My Approach to Helping
Greetings. My name is Dennis Steelman. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC). I carry two professional certifications in Mental Health Teletherapy (CTMH), and as a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP). I hold a Master’s Degree in Professional Counseling and a Master’s Degree in Addictions Counseling. I obtained both graduate degrees from Liberty University.
My approach to therapy is mainly through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR). CBT is a highly effective modality of treatment that is aimed at correcting negative beliefs and identifying negative thoughts. This is of course an oversimplification of CBT but illustrates the crux of what CBT looks like. EMDR is a highly effective treatment for PTSD and other trauma-related illnesses. EMDR is a specialized form of treatment that has been proven to not only be effective for the treatment of trauma, but emerging research also suggests EMDR is highly effective in the treatment of a wide array of illnesses.
I believe that therapy should carry certain expectations, just like any other form of treatment. An individual coming into treatment should expect to see positive results. An individual coming into treatment should expect to see progress in their treatment through a collaborative effort between the therapist and the client.
I chose to specialize in the treatment of trauma and related negative life events because of the damage they can do to the individual. It is my experience that those who have endured harmful life events are often locked into a pattern of negative thinking, believing, and behavior. I look forward to working with those individuals looking to break free of those patterns.