Welcome to Lighthouse Counseling. Therapy is based upon boundaries and trust. Please carefully review the following information since it is the foundation on which the counseling relationship is built.

Professional Standards: I am a Licensed Resident in Counseling in the State of Virginia. I am under the supervision of Jessica Salinas LPC, Clinical Director at Lighthouse Counseling, LLC. All diagnoses, notes and cases are reviewed, staffed and monitored by my supervisor. My office is a space where you can be you, without fear of judgment or criticism. You deserve respect and dignity in your journey, you will find that here. I follow the ethical standards of the American Counseling Association.

Communication: The best way to contact me is through email: derrick@lighthouse-counselingllc.com. If there is an emergency, please contact emergency services. If you need to cancel an appointment/reschedule, the best way to contact me is through email.

Education and Experience: I received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Masters of Arts in Marriage and Family Counseling from Regent University. I am a certified SYMBIS facilitator through SYMBIS.com. I am a Resident in Counseling in the state of Virginia gathering experience for licensure. I have 20 years of military experience and over 12 years of first responder experience to help you in your journey.

Therapeutic Orientation: I work with multiple modalities in therapy. Just as you are varied in your approach to your issues, not every modality will be perfect for you. With different modalities are different assessments, questionnaires, and interventions that I will use to assist you. After the intake, you may decide that my abilities and approach does not feel like a good fit for you. If that happens we can talk it out and a referral to someone else can be made.

My orientation to counseling is that your past experiences have an impact on your current reality, relationships, mindset, behaviors, and patterns of thought and feeling. I also believe that you are composed of multiple parts and those parts need healing. I use CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), REBT (Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy), and IFS (Internal Family Systems) to assist you in your journey. I also use Gottman and Systems Theory for couples and families. If you wish for spiritual integration in our sessions, just let me know. I try to tailor the session to your specific needs.

I respect you and your beliefs, cultures, and values. We may not agree at times, but we can always talk about it; this is a safe place and I am here to support you and your journey. If you have any questions, please ask. You have taken the first step in your journey, it is one of the most difficult steps you can take, but you are here and I would like you to feel comfortable, secure, and confident that these next steps are the right ones for you.