Ray Buchanan

I am a licensed marriage and family therapist with over 25 years of experience in the field. I am passionate about helping people find purpose and partner with you as you set out to live your best life. Life can be challenging and confusing, and it helps to have support to be able to see clearly to know the next steps to take. You may be ready for significant change or just a little change. That's great, and I will meet you where you are at! I am here for you.

My approach

I utilize interventions from a variety of treatment families. I use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help people understand that thoughts and feelings are transitory and change their relationship with them. I utilize Motivational Interviewing to partner with you, meet you where you are, and put you in charge of your treatment. I will use CBT, DBT, and family systems techniques to affect change according to your individual needs.

My focus

I like to utilize my clients' strengths to build motivation for treatment gains. We can get more out of our time by emphasizing strengths as opposed to deficits. As new skills or areas are uncovered, it is helpful to start small and build upon success as you learn new patterns or behaviors. I will often support this with a "big-picture" perspective of how this will benefit you in the long run.

My communication style

I work hard to create a safe space for you to say everything you need to say in the session. Sometimes this happens immediately or after a few sessions. I won't assume that I know everything and want to listen to understand continually. I will be curious and ask supporting questions to make sure you feel understood.

My journey to mental healthcare

I was working jobs that didn't feel connected to purpose. My roommate told me one night, "You are a really good listener; maybe you should become a therapist." For the first time, I felt in my heart clarity, passion, and direction. I went back to school to get a Master's Degree and began my training. In the 25 years since I have diversified my experience by working in numerous settings. All of that experience has been useful to my understanding of people and systems. I have received thousands of hours of training over the years in practices such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, TFCBT, Incredible Years, Motivational Interviewing, Managing and Adapting Practice (MAP), and many more. These have informed me about what are the important elements of change.

My goals for you

Success and progress are worked on together, which will look different for each individual. For some, it might be being able to have difficult conversations with confidence; for others, it might be following through on life decisions to take better care of yourself. Successful care and progress are highly individualized.

My first session with you

My first session is about making a solid connection and also gathering enough background to get a good understanding of what the needs and strengths are. I will still be learning long after the first session. I also want to speak about how I can partner with you and give hope for how you are feeling and for the reason you are seeking support.