Stan Gajda Psychotherapy, LMHC

I have been a therapist for over 20 years and have worked in a variety of settings with a diverse population of clients. In life, everyone experiences adversity, which sometimes is difficult to manage alone. Everyone has strengths that can be tapped into and people can use their personal wisdom with guidance to better manage their concerns.

My practice is focused on working with adults. My initial intake allows me to gain a better understanding of an individual's background, concerns, and goals to determine the best counseling approach that fits their needs. Sessions can be open and free-flowing or structured, based upon the agreed-upon goals. I provide CBT, CPT, and other skill-based approaches that may involve work between sessions or work from an ACT, EMDR, or mindfulness approach based upon the values one is intent on living. Progress from my perspective is wholly determined by the individual.

As a counselor, I'm always learning and working on my own ability to improve my skills whether this comes from formal training, professional readings, or lived experience. The integration of clinical and personal is where I believe effectiveness is realized as a counselor.

Telehealth has expanded rapidly and the ability to help more individuals through this approach has been exciting for me as a clinician. Oftentimes, the actual system of scheduling and attending a counseling session can be time-consuming and hard to manage in person. Providing telehealth through a less invasive method has truly been a much-needed change for those who desire access to counseling but haven't been able to get treatment because of life's demands.

I've done research on an abbreviated model for CBT-I (cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia) in my continuing studies. Sleep is often overlooked in most treatment approaches but it affects so much of life. The skills I learned from my research have definitely impacted my practice and added to my overall approach to counseling.