Catherine has a strong educational approach to counseling. This approach helps clients remember what they learned in session, and apply the tools in real life. She does this by using:
- Good Diagrams-simple, practical, and visual
- Good Definitions-psychological vocabulary made simple. No psychobabble.
- Good Stories-helps clients see how tools applied to real people
Catherine uses many diagrams and definitions from Transactional Analysis or TA. Using TA, you will be able to understand (and analyze) good communication at work, at home and with your children. You will learn how to correct poor communication, and communicate rationally with the people. These tools can help people solve problems, learn new skills, and get ‘unstuck’ so they can proceed with their lives.
Why People Seek Help
People seek counseling for many reasons. Some people are in chaos or a crisis, and cannot find a way through. Others seem unable to get change bad habits that do not serve them.
In my experience, people seek:
- Individuals Counseling. Often seek help when a crisis happens, or a sudden life change presents itself. The goal is to help you move through the chaos to finding stability, strength, and calm in order to move forward in life. In addition, many people reach midlife and realize they are unhappy and dissatisfied. We will work together to help you re-design a new life path.
- Couples Counseling. They tell me their #1 problem is communication. Catherine uses a simple diagram to help couples see poor communication, and how good communication happens.
- Family Counseling helps when the family become unbalanced through a divorce, job changes, addiction, and many other factors. Catherine’s simple principles for communication can help your family understand how to forge good relationships, and improve your communication and contracts.
Catherine O'Brien 