Services

Individual Counseling

We all go through transitions in our lives. There are many stages that a person passes through over a course of a lifetime. Some of these phases can be very difficult and last way too long to be comfortable. If you are feeling discomfort in the form of depression or anxiety you are not alone. Many people are walking around on a daily basis feeling the very same discomfort. They are stuck in this stage and do not realize what you do at this moment…you can reach out for help and get to the next phase where there is a more comfortable way of life.

I am of the firm belief that when we are not at the top of our game, when we are fragile or vulnerable, moody; sad, angry or frightened, when we are isolated and feeling abandoned or over-burdened, we have a choice. We can choose to let these feelings overwhelm us and inevitably spiral down or we can reach out and find that this is powerful time of transition that will take you to your next level of development. Which choice will you make?

I can promise you that if you are able to make the decision for individual counseling, it will immediately stop your spiral down. Simply making the commitment to yourself and your next level will begin the process of healing. It will also be the beginning of a brand new transition where the opportunity to meet your true potential is the end game. Together, we will develop a platform upon which you can stand and be strong as you understand and address the true issues in your life; this applies to all areas of your life…your relationships, your prosperity and your health.

Now it is up to you to make the decision and here’s hoping I can assist you on your journey out of discomfort and into your best life!

Couples Counseling

Being part of a couple is much more challenging then people assume. We all believe that a relationship will fulfill us and make us feel whole and happier. It is true enough that this completeness and joy is the potential a stable couple has, but we do not get there without the ability to communicate effectively, share emotional truths courageously and resolve conflict honestly.

Most couples struggle to connect to the tools that will stabilize their relationship. Unfortunately, we don’t know them intuitively and we rarely learn them growing up. Couples flounder and often begin to give up. We get bitter when we are surprised to find we didn’t know our partner so very well as we once thought. Chaos and confusion reign! The divorce rate is 50% and rising and that doesn’t include the long romances that should have, but never did, make it to the altar.

Let me help you and your partner to go to the next level of your relationship where the potential for lasting happiness and true connection is waiting. Instead of trying to read your partner’s mind and second guess yourself, I can help you discover the specific tools with which to reach out to each other and meet in the middle.

My goal is to help you see the way you can not only balance as a couple, but also be empowered as a team to achieve greater goals for yourselves, your family and community. The journey ahead can be very exciting for both of you but starts, as always, with one step.

Addiction Counseling

We all are aware of the difficulty of daily existence. Good times, bad times…you know we’ve had our share. So why do some people struggle with addiction and others get through without this affliction?

Everything about how we live and the quality of our lives is dependent on our ability to cope with negative situations; from everyday bummers to tragedy and severe trauma. If we are lucky,  we come from families where we have learned to have the inner fortitude to keep certain in times of negativity… that “this too shall pass” attitude.  Some people are blessed with an intuitive notion that pain brings gain and out of this tremor a new understanding and increased wisdom will come. The cup is always half full.

But how many of us are really able to sustain that mindset?  And how much of the time?  Here are some statistics: 1 in 8 Americans have a substance addiction  (alcohol and drugs..5 million people); not including nicotine . 5% of the population in the US has a gambling addiction. And sexual addiction?  It is on the rise from 2% a decade ago to an astounding 23%, if one were to include the prevalence (and severe addiction to) internet pornography.

So what purpose does addiction serve? If anyone thinks addicted people are having a good time they are severely misguided. Addiction NUMBS…it takes away the pain of life as we experience it. Connection to addictive behaviors alleviates negative emotions, fear, anxiety, depression, sadness. Eventually, however, addiction creates it’s own gamut of bad feelings and it becomes a cyclical process.

Being able to conquer addiction can be a difficult process and may include several modalities and a dedication to a new style of life. But sobriety is available to every person who truly desires a new way of life. Addiction comes in many forms…it has many faces…if you are ready to conquer yours I am here to show you the way.

Global / Skype Therapy – Online Therapy Across the Country and Worldwide

Skype is a unique way to provide online therapy services for patients who are out of the local area. It allows for both the client and therapist to see and hear one another via the Internet. Although face-to-face therapy is usually the most beneficial, Skype is a great alternative due to its flexibility and high quality of voice and video.

Appropriate Skype clientele include those who live in remote places where therapeutic services are not readily available, whether in the U.S. or across the globe. Other candidates for on-line therapy are those who are physically handicapped or suffer from agoraphobia or social phobias that disallow them comfort outside of the home.

Because treatment with Jody Miller MFT is in a private home and residential area it is rare that a patient will be seen or recognized walking in for a session. However, if this is a concern I do offer the increased privacy of having therapy sessions via the web. Occasionally, a patient is short on time for a scheduled session and defaulting to a Skype is a great option for continuity of treatment.

LGBT Therapy: Individual and Couples

As a family therapist I thoroughly enjoy working with many configurations of couples as well as the individuals looking to open up and have a relationship in their life. I am a good match for the Lesbian Gay Bi-sexual Transgender community as I tend to work more dynamically and  energetically with people rather than actually differentiating specifically based upon gender and/or sexual orientation lines.  There are specific issues that are singular to the LGBT population such as coming out, gender transformation, societal and political pressures and of course, challenging choices to be made about reproduction. However, generally, dynamically the issues are not so very different within a couple and/or with a patient looking for comfortability in their own skin…it is difficult for all of us to open up and let intimacy in our life.  Every individual and couple  can use the support and unbiased feedback that a therapist can supply leading to enhanced quality of life and growth towards ultimate potential.