Adoption Therapists in Lake Ariel, PA

I believe it is important to realize therapy is different for everyone because everyone's story is unique. The most vital part of therapy is to meet clients where they are in life and to go at their pace. I strive to provide a safe and nonjudgmental space for my clients to process their story. I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques to help each client to rewire the mind and how they perceive their world. In addition, I use love, empathy and compassion, which I feel has the hugest impact. I want everyone to know it is okay to feel whatever you feel.

I am a license professional counselor in Pennsylvania. I graduated from The University of Scranton where I received a Masters of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I have experience in the treatment of anxiety, depression, trauma, oncology and resilience counseling, grief counseling, addictions counseling, co-occurring disorders and other severe mental health disorders, as well as personality disorders, couples therapy, and group therapy. My method of therapy mainly involves psychoanalytic theory.

I provide therapy for individual, marital, couple, and parent/child relationship problems. I help clients resolve issues involving anxiety, anger, depression, life transitions, performance enhancement, career challenges, and unresolved family of origin concerns. I have worked with adults, adolescents, and children for the past 25 years.

I am here to help my clients gain a new perspective, heal from past traumatic experiences, grow and learn new coping strategies. If you would like someone to listen, offer guidance, new communication techniques, relaxation breathing, couples or marriage therapy, please schedule a session with me. Having a third party, professional, someone not emotionally connected to the situation, is a real game changer.

Everyone can use an objective voice to help them work out what is going on in their lives. Sometimes relief can begin just by deciding that a little help won’t hurt. “Beneath every behavior there is a feeling. And beneath each feeling is a need. And when we meet that need rather than focus on the behavior, we begin to deal with the cause, not the symptom” (Ashleigh Warner). This is my philosophy for counseling. I have done work with children/adolescents and their families. Mental health concerns manifest differently in children/teens than they do in adults, and I know what to look for and how to help find the skills to help.

Here at Shimkus Counseling and Associates we believe connection is the most important experience we have as human beings at any age. When connection is disrupted within ourselves or with others, problems can surface in many areas leaving us feeling anxious, depressed, angry or isolated. We strive to provide our clients with a safe, comfortable and confidential atmosphere to process their struggles and learn how to heal. Anxiety, trauma, depression and life issues in general can affect all of us. By releasing the burdens you carry and understanding yourself better, we believe you can find the peace you are looking for.

I have a passion for listening to people and helping them unpack their current struggles to develop skills needed to grow and move forward. I take pride in creating a non-judgemental and safe space to explore struggles with my clients. I graduated with my masters in social work from the University of Chicago and my masters in theology from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. I have worked with people who were coming from many different walks of life and facing many different challenges. I have worked with children as well as families, couples, and individual adults.

I look forward to helping you meet your personal goals. As each person is unique, I tailor my counseling approach to your needs, while providing a safe, caring, and accepting environment. Whether you are new to counseling or have had counseling in the past but were unable to achieve your goals, let’s work together so you can be the best version of you. If your child or teen is struggling due to Covid-19 or other issues, let’s partner to teach them the skills they need to be successful.

Does this describe you? You're a people pleaser, wanting to make everyone happy but yourself. You feel the pain of break-ups and grief very intensely. You are fiercely independent and hate taking help from others. Being placed for adoption can reverberate through all aspects of your life. I help clients grieving the losses associated with adoption; transracial adoptees dealing with identity issues; and adoptees working through all of the complex emotions related to search and reunion. As an adoptee myself, I "get it". I also work with the other sides of the adoption triad: birthparents and adoptive parents.

I have a true passion for working with adults and adolescents who are suffering from an inability to form healthy relationships with their loved ones. My office offers a warm setting for people of all ages to feel safe and explore their "child within". I use play and art therapy as well as evidenced based techniques to empower parents and help them to connect with their child and unlock their full potential. I love helping families grow with healthy coping skills. I also truly enjoy working with adults to explore their own past and how it affects their relationships today.

Hi! I'm Julia. I specialize and am certified in perinatal mental health. I work with clients through the unpredictability of trying to start a family, including adoption and fertility issues. I support families who are facing the pain of pregnancy loss, or dealing with the aftermath of birth trauma. I treat perinatal mood and anxiety disorders that arise during pregnancy and/or the postpartum period. I provide a skilled perspective to help clients learn how to ride the waves of this delicate and vulnerable time.

THE ONLY WAY OUT IS THROUGH (Robert Frost)... It is human to suffer and it is human to face challenges. When the suffering becomes too great, and the challenges too large, good therapy can play a key role in bringing about change. If you decide to work with me, I would consider it an honor to become part of your journey towards increased health and well-being. When you come to therapy, you will be treated with respect. I bring many years of experience as a therapist, providing both brief evidence-based interventions and long term psychodynamic approach. I will work carefully with you to define and achieve your personal goals.

I have been in practice thirty years. I see psychotherapy as a process of increasing self awareness, developing a more realistic and tolerant self esteem, and identifying and working through losses, disappointments and relational conflicts. This process enables reduction in pain, greater self acceptance, and comfort in relationships and family. This process occurs in a collaborative effort between you the client, and myself. The safe environment of the office allows for the full expression and understanding of what you experience, think, and feel. Our work together enables symptom relief, greater personal understanding, growth, responsibility and contentment.

Throughout the years I've found opportunities to work with various populations ranging in ages, diagnoses, goals, & approaches. I have extensive experience working with children & adolescents on the autism spectrum, as well as with parents to teach skills to manage behavioral issues. I also do family counseling, including with families & adoption. I work with with children & adolescents with trauma, anxiety, & behavioral issues (oppositional defiant disorder, intermittent explosive disorder, ADHD, & reactive attachment disorder). I have experience working with the female population struggling with drug/alcohol addiction, as well as individuals with anxiety, depression, andd mood difficulties.

My experiences living in and working with people from multiple cultures and faith backgrounds help me to tailor therapy to your unique needs and goals. My professional experiences range from marriage and parenting issues, mood and anxiety disorders, delinquency, veterans' issues, career selection, bereavement, trauma recovery, family violence, adoption & infertility issues, relationship problems, cross-cultural adjustment, chronic illness and pain, and the challenges of living with ADHD and other learning difficulties.

As a therapist for 25+ years, I believe it is important to recognize a person's strengths to help them deal with emotional difficulties when they occur. I work with children, adolescents, adults, families and the elderly to enhance their coping skills, so they have a variety of options to deal with their life stresses. I enjoy working in collaboration with people of all ages and diagnoses to achieve their mental health goals. Being trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy I have a wealth of knowledge in teaching coping skills to help a wide variety of diagnoses.

"I think we can all agree, life is hard! Sometimes the most honest, brave, and difficult thing we can do is reach out for support. Kudos to you for starting this courageous (and maybe scary) process! Needing support does not mean you are weak or broken, it means you are human. My goal as a therapist is to help you feel safe and comfortable bringing your whole, authentic self into our work together. I find using humor, whenever appropriate, helps to disarm fears and facades while building a trusting relationship between client and clinician.

People are confronted with challenges at various times in their life cycle. Despite their best efforts, they may feel stuck, have relational difficulties and experience feelings of confusion, sadness, anxiety, depression, isolation, alienation, anger or other unpleasant emotions.