Therapists in Union Dale, PA

My name is Amy and I am a licensed professional counselor in the state of Pennsylvania. I have been in the mental health field for nearly 15 years in a variety of settings. This has given me the opportunity to assist a diverse group of people in addressing both acute and chronic mental health issues while also striving to achieve an improved satisfaction with life. While I am trained in a variety of therapeutic approaches, a person’s needs and preferences ultimately determine what will drive the collaboration. I am extensively trained in relationship issues, post traumatic stress disorder, and women’s health issues including pregnancy emotions, postpartum depression and perinatal loss. In addition to that, I also have a significant amount of experience with anxiety, depression, bipolar, grief /loss, and adjustment issues. It can be overwhelming to experience negative emotions. Some of us only experience them for a short amount of time after a specific event occurs, while others experience their interference in life satisfaction for many years. It is my hope that I can assist you in assessing and managing the negative thoughts and emotions you might be experiencing. I believe those that I have worked with in the past would describe me as easy to talk to, having a love for humor, and liking to keep things “real.” I value creating a warm and genuine environment that you can feel comfortable in discussing some of the most difficult topics. Making this initial decision to establish a relationship with a counselor can leave you feeling vulnerable when getting ready to talk with a complete stranger. It is my goal to immediately create a comfortable working relationship. I look forward to meeting you!

My name is Lourna Charles. I am a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in Pennsylvania. I have over 11 years of experience in the mental health field. I have worked with individuals, couples and families seeking counseling for various challenges. I appreciate the courage you displayed in seeking professional help. Many have endured these challenges in silence. This journey ahead may be challenging. It is my hope that I can assist you with finding peace, strength, and to develop appropriate strategies to cope and overcome life’s challenges. Through your therapeutic journey, I hope to empower and motivate you to make the necessary changes that would promote personal growth. This may involve discovering a different path, building skills to manage obstacles or working to eliminate obstacles altogether. My role also consists of helping you find courage, inspiration, and simply being present with you as you face and navigate through life’s challenging moments. My style of therapy involves providing a welcoming, warm, and encouraging environment. The two theoretical approaches that influence my style of therapy are Cognitive and Humanistic perspectives. I believe that everyone should be treated with dignity and respect. My approach to therapy is to meet people where they are. As your therapist, I would guide you in navigating your challenges and provide the appropriate support to help you reach your goals. Sharing personal problems with a stranger can be difficult. I provide a safe, nonjudgmental, and empathetic environment for you to discuss sensitive issues with assurance of confidentiality and emotional support. I believe that each significant event in one’s life impacts them in a unique way which creates resiliency. I hope to create a therapeutic setting where you feel safe to be open and honest with yourself about what you need and desire out of life. I am excited about the opportunity to assist you in identifying your strengths and natural supports to improve your overall happiness.

(Please note: for the present, I am not providing therapy services via the video option on BetterHelp. Due to both ongoing technical problems that interfere with and mitigate the effectiveness of sessions and some mixed feelings about the value of this type of session, I am temporarily restricting the modality options to phone, chat and messaging communications. My apologies to anyone inconvenienced or discouraged from working with me due to this condition; I may resume video sessions in the future.) I am a licensed professional counselor (LPC) in the state of Pennsylvania and a registered, board-certified art therapist (AT-R, B.C.) Since receiving an M.A. from Drexel University’s College of Nursing and Health Professions in 2004, I have practiced in a variety of settings, including inpatient psychiatry, community residential services and private practice, including my own, which I established in 2010. Over the course of my career, I have worked in residential and inpatient settings, as well as in private practice, with clients dealing with a wide range of often overlapping challenges , including severe mood disorders, substance abuse issues, personality disorders and debilitating thought disorders such as schizophrenia . In private practice, I have been able to focus on work with clients – including adolescents and young adults on the autism spectrum – struggling with problems in living ranging from depression, anxiety and addictive behaviors, as well as family, relationship and career conflicts. Therapy is hard work, for both client and practitioner, and one of my primary sources of inspiration and re-fueling is my immense gratitude and respect for my clients – for their willingness to confront what is difficult, embrace change and do the work necessary to foster growth and self-determination for themselves and therefore also for the benefit of those they work, live, connect with – and love. I believe, based on my experience, that most clients seeking therapy already know a good deal about both the nature of their problems and conflicts and the possible routes to change. But change is difficult, and can be scary and when something is difficult and scary, there is nothing wrong – and a great deal right -about seeking help and a collaborative relationship, rather than trying to achieve some of the most difficult tasks in isolation. . I often visualize the therapist as, ideally, a trustworthy guide walking alongside the client, carrying a lantern and helping to cast light into and illuminating the shadows, with the goal of locating the best and clearest path forward towards a more effective and self-determined life. In attempting this guidance and collaboration, I always try to maintain an attitude of warmth, respect, and compassion. Honesty and trust on the part of both partners is essential, of course. Humor and lightheartedness can, at times, be a significant healing factor as well! My approach is basically a humanistic one, which addresses problems and conflicts through careful and reflective listening and communication, with an underlying focus on the kinds of common concerns -the need and desire for connection, understanding, insight, growth and personally driven change - that most often propel a client towards therapy. As the client, you set our goals, and as part of the therapeutic process, we may make use of techniques and methods derived from established clinical practices, including Cognitive-Behavioral, narrative and expressive therapy techniques. This can be helpful in allowing the therapist to better know the whole person he is working with, rather than just as a collection of “problems” needing to be solved. Creativity, especially in the forms of writing or art, can be tremendously helpful in this regard. I have extensive experience in working with art as a aid to therapy (which can be done, with some limitations, even in a remote context, and requires no "skill" or talent whatsoever) and the exploration of this dynamic route to insight and growth is always available and might be encouraged at times. However, whether these or other techniques or approaches are used is always the result of discussion and agreement between therapist and client. If what I have outlined sounds appealing or promising to you as you explore therapeutic possibilities, I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this with you – please do not hesitate to contact me, and thank you for your time.

