Tag Archives: NWA Marriage & Family Therapy

Understanding Your Mental Health Provider’s Credentials: Why it Matters

Introduction

A professional caring mental health is an important component of your overall well-being. Finding the right therapist or counselor is helpful to achieving emotional and psychological stability. However, choosing a mental health provider can be confusing given the range of professionals and approaches available. Understanding a therapist’s credentials is essential to making an informed decision that will benefit you.

What Are Credentials?

Credentials refer to the education, training, and licensing required for a mental health professional to practice therapy. The type of credential varies depending on the level of education and expertise. Common mental health credentials include Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT).

Importance of LPC and LMFT Credentials

LPC and LMFT credentials represent that the therapists has attained certain standards in the mental health field. LPCs usually specialize in individual and group counseling, while LMFTs because of their training focus on family and relationship therapy. Mental health professionals that have these licensures have completed a master’s degree in counseling. In addition to years of supervised clinical experience and passed various licensing exams. Practitioners with LPCs and LMFT’s credentials continue to take yearly education requirements in their field. This ongoing training will make them better equipped to provide therapy, as well as ensuring best ethical practices.

Non-Licensed Mental Health Providers

Non-licensed mental health providers may offer emotional support and guidance. Many may lack the level of education, training and licensing requirements of an LPCs and LMFTs. As a result, their approach to therapy and their ability to provide ethical and effective treatment may be unknown.

Why It’s Important to Ask About Credentials

Inquiring about your mental health provider’s credentials is a important to ensuring that you receive quality therapy. Understanding a counselor’s qualifications helps clients determine if their therapists will meet their needs.

Conclusion

Comprehending a mental health provider’s credentials is a good first step towards finding the right therapist or counselor. LPC and LMFT credentials signify that Arkansas counseling standards have been met and that they are current. This makes these therapists them a good professional choice. Non-licensed mental health providers may be an option for some. Inquiring about a person’s approaches and type of training will help make sure that you are getting the right help.

Call NWA Marriage Family Therapy, 479-225-0055 serving NWA and the rest of Arkansas for over a decade.

Premarital Counseling Benefits

Premarital counseling can be a benefit for couples who choose to make this investment before marriage. It can help couples build a foundation for their relationship, improve communication skills, and reduce the risk of future conflicts. Working with a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) can provide a safe and supportive environment for couples to explore their expectations, values, and goals for their future together.

One of the primary benefits of premarital counseling with an MFT is improved communication skills. Couples learn how to effectively communicate their needs, feelings, and concerns, which can reduce misunderstandings and promote deeper intimacy. Couples also learn how to listen actively, empathize with each other’s perspectives, and express themselves in a non-judgmental way.

In addition to communication skills, premarital counseling can also help couples explore important issues that they might not want to talk about otherwise in a safe space. This exploration can help couples identify potential areas of conflict or unforeseen circumstances and develop strategies to manage those conflicts in a constructive way.

Premarital counseling with an MFT can also help couples develop a stronger sense of commitment for a long-lasting relationship. By working together to identify shared goals and values, couples can create a vision for their future.

Ultimately, premarital counseling with an MFT can help couples build a strong, relationship. By investing in their relationship before marriage couples can set themselves up for a better chance for success for a fulfilling future together.

Call today to schedule an appointment with a licensed MFT, please leave a voice mail at 479-225-0055. Offering 60 min. sessions on a sliding scale fee to fit most schedules and budgets in the NWA area or anywhere in Arkansas.

Thank you.

Healthy Relationships

Building and maintaining healthy relationships is a journey that requires effort, patience, and commitment, to a likeminded individual. Whether you’re in a romantic partnership, a friendship, or a family relationship, the following tips can help you establish and nurture healthy connections.

Effective communication is key to any healthy relationship. This means being open and honest with your partner or friend, expressing your needs and concerns in a respectful manner, and actively listening to their perspective. Communication also involves being mindful of your tone and body language and avoiding behaviors that might be considered negative.

Trust is another essential element of healthy relationships. This involves being reliable, consistent, and transparent in your actions, and respecting your partner’s boundaries and privacy. Trust also means being vulnerable and sharing your thoughts and feelings with your partner and being supportive of them in kind.

