I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Missouri. After almost 30 years of serving children, adults, families, and couples in a traditional Counseling practice in SW Missouri, I discovered that my client’s really could get “Better Help” through this 24/7 online forum. Transitioning my entire practice to the “Better Help” platform says a lot about me as a therapist. Simply put, I am open to state of the art therapy. Whatever is “best for my clients” defines my practice. *In case you would like to read more about my considerations for making this major shift in my practice, I have included that information in a section following this introduction. Clinically, I am an interactive, solution-focused therapist. My therapeutic approach is to provide support and practical feedback to help my clients effectively address life challenges. I offer a highly-personalized approach tailored specifically to each of client’s immediate needs and life vision. With professional expertise and life experience, I help individuals, couples, and families build on their strengths to bring peace to their lives. Rather than “just listening”, I offer options for changing what is no longer working. I listen without judgement and I guide with state-of-the-art clinical accuracy. I generally offer a menu of ideas rather than absolute answers to help my clients personalize their journey. I teach therapeutic techniques to help my clients master their goals, and I believe, with all the tools and techniques available in the mental health field today, individuals can learn to cope with issues that bring them to therapy and when ready for personal growth, they can envision and create for themselves their best life from where they are at any given moment. I will add here that I enjoy my work as a Counselor now as much as when I first began my career…. mostly because I’ve come to realize there are real answers for real life problems and it is my distinct pleasure to help my clients find the answers that work for their lives. Personally, I believe in and encourage my clients to adopt “The Power of Positive Thinking,, which helps them to deliberately create their lives according to their life vision. I find a way to apply this principle to almost every life challenge. I am known for helping others recover, re-build, and rejuvenate their lives . Above all, I focus individuals and couples on “unconditional love and acceptance and on positive regard and mutual respect. I am especially recognized for my work in the areas of: LGBTQ+ Issues Depression and Anxiety in relationships Marriage/Relationship Resolution *Family Friendly Parenting Extended Family Issues Bereavement Healing wounds of infidelity Recovery from domestic victimization Life Transitions (physical; emotional; spiritual; career; geographical; etc)LGBTQ+ Issues Depression and Anxiety Marriage/Relationship Resolution *Family Friendly Parenting Extended Family Issues Bereavement Healing Childhood Trauma Recovery from Sexual Victimization Life Transitions I specialize in “The Power of Positive Thinking, and believe in life restructuring through “the art of deliberate creation”. I teach my clients how they can apply these principles to almost every life-challenge. I am known for helping others recover, re-build, and rejuvenate their lives. Above all, I focus my clients on “Self-Love and Acceptance”. From this vantage point, all of life’s best becomes possible. Couples can mend the hurts that stand between them and the happiness they seek. Parents can grow deeper relationships with their children, and individuals can “Deliberately Create” the life they desire. So log-in, settle into your easy chair, and click “Work with Me”. I am right here to take that first life-changing step with you. Gail *WHY I SHIFTED FROM TRADITIONAL PRACTICE TO ON-LINE: A few considerations for choosing the Better Help platform for my clients include the amenities of the 24/7 message page allows for on-going therapy between live sessions. The “journal option” makes it possible for my clients to easily do their personal work and then share it with me if they choose, or keep it private otherwise. The menu of session modes meets each client at their comfort level and availability. My clients can select for phone or live chat or video on a session by session basis. There is a library of worksheets and information available to therapists that are beneficial to my clients. Plus, my clients can print or upload their messages and worksheets and maintain their own record of their therapy experience. These are all amenities generally beyond the scope of traditional therapy, and is the reason I selected “Better Help” for my clients. Gail