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Pennsylvania. I enjoy supporting clients who desire to heal from trauma and those who are struggling with transition concerns. As a person who grew up over seas, I also enjoy supporting clients who come from a variety of different counties and cultures. I graduated from Chatham University with a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology and I generally practice using a culturally humble and trauma informed lense, although I believe that an important component to treatment is the relationship I form with my clients. I have worked in community mental health, in university counseling, outpatient counseling, and at a sexual assault crisis center. I look forward to meeting you and supporting you in your healing journey!

Hello! I understand that life can be challenging and difficult to navigate at times. I have been in the helping field for 10+ years helping individuals navigate through various stages of life. I have worked with clients with a wide range of concerns including addiction, depression, anxiety, career and life decisions, relationship conflict, individuals with severe mental illness and supporting the family member of those with severe mental illness. My therapy style is both person centered and holistic. I want to give you the reigns to navigate this difficult time but also keeping in mind and addressing your physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. I'll be a listening ear while respectfully providing insight, validation, compassion and not placing judgement or stigma. I commend you for taking this step in seeking help and I look forward to working with you!

I am licensed in Pennsylvania with 5 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, & parenting issues. I believe that you are the expert of your story and that you have many strengths that will assist you in overcoming things that challenge you. Taking the first step to sign up for therapy can take courage and I am proud of you for getting started!

Choosing the right therapist is challenging. Our connection in a safe, non-judgmental setting is where you will make decisions and look at possible changes in yourself and your relationships. I will help you enhance your self-understanding and master the skills needed for self-regulation and self-care. My therapeutic approach is Gestalt based, where I act as a mirror, enhancing your self-awareness of your strengths and weaknesses. I work in the here-and-now, acknowledging that the past impacts you today. I am here to support you in finding peace and happiness. I, Dr. Deb Miller, am a Missouri and Pennsylvania Licensed Professional Counselor with 26 years of professional work experience in private practice and education. I am the author of More Than Sorry: 5 Steps to Deepen Your Apology After You Have Committed Infidelity.

