Diane Gaston, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Psychotherapist, Consultant

In my 25 years of practice, I have experience with a wide range of therapeutic modalities. I have an eclectic therapeutic style, but primarily I utilize the method known as client-centered therapy. This approach was developed by Carl Rogers, who was one of the originators of the humanistic therapy approach. Emphasis is on the importance of being your true self in order to lead the most fulfilling life. The core belief is that people are innately good at heart and capable of making the right choices for themselves. Like Rogers, I believe that you are capable of change and possess the ability to find the solutions to your own problems. My role is to support and guide you as you face the obstacles that are causing disruptions in your life. I will help you identify obstacles that you don't have control over, and help you with acceptance of this. I will also assist you in identifying what you do have control over, such as how you react and respond to events in your life. I will use the technique of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you recognize dysfunctional thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in response to events in your life. You will learn that you have been engaging in this process for many years, having created an automatic pattern, causing you to feel stuck. Originally developed by Aaron Beck, and then later expanded on by David Burns, this is primarily a psychoeducational technique. Written exercises are used to reveal these dysfunctional patterns, as well as learning healthier ways to respond. Over the years, I have used these, and a multitude of other techniques to help clients in their growth process. But human beings are complex, and there is not one catch-all approach to therapy. There are so many variables, such as culture, family of origin history, traumas and losses, physical and other mental health challenges. I believe that the key to successful therapy is the therapist-client relationship. I think it's important to demonstrate to you, the client, that I am a human being first. This helps to promote trust, and allows you to feel safe enough to share your vulnerability with me. So, as I get to know you, you can become confident that my training and clinical experience will direct me to the best approaches to help compassionately guide you through your journey.

I do strongly believe that the client-therapist relationship is the key component in helping clients heal. I prefer seeing clients in-person in my office, at least in the beginning stages of the therapeutic relationship. It allows for the energy exchange between us, which can sometimes be one of the most healing interventions during particular therapeutic moments. I do offer Telehealth for clients who may have a challenge with transportation, including those who are geographically prohibitive. However, I request that clients come in to the office for the first few sessions, to fill out paperwork and to establish some therapeutic connection. I do respectfully request to not come in if experiencing any cold or flu symptoms. I will respond to referral requests within 24 hours, but typically will get back to you within 2 hours, if before 10 PM. I know that reaching out and asking for help isn't easy, so I want to acknowledge your efforts with a timely reply.

I am a therapist by profession, but I am a human being first. I have gone through my years of undergraduate, and graduate level education. This included practical experience, of being at internships in therapeutic settings, literally learning on the job, in how to provide services to clients to best meet their needs. I received both Bachelor's and Master's degrees following my completion of these programs. However, I believe that my best preparation in helping clients, comes from my life experience. The fact is,I can demonstrate empathy with my clients, because I personally know what it is like to go through the challenges, that my clients go through. I share my humanness, I am able to model problem solving by acknowledging my issues, and sharing my process of figuring options, techniques for addressing them. Over the years that I have been providing psychotherapy services, I have had clients acknowledge me for being relatable for all these reasons. When I am providing feedback, advice, or guidance to my clients, I am more believable, because I've been there, and I will be there. I am this human being, like them, who will continue to experience challenges.