therapy, therapy will be different depending on the individual.  In general, you can expect to discuss the current events happening in your life, your personal history relevant to your issue, and report progress (or any new insights gained) from the previous therapy session.  Depending on your specific needs, therapy can be short-term, for a specific issue, or longer-term, to deal with more difficult patterns or your desire for more personal development.  Either way, it is most common to schedule regular sessions with your therapist (usually weekly).

It is important to understand that you will get more results from therapy if you actively participate in the process.  The ultimate purpose of therapy is to help you bring what you learn in session back into your life.  Therefore, beyond the work you do in therapy sessions, your therapist may suggest some things you can do outside of therapy to support your process – such as reading a pertinent book, journaling on specific topics, noting particular behaviors or taking action on your goals. People seeking psychotherapy are ready to make positive changes in their lives, are open to new perspectives and take responsibility for their lives.   

770.744.5468

vwalshlpc@gmail.com