Karen Moore

LPC

3 major barriers to treatment that are unique to mental health: Stigma around mental health: Mental illnesses affect people of all ages, cultures, and socioeconomic status Poor understanding of mental illnesses Difficulty accessing services

I usually start an initial session off by greeting you and making small talk. Because it’s important you feel like you’re easing your way into a conversation with a stranger about your “big things”. So I will make sure you are a comfortable in the new environment. We will start from what I already know. My intake paperwork covers the major basic questions (demographics, history and what’s bringing you in, generally speaking). The reason for that is that I’d rather use the time we have to fill in details rather than to share basics. I will have looked at this information by the time you come in and will be able to ask more details about the things you have written there. I will also ask you to elaborate on topics we discussed during our phone consultation (I always talk to potential clients by phone before scheduling a first appointment to make sure we might be a good fit. I prefer to have this all finished up front so we can delve into the important task of building our relationship. I will ask about additional things that may or may not pertain to you. The reason for this is that I consider our first session an “evaluation”, meaning we get a 360 degree view of your life and your goals. If you haven’t already mentioned issues like physical health, substance use, work history/satisfaction with work or significant relationships in your life, I will want to know a little bit about those areas. Sometimes folks come in for therapy thinking that a certain area of their lives is “irrelevant” to the problem at hand and we discover after some ongoing conversation that that area really is connected with their struggles. We will talk about a plan moving forward. This discussion usually involves setting a few general goals for our work together and talking about how frequently we will meet. I will ask you if you have any questions for me. Sometimes clients ask me “how do you propose that we approach this problem?”, or “how long do you think I will have to come see you?”. I welcome any questions that are on your mind and we will discuss them. We will discuss our next appointment time and you’ll be on your way.

My passion for the last 20 years is compiled of working with various government, private and higher learning institutions. I have a strong sense of devotion to helping individuals like you find their passion and purpose to improve their quality of life and to help you to find a healthy perception of yourself so you can know yourself as complete, and whole. My extensive exposure and experiences include working with a diverse population, with individuals, family systems, alcohol and drugs, anxiety, stress and a variety of other mental health issues that we encounter as we journey through life. My goal is to channel the hope that lies within individuals to reveal their passion and purpose.