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.

I work with adult individuals and couples who are struggling with anxiety, depression, grief/loss, marital issues, infertility, and difficult life transitions, including military lifestyle.

Professional Standards: I am a Licensed Residence in Counseling (LRIC) with a Master’s Degree in Community Mental Health Counseling, under the supervision of Jessica Salinas, LPC (Jessica@Lighthouse-counselingllc.com).  I believe that my office is a space where one can feel safe, heard, and understood. Anyone who walks through my door has inherent dignity and is deserving of respect. I have been a Christian since a young age and this has influenced how I see the world and how I approach therapy.  I adhere to the AACC Code of Ethics which can be reviewed here: https://www.aacc.net/code-of-ethics-2/

Education and Experience: I received my Master’s of Arts degree in Community Mental Health Counseling from Regent University and my Bachelor’s of Arts degree in English and Psychology from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. I am a Licensed Resident in Counseling in the state of Virginia. I have over 12 years of experience working in the mental health field. Due to being a military spouse, I moved frequently. I now permanently reside in Virginia. I am currently working as a Licensed Resident in Counseling (LRIC) and working  towards my professional license, LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor).

Therapeutic Orientation: I work with multiple modalities in therapy and I match my approach to what you need. I also use different assessments/questionnaires to gather information to better understand you. After the intake session, we may decide that my abilities do not match with your needs and will make a referral if needed.

My orientation to counseling is based on the understanding that our beliefs produce our thoughts, which produce our feelings, which then produce our behavior. This is known as a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy approach (CBT). I also believe that our thoughts about ourselves and how we view the world are influenced by our upbringings and experiences (psychodynamic approach). Another modality that I use/integrate into therapy is Eye Movement Integration (EMI). This approach is effective for healing from past trauma as well as thoughts or behaviors that need healing.  I also use The Gottman Method (Gottman Level 1) when working with couples. If you request, I will integrate spiritual interventions into therapy. All of these different approaches to therapy work well with one another and I can tailor my approach to what works for you at this moment.

I respect the beliefs of all of my clients. At the same time, the direction I give is influenced by my Christian beliefs. If we differ in our beliefs, please know that you can talk to me about it. I am here to support you in your journey, not here to judge you. Ask me any questions you may have about the counseling process at any time and share any concerns you may have. I know that taking the step to counseling is not always an easy one and I want you to feel comfortable and confident that this is right for you. I look forward to meeting with you.