The Counseling Relationship: Counseling is both a helping relationship and a process of change. Client and Counselor work on identified problems in a collaborative manner. This entails developing a plan for meeting your needs. In each session, we will review progress towards goals, assess symptoms, and focus on immediate objectives. What you bring to our work is important, including willingness to change certain behaviors, regular and timely attendance at sessions, openness and trust. About Your Counselor: Whitney Gregg, M.S., LCMHC, NCC: Is licensed by the North Carolina Board of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors (NCBLCMHC) (LCMHC #10628, October 2015) Holds a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling attained in September of 2013 from Capella University. Has successfully met the professional counseling standards established by the National Board for Certified Counselors and has earned recognition as a National Certified Counselor. Has over 12 years of experience in mental health field to include volunteer work with teenage parents, military mental health research, internship and private practice experience. Is trained to utilize Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for treatment, especially trauma. Is trained to utilize Trauma-Focused – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for treatment of the trauma of sexual abuse. Is trained and certified as a Heartmath Practitioner. Is currently serving children, adolescents and adults, in individual and family group therapy specializing in marital difficulties, in family therapy; stepfamily dynamics, anxiety, violence prevention and trauma issues. Your counselor’s framework and theory used is family systems and your counselor will utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Heartmath Interventions, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Strength Based Therapy, Brief Solution Focused Therapy, Play Therapy, Art Therapy, or Motivational Interviewing as interventions, all of which will be explained to you in an understandable manner at the first session. You can expect to learn specific skills intended to enhance relationships, enhance relaxation time, or self-esteem, and you will have the opportunity to practice new skills within the safety of the counseling sessions. While the process of learning and change is sometimes uncomfortable, you can expect no harm to come within the counseling relationship. Should you find, in practicing your new skills at home, school, or work that the result has an unintended negative effect in your life; you can also expect to bring that information to your next appointment, where modifications can be considered. Always, your sense of safety is the primary concern and focus.