James Berghuis

Hi. My name is Jim Berghuis, PhD, a licensed psychologist with over 30 years of experience and a passion for helping people make changes to improve their psychological and physical health/well-being. Despite trying our best, we sometimes feel stuck in patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that aren't serving us well. Therapy can help us learn to observe and respond to thoughts, feelings, and situations in a more flexible way that can improve our life satisfaction and reduce distressing symptoms.

My approach

My approach is collaborative. I strive to provide a supportive and safe place for people to speak openly without fear of judgment. My role is to assist people to recognize their inner resources and learn new skills to achieve more satisfying and fulfilling lives. I use a variety of therapeutic techniques like motivational enhancement therapy (MET), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), mindfulness, and written exposure therapy (for trauma/PTSD).

My focus

I provide individual therapy to adults 18 years of age and older. I commonly work with people on the following concerns: stress, mood/depression, anxiety and trauma/PTSD, relationships, substance use, sexual performance, sexuality, insomnia, chronic health conditions, and life transitions. In addition, I can provide brief cognitive screening for memory as well as bariatric surgery and gender-affirming care evaluations. I have worked extensively with culturally diverse and LGBTQ+ clients.

My communication style

My training in motivational enhancement and ACT reflects my communication style. I strive to engage with clients in a way that is respectful, collaborative, supportive, and empathic. I am also comfortable being direct as needed. I listen for and reinforce client statements that reflect their motivation to make desired changes and help them enact new behaviors that are consistent with their values and goals.

My journey to mental healthcare

I have always wanted to work in a helping profession. In college, I found that the area of psychology stood out for me in terms of my interests and skills. I feel honored to be able to listen to clients share their stories with me and to help them learn how to step back, question, and sometimes rewrite the unproductive parts of their stories so they can experience more satisfying lives.

My goals for you

I start with a good history to find out what experiences and issues led them to therapy. Sometimes clients come in with clear goals and other times I do values work with clients to help them identify what they want to address first. Goals can also shift over time. Identifying SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound) goals can be helpful for tasks to do between sessions and to track progress toward goals

My first session with you

My goal for the initial session is to provide a safe environment for clients to share their experiences that led them to seek therapy and begin to establish a therapeutic relationship. I will gather information and explain what my approach to working with them would be. My hope is that at the end of the initial visit, the client will feel engaged, validated, and optimistic towards working with me to improve their life.