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Hi, my name is Lamar Whaley. I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. As a therapist, my goal is to assist and empower clients to address the factors/stressors (e.g., personal, familial/social, spiritual, academic, etc.) that you experience as well as introduce and assist you in applying different interventions that will empower you in managing your emotions and reducing the behaviors/symptoms that interfere/impair your daily life functioning. I specialize in treating clients who struggle with depression and anxiety.
My approach
I have been trained in using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Manage and Adaptive Practices (MAP). I am in the process of completing my training in Trauma-Focused, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). Also, I have experience in case management by linking clients with available resources/referrals that can assist them in managing their circumstances.
My focus
I have provided therapeutic services for clients of all ages and different ethnicities/cultural backgrounds. I am relatively open to meeting clients who seek therapy services. If a client presents a situation that I do not have much expertise or experience in treating, then I would refer the client to another therapist/provider who can provide the services that the client is seeking.
My communication style
I like to present to clients a safe and non-judgmental environment to help assure clients that I am here not here to judge them for their past history, or current situations. Rather, I am here to help them with addressing their personal, emotional, and mental struggles.
My journey to mental healthcare
During my undergraduate studies, I displayed symptoms related to the mental illness of Obsessive -Compulsive Personality Disorder. By seeking therapy services for myself, I learned and saw how efficient and helpful therapy can be to help others. Therefore, I can empathize with clients who may feel that living with mental illness can feel or seem like a curse at times as it can make daily living difficult. Therefore, I want to empower clients to know that their mental illnesses do not define who they are as a person as well as provide them with the skills and resources available to improve their personal, emotional, and mental wellbeing.
My goals for you
When setting treatment goals with clients, I encourage them to think about what negative emotions and/or behaviors interfere with or impair their daily life functioning. I also discuss and explore with client coping interventions/skills as well as recreational activities that I introduce or that clients already use to help them manage their emotions and aid them in achieving their treatment goals.
My first session with you
I explain to clients that the first few sessions will focus on building therapeutic rapport between me and clients. This may be different for clients depending on their age and stages in life. For example, when I build rapport with children and/or adolescents, I first focus on their interests and/or hobbies to build either common ground or to better understand them.
