At ABH clients can count on being welcomed into a warm environment by our courteous staff. Clients will be seen by highly skilled professionals who desire to walk with them through the unique challenges they may be experiencing. Every client will be encouraged to help create an individualized treatment plan and provide feedback throughout their course of treatment.

The client will need to complete intake forms prior to meeting with their counselor. If you received them in the mail, please complete them in their entirety and bring them to your appointment. The forms may also be downloaded and completed from the website under the contact us page. Our therapists do run on time so if your paperwork is not complete when you arrive, your appointment may need to be rescheduled. You will need to bring photo ID and your insurance card. Each client is responsible to check with their insurance company as to their current mental health benefits and be aware of their deductible/copay amounts. Please be prepared to make a payment at each appointment if applicable.

Therapy sessions are typically 45 or 60 minutes. Most clients are seen once a week in the beginning, then less frequently as time goes on. Clients in crisis may be seen more frequently as determined by the individual and the clinician. Any questions regarding this may be discussed with the counselor.

The length of time in counseling depends on the nature of the problem and the goals of the counseling. Some clients have a very specific problem that can be worked through during a set amount of sessions. For others, counseling is an on-going learning process and they choose to receive counseling for a longer period of time. The amount of time that each client will be involved in counseling will be discussed as counseling progresses.

Unfortunately, sometimes one partner is not as willing as the other to come in for counseling. However, we often find that it is possible to improve the relationship with just one person involved in counseling.

Your fee will depend on the kinds of services you request. Our staff is available between the hours of 8:30am-4:30pm, Monday through Friday, and can generally answer your insurance questions about participation. We do participate with several insurance companies. If you need specifics about your out of pocket costs due to copays, deductible, and covered mental health services, please call your insurance carrier with those specific questions.

As a counselors and therapists, we are not legally allowed to prescribe medications. However, based on a joint assessment of problems you are facing, it may be advisable to consult with a psychiatrist to determine whether medication is warranted. Typically, clients see someone under their health insurance coverage or we can refer you to a psychiatrist.

Yes. All information regarding your counseling sessions is kept confidential unless you specify in writing you would like this information released. In order to coordinate care your physician is sometimes notified. Some clients want a spouse to be able to make their appointments and allow us to do this in writing. Exceptions to confidential occur when harmful situations arise. Counselors are mandated reporters and there are typically three instances in which they have to inform someone else of your situation. In the event you voice a serious threat to harm yourself or someone else, your counselor will need to inform the proper authorities to keep you or the other person safe. The third area that requires breaking confidentiality is when their is disclosure of abuse or neglect of a child, disabled adult, or elderly person. Please ask your therapist if you have questions about confidentiality. Just as with other medical practices, we consult with other professionals to provide the best services possible. Identifying information is excluded when consultations occur. Please note each therapist also reserves the right to consult with other therapists as deemed necessary to assure the highest quality of care.

Stress and anxiety are related, but often confused. Stress is tension associated with a specific event (e.g. a test or a job), while anxiety is usually associated with a non-specific worry. To find relief, people with anxiety may turn to repetitive routines, preoccupations, ruminations, or addictions.

Feeling heard or validated and understanding one's partner is what allows couples to deeply share one another's lives. Often, couples struggle with communication issues which may mask deeper relationship issues.

Conflict resolution is an important part of any relationship. Successfully resolving conflict plays a vital role in allowing individuals to reconcile differing needs. Unfortunately, when conflict is handled poorly, it can cause distress in the relationship.

People who struggle with depression often feel "down" for extended periods. Others experience depression primarily as a feeling of guilt, irritability or frustration. Many individual have low energy or just notice that something is "wrong." They may lose interest in activities that they once found pleasurable. Depression negatively affects millions of Americans each year and can be successfully addressed in therapy.

