Services
Premarital Counseling
Are you engaged or considering marriage?
Studies show that investment in a marriage preparation course or premarital counseling is an investment in long-term marital satisfaction. Take a look at this article from WebMD on premarital counseling and marital satisfaction.
Jacksonville Counseling Services offers a basic premarital counseling package of 4 sessions utilizing one of two curriculum options. The first is called Prepare-Enrich, a curriculum that utilizes an online assessment, in session and out of session work. The cost for the 4 sessions and materials is $450.
The second option is a biblically-based curriculum called iPromise that includes a more in depth personal and partner out-of-session work. This curriculum also includes an online personality assessment that will be used in the workbook material. The cost for the 4 sessions and materials is $450.
In addition to the curriculum, we'll look at research-based data and tools that help a couple build healthy patterns of interaction and communication for long-term marital satisfaction.
Since each couple is different, we tailor the curriculum to meet the needs of each unique couple with the goal of getting a great start to a lifetime of deep and abiding marital connection.
Couples Therapy
Is your relationship struggling?
Do you feel disconnected or alone?
Is communication increasingly difficult?
Have you drifted apart?
Couples seek counseling for many reasons: life transitions like first child, stepparenting and blended families, inability to manage conflict, lack of understanding in communication, infidelity, and so on. Doing life together is not always easy and many couples face challenges that were not anticipated. Even couples with a strong foundation can benefit from working with a trained professional to strengthen the marital relationship.My approach to working with couples is Emotionally Focused (Sue Johnson) and Gottman Method of couples therapy. I find these approaches to be a very practical and effective methods in working with couples. Based on 40 years of research on couples, Gottman method focuses on learning to become better friends, managing conflict more effectively and creating ways to support each other's hopes for the future. The small moments of everyday life are the building blocks of a healthy relationship. You can find a brief explanation of this method here. Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy is rooted in Attachment Theory and helps us understand the bonding dance that we all do and how to orient our dance for deeper and more meaningful connection. You can find more information on this method here.
Children and Families
Divorce Adjustment/Grief and Loss /Anxiety/Identity/
Developmental Issues/Adoption and Post- Adoption
Children and adolescents can greatly benefit from having a safe place to express feelings that may otherwise be held inside and cause difficulties in their everyday life. Unresolved feelings can affect attitudes and relationships in all areas of a child or adolescent’s life, and can ultimately affect their relationships in adulthood if not addressed early.
Play therapy is very effective in creating a safe place from which children can explore their inner experience and learn how to successfully understand, express, and cope with their emotions. This method allows the child to manipulate the world on a smaller scale, something that cannot be done easily in the child's everyday life. This therapeutic style can be amazingly helpful for children dealing with a wide range of issues.
Collaboration with the child or adolescent's family is crucial to success and lasting change. It is often important to discuss how skills learned in session can be integrated into the home or school environment. When applicable, I encourage the child/adolescent to share their feelings with the parent/caregiver to improve their relationship and feel empowered that they can be an agent for change in their lives.
I enjoy working with the family group to encourage effective communication, resolve conflict, and help each member of the family feel understood by the others. Sessions with the entire family help each person feel as though they have an important role in the family and can strengthen the family bond. My goal is that the family would work together to sustain positive changes.
Individual Adult Therapy
Grief and Loss /Anxiety/Depression/Life Change/Family of Origin Issues
Many people experience symptoms of anxiety and/or depression throughout their life related to life events, relationships, stress, etc. One of Rebecca's greatest joys is walking with someone to discover a path to healing and wholeness. Rebecca takes a strengths and solutions-based approach to addressing symptoms of depression, anxiety, trauma, life-transition, and stress. Her positive, empathetic demeanor is one of her greatest strengths.