Frequently Asked Questions

Counseling is a collaborative relationship client and clinician also known as psychotherapy. Counseling can take on many different forms, from some solution-focused goal setting that helps someone with “self-improvement” to a deep healing process and overcoming anxiety, depression, post traumatic stress disorder, or chronic relationship problems. Counseling has been shown to lead to more effective long-term outcomes for anxiety and depression than for medication alone. Counselors work with clients to help identify goals and solutions for whatever circumstance, problem, or trauma is going on in their life. Counseling meet you where you are at and will not “tell you what to do.” Counselors use evidence-based practices and techniques to promote change–as much or as little as you want. Counselors believe and the science suggests that anyone can achieve their goals with the right amount of therapy and effort. Counseling can have a range of benefits–see our ABOUT page or HOME page for more details.

To learn more about what counseling is and what it is not, visit:

http://paulkrausscounseling.com/why-counseling/

http://paulkrausscounseling.com/services/

EMDR or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a therapy that is very effective with trauma and has been empirically proven to help individuals with PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder recover. Multiple studies have also shown that EMDR can to be effective with anxiety and depression. Paul Krauss is a certified EMDR clinician has written several things about EMDR and trauma and you can read them at the following pages.

https://www.healthforlifegr.com/what-is-trauma-ptsd-emdr/

https://www.healthforlifegr.com/trauma-informed-care-neurobiology/

http://paulkrausscounseling.com/overcoming-trauma-ptsd/

https://www.healthforlifegr.com/treating-trauma-refugee/

This depends on the treatment plan that you and the counselor make together. Often times for outpatient counseling, the client is experiencing several issues that they would meet with their counselor once a week to work on. The counselor can put in place a plan to help you figure out other things to do outside of the office if you would like. In some cases, the counselor would meet with you twice a week, but in general once a week until you feel that you have met your goals. At that point you may end counseling or taper off little by little until you are ready to complete counseling.

Your counselor will work with you on a treatment plan and concrete goals that are measurable. You can reassess the treatment plan at anytime and the methods the counselor is utilizing, as there are many different types of counseling. We are very flexible and will meet you where you are at.

We believe it is important to look at your entire picture as a person, your history, your relationships, what is going on in your life and your entire health from mental health to physical health and all things in between. We are a clinic that believes in a holistic approach and therefore we do our homework. We do not make assumptions about people, we want to read and try to study the person so that we can get to know you in a very deep way and help you have deep healing.

Our model is integrated in as much as that we are willing and able to collaborate with multiple practitioners based on anyone’s needs. If a client wants us to talk to their consultants to make custom plans, we can do so. This includes our Counselors.

Health For Life Grand Rapids has many community partners depending on your needs we can help you find community resources that work for you.

This business is not based around a religion. Though, we will accept whatever religion or non-religion you are a part of.

Our clinicians have their own personal faiths and journeys and if asked will discuss this with you. Their primary objective is to help you, no matter what your religious affiliations or non-religious affiliations are. We seek to honor people where they are at and their culture and beliefs systems.