Matthew Sandford

My name is Matt Sandford and I have been practicing as a Licensed Professional Counselor for 14 years now, with 16 years of total experience. I believe that creating a safe space enables people to explore and process the stuff on their minds and in their hearts, which can lead to healthiness, strength, and growth. I have a variety of experiences, but I specialize in stress and anxiety, relationship challenges, marriage, self-worth challenges, and spiritual challenges.

My approach

In therapy, my approach is to find an approach that meets the client where they are at. I am familiar with CBT, Rogerian, Adlerian, Psychodynamic, and Gestalt theories.

My focus

I have worked with a wide range of people in terms of age, presenting challenge(s), cultural background, and beliefs. I have particularly strong experience with folks struggling with anxiety and stress, depression, shame, self-esteem or self-worth, relationship difficulties, marital concerns, and spiritual concerns. Also, I have strong experience working with grief issues, parenting challenges, coaching, and life transitions.

My communication style

My style is to listen, empathize, and seek to understand, with pursuing questions to gain clarity about the concerns you bring and get to the heart of the matter. For me, the heart of the matter is not just circumstances or feelings, but how you are affected on the inside - what does it mean to you and in you.

My journey to mental healthcare

Out of my own personal struggles with shame and anxiety, I finally found myself in therapy. I discovered that it was life-changing for me, and I wanted to be involved in helping others in the same way. I have a firm belief that we all need to grow through our lives and that, for the larger things, we cannot just grow ourselves on our own. Help from others is how we all grow.

My goals for you

I believe goal setting is worked out through collaboration, together, with you the client, and I understand that goals may be evolving as we go along.

My first session with you

During a first session, we will go over some background information and then have time for you to share about what brought you to therapy. We can talk about expectations you may have or questions you have for me. And I will ask more about your experience to help me to develop a conceptualization of your concerns and the direction for us to go. But, I believe that we can begin working on things in the first session, so my intention is that we can begin to explore your concern and discuss some ideas on how to approach it.