Healthy relationships also require a willingness to compromise and work through conflicts. This means acknowledging and addressing issues when they arise, and seeking out solutions that work for both parties. It also involves being patient and empathetic and understanding that relationships are not always perfect or easy.

Finally, self-care is crucial for maintaining healthy relationships. This means taking care of your own physical and emotional needs, setting boundaries to protect your time and energy, and prioritizing activities that bring you joy and fulfillment. When you take care of yourself, you are better equipped to show up as your “best self” in your relationships.

Please call NWA Marriage Family Therapy at 479-225-0055 Office V. M. to make a 60 min. appointment. Offering an affordable sliding scale fee for clients who live in the NWA area or anywhere in Arkansas. Weekends are available..

Thank You.

Enhancing Relationship Tips

These enhancing relationship tips may help you trouble shoot and avoid relationship confrontations in healthy well attached relationships. These tips sound simple and commonsensical enough and they are.

The challenging thing for most couples is to implement them regularly and to take timely action. Small steps that are consistent and regular are more effective than large unfulfilled promises. So keep working on developing your skills and keep your love active.

Tip 1) Fulfill any communication agreements you have made if you have a disagreement. For example, agreements to take time outs, cooling off periods, or other prior de-escalation rules you have made. When conflict heats up sticking to these agreements is very important.

Tip 2) Share the intentions of your actions. Actions can be better understood by your partner or accepted, if the intentions are clearly explained beforehand to the other person. Assume that your partner has good intentions. (Note: only in safe, securely attached relationships).

Tip 3) Follow the golden rule, it truly is golden. Show your authentic appreciation, regularly through words and actions, that connect and make sense to your partner.

Hopefully your actions will be noticed and appreciated, and your partner will reciprocate their appreciations with time. These enhancing relationship tip skills take practice, so stay consistent.

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NWA Marriage & Family Therapy has been serving the NWA for a decade and in the last two years, I have been serving couples at your convenience. electronically anywhere in Arkansas.

If you would like a couple’s session to talk about your specific situation, as a couple or on your own, please give me a call anytime. Leave an office voice mail message at (479) 225-0055 (no text).

Thank You

Valentine’s Day Intimacy Fears?

Valentine’s Day is almost here. For some people this day brings about fears around intimacy. How soon is too soon to celebrate Valentines Day as a “couple”? Maybe just celebrate as friends? lovers? or celebrate love in general?

Do you ever think, “I want to be close, but just how close is it comfortable for me? ”

Are you comfortable with the idea of being close and staying close? Are you comfortable with the idea with giving as well as receiving over a Longterm relationship? Will you be testing your love often? How comfortable are you with commitment? If you move forward into a relationship, will you feel obligated, trapped or controlled? Will you feel like you will be losing your freedom or a part of you?

Exploring these questions is important for you to know where you are as far as desiring and maintaining long term intimacy.

Finally, knowing where your lover is as far as their intimacy abilities? Are they open and available to being intimate? Are they willing, capable and as vested as you? Are you well matched as far as your expectations and abilities? It’s good to think about these things on your own, as well as talking together.

There can be so many ways to celebrate and to create a meaningful intimate relationship on Valentine’s Day, as well as other types of friendships. Taking the opportunity and time to celebrate love in its many forms, is a day well spent.

So…..Happy Valentines Day!

Please call NWA Marriage & Family Therapy at 479-225-0055 to schedule an online appointment, if you would like to talk further.

Thank you.

Gaslighting the 2022 Word of the Year: Exploring Relationship Gaslighting

What is Relationship Gaslighting?

“Relationship Gaslighting” refers to when one person in a relationship intentionally distorts their partner’s perception of reality for their own manipulative advantage. This can manifest in many ways and can cause the partner to question their own judgement, values, or perceptions.

Signs of Relationship Gaslighting

There are signs to notice when you are being gaslighted. Fault will be assigned to you when you attempt to question explanations or when you feel most vulnerable or powerless from the confusion fallout and insecurity that gaslighting eventually causes.

Questioning to attempt to clarify may bring on statements that you are too sensitive, jealous, or overall unworthy in various ways. This can cause you to feel isolated and confused, and begin doubting yourself.

The Impact of Relationship Gaslighting

Gaslighting can have a significant impact on one’s emotional and mental health. Enduring continued gaslighting is unhealthy and will emotionally unbalance you. It is important to distinguish between real and genuine relationship difficulties and manipulative relationship gaslighting.

