HEARTPRINTS COUNSELING LLC

Parents and friends love us. They are very biased for us. Their emotions are involved. My objectivity being removed from the system allows us to approach issues in real ways without worrying about reactivity. Not to mention, most parents and friends are not trained to manage mental health issues.

We are probably talking about your interactions with them and how I can best support you by giving your parents psychoeducation information. At 13+ years of age, you decide how much I say about you to anyone, including your parents.

Absolutely. Being hungry can be anti-therapeutic.

Assuming you are 13 years of age or older, it is generally up to you, unless it’s a safety issue. You can specify how much you want me to communicate with your people. If your people want to talk to me, I can only share what you have given permission to say.

It depends. I like to ask "How long have you had the issue?" because that may be as long as it will take for it to go away.

We make goals, develop coping skills, we talk, we try new things, we identify barriers, we increase self-awareness and communication skills. We work toward relieving the issue that brought you in.

No, I am sorry I do not. My liability insurance does not cover that certification.

Primarily, ensure you like them. If you don't like your therapist, no real work is going to get done. Rapport with a therapist counts for about 1/3 of its effectiveness. This is so important to me, I offer 30-minute meet-and-greets complimentary. If you don't know by your third session, I'd recommend you find a new counselor.

I care about people, I enjoy people, I can bring humor in when appropriate. I am direct, which can be challenging for some people. I intensely dislike working with couples (and refuse to do couples work). I do not work with young people on the Autism Spectrum and would refer to someone who specializes in those fields.

Validation. Do not see a counselor who cannot validate your experience. Validation is not agreeing but giving someone else permission to feel how they already feel.

I love working with young people. I thought I would be a teacher, but managing a classroom seems much more stressful than one-on-one interactions. I love the field of psychology. It is never boring and I’m always learning. I love the authenticity of young people. Teenage girls are generally real with me. Young minds are creative, caring and, often, open to learning new ways of thinking, doing, and being. They are hard-working even when it doesn’t look that way. I love joining adolescents on their journey of life, helping them navigate difficult relationships or losses, working together to find practical ways to embrace peace, and find hope in their daily lives. I get excited about the growth, passion, and successes my clients achieve in this challenging season of life.

Generally speaking, most therapists do not hug clients for ethical reasons.

If a therapist has seen a client for an extended period of time, it’s hard not to get attached—that is partly why they try to be so careful about boundaries. It’s also a one-sided relationship intentionally. An effective therapist knows their role is to work themselves out of a job, so we prepare to say goodbye from the beginning.

You are welcome to tell me anything. There are only four areas where I would break confidentiality for 13+ years of age: If you tell me you are going to harm yourself, going to harm someone else, the abuse of a minor, and the abuse of the vulnerable (i.e. disabled or elderly). If you have harmed yourself or others in the past, I don’t break confidentiality though I may encourage sharing it with a safe person. It would be up to you. (12 years of age and under have less privacy under Washington state law.)

I try to be very clear about what is reportable and what is not reportable. When something is considered a mandated report, I will often tell the client I am making a report. If it is a grey area, I may consult with other professionals first. After making a report, I try to follow up with the clients and let them know what the reporting agencies indicated and what to expect. My goal is not to get anyone in trouble but to keep everyone safe. Even if I doubt an incident occurred, it is not my job to investigate but merely report what was said to me.

That depends. Diagnosis is required for insurance primarily. Some clients find it validating to know if they do meet criteria for a diagnosis while others don’t care.

No, I do not have the authority to hospitalize anyone but myself. I may recommend an assessment by a doctor or the crisis line if I am concerned for your safety.

Absolutely. It was part of my requirement for graduation, and I believe it is valuable for anyone working in the field to regularly see a therapist. I also think it’s important for a counselor to remember what it’s like to be a client.

I do. I am the oldest child of two. For the sake of my family’s privacy, I don’t talk about them a lot. Like all families, we have our ups and downs and struggles.

I would not call myself religious, though I do prioritize my faith. I do not advertise as a Christian counselor because I work with a variety of people from different backgrounds, some of whom have been significantly hurt by those with the title "Christian". Understandably, families want a counselor who shares their value system. I can say I'm involved in a faith-based group regularly. I often get referrals from local churches, and I make myself available to private schools and youth pastors regularly. Faith can be an incredible support in your mental health journey. No matter what, your beliefs and values are important, and I honor them whether they are mine or not. My job is to help each client in front of me.

No, this is a stereotype from long ago based on a certain type of therapy called psychoanalytical therapy, started by Dr. Freud. I don’t do that type of therapy.

That is not an area of specialty, and I refer out for clients seeking these services.

Because that is the law in WA state. When I first became a therapist, I was also confused by the law because I would assume most 13-year-olds need their parents involved. After a few years in community mental health, I realized it is a safety protection for teens whose parents are abusing them and would interfere in the relationships between a client and therapist.

No, you are asking me to do something illegal. It is my ethical responsibility to let my clients know their rights.

I can only include you as much as your 13+ year old will allow unless there are safety concerns. There are never limitations on what parents can share, so please feel free to let me know if there is something you think I should know.

Confidentiality does not extend to parents, only the identified client.

Probably not—therapy is about addressing the client’s long-term goals. I may make recommendations, but, though direct, I make it a rule to not tell clients what to do. My goal is to help them make their own decisions, so they will be prepared after the conclusion of therapy.

First, please don't tell me in front of them, as it can reinforce the behavior, unintentionally. It's antitherapeutic. Second, please don't use me as a threat or punishment. I have no power in my role that your teen does not give me. If your teen dreads seeing me, my ability to do therapy is greatly hindered. Third, if you think I should know, feel free to send me an email or call. Just remember, what you say as the caregiver is not confidential. I won't go out of my way to share what is said, but I cannot keep it confidential if asked by my client.