I commend you for your interest in exploring the opportunities that counseling has to offer. Life is full of joys and disappointments, successes and setbacks. Most of life’s issues can be managed personally, with family or friends, or with the assistance of churches, schools, or other supportive institutions. Other times, however, individuals and families have found it helpful to seek the assistance of trained and experienced professionals. While the extent and nature of my interventions may vary, I strongly believe that all people possess the personal strength and the means to improve their own lives if provided with the necessary guidance and support. As a Licensed Professional Counselor, I consider it my calling and my duty to assist others in finding or regaining the tools necessary to function independently again. I believe that our behavior, emotions, and thoughts are all intertwined, but that we are largely guided by our perceptions of ourselves, others, and our world. I also believe in a holistic approach to growth and healing that takes into consideration our relationships, social and cultural issues, our physical state, and our faith and spirituality. My faith provides a foundation for my life and for the work I do, and I welcome the exploration of one’s spiritual journey as a component of the counseling process. Since individuals and their problems are unique and diverse, the interventions and approaches designed to address them should be equally so. My practice is based largely on cognitive-behavioral therapy but employs a broad range of additional techniques including homework assignments, group work, suggested readings, activities, and identifying ways to expand your own support network. I work with clients on a broad variety of issues. Your unique situation will be explored during a standard intake assessment, and I will be happy to make a referral should we both agree that it is in your best interest. All appointments will be arranged directly between client and counselor and are typically scheduled for forty-five minutes each but may vary as needed. Appointments are to be respected and kept. A notice of cancellation should be given more than twenty-four hours prior to the scheduled time. I have earned a bachelor’s degree (BS) in Psychology from Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia and a master’s degree (MA) in Professional Counseling from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. My graduate studies have included Individual Counseling, Psychopathology, Career Counseling, Marriage and Family Counseling, Group Counseling, Counseling Children and Their Families, Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment, and Diagnosis and Treatment of Addictive Behaviors. I also hold a Mental Health/Substance Abuse Prevention Certificate from Eastfield College in Dallas, Texas. My most extensive “field experience” has been pastoral counseling, school setting, and suicide prevention. My counseling experience is largely focused on issues of trauma, depression, anxiety, life purpose, identity, and spirituality. I have conducted counseling with individuals, couples, families, and groups across a wide variety of settings. I have also worked with people of different ages, gender, race, ethnicity, income levels, religious beliefs, and backgrounds embracing each individual’s uniqueness. I will not refuse my services for any of these reasons. Your confidentiality is important to me and is crucial to the counseling process. I will carefully protect any information you provide to me or that I collect or produce on your behalf. All information provided within the context of counseling, including the intake process, whether verbal, written, or otherwise recorded, will remain locked and will not be shared with anyone without your written consent. Exceptions to confidentiality are limited to the following: in cases of imminent harm to the client or others; when information pertains to the abuse or neglect of a child, elderly person, or otherwise vulnerable person; or under court order. Should you, for any reason, find yourself dissatisfied with the counseling process, I ask that you bring this to my attention immediately. Your concerns will be handled seriously and, ideally, within the counseling relationship. Thank you for choosing Rhonda Osei-Bonsu, LPC for your counseling services. This disclosure was designed to give you information about your time in therapy.