How to Address Relationship Gaslighting

As a Marriage and Family Therapist, I have seen relationship difficulties and manipulative relationship like gaslighting. It is important to explore the different ways the relationship may manifests and the many nuances. To balance the discomfort caused by gaslighting, many people try to talk themselves out of their feelings with positive self-talk. However, usually these actions are not effective, and the gaslighting will continue.

As a Marriage and Family Therapists, I have seen both and have helped individuals and couples explore the different angles and nuances so they can see clearly for themselves.

Call NWA Marriage and Family Therapy to discuss a counseling appointment. Offering sliding scale fee at your convenience. Serving clients virtually anywhere in Arkansas.

Office voice mail 479-225-0055. Thank you.

Quote “3 Classes of People”

“There are three classes of people;

Those who see.

Those whos see, when they are shown.

Those who do not see”.

-Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)

This is an interesting quote to ponder. I was wondering how this could be applied to therapy in general. I would say all three types come to therapy at some point for different reasons. Those who see, may struggle with their knowingness, unable to feel others really understand, or they struggle when sharing their sights. Those who see, when they are shown often have many “aha” moments. Suddenly things begin to make sense to them in a way unlike before. And then there are those who do not see. They usually visit for a while, with no ability for insight or change. Non seers, are either unwilling or simply just unable to see. They for the most part, remain the same.

All three types vary in their own personal abilities and mingle equally in a variety of socioeconomic and ethnicity groups.

This quote offers yet another model for “seeing” the world.

Making the Case for Marriage Therapy: Why It’s Important for Your Relationship

Marriage therapy is becoming more widely accepted as an essential tool for couples who want to improve their relationship. In fact, making decisions about your long-term relationship or marriage without the benefit of marital therapy maybe now seen as less than ideal. Despite this growing recognition, many couples still hesitate to seek out a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). In this article, we’ll explore why marriage therapy is important, and how working with a licensed LMFT professional can help couples navigate the complexities of their relationship.

While most models of therapy focus on individual work, about 70 percent of therapists work with couples. However, treating one person is different from treating the complexities that a couple brings. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists or LMFTs have special licensing requirements in addition to couples training and experience that many individual therapists often lack. This is why marriage therapy has gained popularity over the last decade – it provides support and a better understanding of the issues that can develop in relationships.

NWA Marriage and Family Therapy works with many types of couples and is here to serve you explore your relationship issues. Please call 479-225-0055 to ask any questions or to make an appointment, or please leave a voice mail.

Thank you.

COVID-19, CDC guidelines, Online and Telephone Counseling Available

Hope everyone is paying attention to the COVID-19 situation. Making the necessary adaptations to get through this is unusual time is important.

Asking clients to please reschedule their appointments if the do not feel well, even if its last minute. If you have been traveling please self quarantine for 14 days upon your return as recommended by the CDC. See the CDC link below for information and protocols for COVID-19.

In short term I have been rerouting clients through a side door thus avoiding any lobby contact. Allowing 6 feet of space between myself and my clients. No longer shaking hands. Ventilating office, wiping down doorknobs, telephones, tables and anything touched, by wiping down surfaces after use. Having hand sanitizer and tissue readily available at the work place as well. Small changes we can all do.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/index.html

Make common sense changes and getting the most current information, so everyone can stay as safe as possible, These small changes have been helpful to get by up to now.

For the duration of this epidemic, NWA Marriage and Family Therapy will be to transitioning my current office clients and any future new ones to an online video format or telephone depending on the clients preference and technological abilities within the next few days.

This change will not be forever, since face to face counseling is still the gold standard for counseling, in my opinion. This on line/telephone format will just be for the duration of this epidemic. Remember, this too shall pass.

I appreciate your cooperation to this temporary on line transition to let us all get though this ordeal safely. NWA Marriage and Family Therapy will now be exclusively through on line or telephone sessions. I am licensed by the State of Arkansas to use any and all types of Technologically Assisted therapy. I appreciate your patience during this time in stream lining this process.

Perseverance, Prudence, Patience.

Thank you all. Please call NWA Marriage & Family Therapy for 479-225-0055 for on line appointment and leave voice message.