Dual diagnosis is the condition of suffering from a mental illness and a co-morbid substance abuse problem. The concept can be used broadly, for example depression and alcoholism, or it can be restricted to specify severe mental illness (e.g. psychosis,schizophrenia) and substance misuse disorder (e.g. cannabis abuse), or a person who has a milder mental illness and a drug dependency, such as panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder and is dependent on opioids. Diagnosing a primary psychiatric illness in substance abusers is challenging as drug abuse itself often induces psychiatric symptoms, thus making it necessary to differentiate between substance induced and pre-existing mental illness.

As increasing numbers of people seek to take control of their own health, more people are seeking health-related information and resources. Health psychologists are focused on educating people about their own health and well-being. They may assist individuals in a number of different ways. Professionals in this field work in the areas of prevention and focus on helping people prevent health problems before they start. This may include helping people maintain a healthy weight, avoid risky or unhealthy behaviors and maintain a positive outlook that can combat stress, depression, and anxiety. They also help individuals adjust to chronic illness such as Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Health Failure, Alzheimer's Disease, Huntington's Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, decreased mobility and/or decreased function, among other issues. Sometimes, living with a chronic condition is a learning process and requires the proper support to achieve optimal quality of life.

Infant mental health is the study of mental health as it applies to infants, toddlers, and their families. The field investigates optimal social and emotional development of infants and their families in the first three years of life. Cognitive development and the development of motor skills may also be considered part of the infant mental health picture.

Self-esteem is a feeling of personal worth. It is important to be able to value yourself regardless of your current state of personal achievement, beauty, or intelligence. Your self-esteem creates the foundation for a full life, great relationships, and a feeling of well-being.

Sexual intimacy can be one of the most satisfying and fulfilling experiences, but for many people, sexual activity is void of pleasure. Sex therapists are trained to help individuals and couples identify the source of their distress and reduce or remove those emotional barriers in order to enhance sexual experiences. Whether the symptoms manifest through physical problems such as the inability to achieve orgasm, maintain arousal, sexual pain, or through psychological symptoms such as pervasive sadness, difficulty forming relationships, or feeling safe in one’s own body, a sex therapist can help identify the potential sources of the symptom. By treating the whole person, psychologically and physically, a therapist can help a person enhance his or her sexual experiences. Sex therapy does not involve physical touch with the therapist; rather it focuses on the emotions that relate to this critical dimension of humanity.

Substance Abuse treatment is for individuals who deal with often long-term abuse and/or dependence of a substance: alcohol and/or drugs. Often characterized by daily use, over-intoxication, the inability to reduce consumption, and an impairment in social, familial and/or occupational functioning. A variety of treatment modalities are used in order to help individuals work through the stages of change, and work towards a recovery program that is right for them.

Experiences that overwhelm or scare us can leave a lasting impression. The symptoms can leave us stressed, depressed, and have negative consequences for our work and home life. Trauma can be from unmet childhood needs, forms of abuse, or from adult experiences. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may develop after a person is exposed to one or more traumatic events, such as sexual assault, warfare, serious injury, or threats of imminent death.​ ​Children whose families and homes do not provide consistent safety, comfort, and protection may develop ways of coping that allow them to survive and function day-to-day. For instance, they may be overly sensitive to the moods of others, always watching to figure out what the adults around them are feeling and how they will behave. They may withhold their own emotions from others, never letting them see when they are afraid, sad, or angry. These kinds of learned adaptations make sense when physical and/or emotional threats are ever-present. As a child grows up and encounters situations and relationships that are safe, these adaptations are no longer helpful, and may in fact be counterproductive and interfere with the capacity to live, love, and be loved. These symptoms are often referred to as complex trauma.

Trust plays a vital role in sustaining a relationship. People trust differently. For some, trust is established quickly, while others are slow to grant trust. Similarly, some are able to forgive quickly, while others find it hard. The issue of trust and relationships may focus on the question of whether the partners are faithful enough to one another. But trust within a relationship encompass much more. All relationships that people build are based on trust of the other person’s true intentions. Without trust it is difficult to feel safe in the world and safe in your relationship.