Rachel Ehrhardt, LPC, MSCP I am a Board Certified Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology (MSCP) from Chatham University in Pittsburgh PA. I have 25 years (since 1999) with experience with a vast range of populations in various clinical settings. I have worked with many populations in a vast range of setting. Prison. Inpatient. Outpatient. Psychiatric Wards. Nursing homes. Schools. With children. 1/2 way house. 3/4 house. Alternative Housing. Deaf & Blind people. Vocational Development. For 10 years I took people in wheelchairs & intellectual disabilities on field trips. Much of my career has been in Prison settings with, frankly, a rough crowd. People anxious to get back to their real life, their families, and out of the spider-web of Addiction and the crime associated with it. They have lost so much - are at their lowest point in their lives - desperate to feel better, live better, break the cycle. To extend my hand to them and help them get back up on their feet is a tremendous honor. Some of methodologies and direct nature are no doubt born of that experience. You will see this in my personality. I consider myself as an "Educator", as well as a therapist. As I teach a lot of skills - the biggest thing I put the most emphasis on is THOUGHTS. It's all about the thoughts. Most of us have thoughts that are in some way inaccurate, flawed, based on assumptions, fears, and distortions. The best technique for this is to ask the person what’s going on with them, and often times we learn that we were way off the mark. That’s a skill: Ask. Asking someone to help you understand. Our brains naturally fill-in-the-blanks when we don't understand something. So I teach people to examine their thoughts - see what parts may be inaccurate (thus making them unhealthy) and essentially go back to the drawing-board with establishing more accurate thinking patterns. And we need to find the facts, look at & for any evidence to dispute the faulty thought, and honor the evidence that supports the thought. I am a Solution Focused Therapist. This modality + my nature is very straight-forward. This is my strength as a clinician. What I am good at and why people choose to specifically work with me. They are done suffering. This is a good approach for people who want to get to the root of the problem rather quickly. Then seek the solution and implement it right away. People are tired of suffering. As the expression goes "If nothing changes, nothing changes". That's no longer an acceptable way to live. Doing it “your way” has kept you in the same holding pattern, repeating the same arguments, same destructive patterns. Therapy and healing is just that - a process. An experience. It takes time, practice and repetition to create new ways of thinking. We have to learn healthy Autopilots to replace those Knee-Jerk reactions that cause harm. We have to unlearn a lot of things, especially the learned behavior we carry with us from our childhood. Must unlearn and relearn. I do put it out there that I am very direct & goal oriented. I am bold and share my honest clinical assessment and feedback on where the disconnects are. What & where improvements need to be made, by whom, and how. Honesty about the situation needs to be said, by someone (which is me)....or nothing will change. To hold back what needs to be said, that is a disservice to you, and not how I operate. I am clear with people about this, call it a disclaimer if you will. I am selective about take cases I take. People open to acknowledging their shortcomings, whom are willing to work hard, crave the truth, want evidence-based resolutions backed by research, and will take my interventions and wisdom seriously. If we are honest, time & money seem to be 2 luxuries no one has anymore. With that said, working with me is very different than laying down on the Proverbial “Freudian Couch” for years on end. Generally - by the time I am invited into someone's life, it's been about 2 years of procrastinating, hoping/praying things get better. By the time someone makes an appointment - they have been suffering for a quite a long time. Desperate for relief and to get back on track. Many people have told me over the course of my career “Making the 1st appointment was the hardest part”. There is truth to back that. There is actually a Phenomenon where people start to feel better knowing they have an appointment on the books. They finally got out of their own way (sadly most people take 2 years). But just knowing that help is on the way, that major hurdle gone. In that sense, there is relief regarding having finally made a decision to do it, as waiting for things to change on their own simply hasn’t proven to be the case. I do a lot of my work in Marriage & Couples Counseling. Many couples have come to a crossroads of trying to decide to either to work it out and stay together…or go their separate ways. Some aren’t sure - but know something’s gotta give, and soon or "like now!". Being stagnate is no longer a viable option. And receiving professional counsel prior to that enormous decision - is smart, respectful of the relationship and their partner. There are new things to try, some grey-areas that are worth exploring. I am a huge proponent of leaving no stone unturned. Especially when children are involved. With couples, almost 100% of the time the issue is around 2 things: 1) Communication 2) Intimacy When communication breaks down, often intimacy goes out the window. It always comes down to one’s needs not being met. And though the other partner may want to, or is trying to meet their needs - they just don’t know "how". Or they have not yet come to understand the "why" a particular need is so important. We have to shift our mindset about our partner - they aren’t being lazy or malicious - they just don’t know, or understand. In spite of telling them repeatedly. They don’t fully grasp it…yet. In other words, they are not intentionally trying to deny us our needs. They don’t get it- yet - but they will. I see to it! One of the beauties & mysteries of why therapy works: often it’s a “I told you this a million times!!!”….type thing which is incredibly frustrating to the partner whose been saying the same thing for years. But somehow miraculously when I say it to them - it's as if they are hearing it for the very first time. It’s brand new information! (to them). It's because it is me, the specific words I use, my explanation of the science of it all. My tone, my delivery, my frankness....it all matters. I am able to harness peoples' attention and get them to actually hear and listen and comprehend. That’s one of the beauties & mysteries of why therapy works. Hearing it from a non-biased mediator (who is not their partner) makes it resonate in a new way, it sinks in, or finally sticks. A manner in which that coveys the importance and clarity that’s different and effective. And it's like a light-bulb turning on. The “aha moment” as they call it. The partner of the one that initiated the therapy often comes to me seemingly oblivious that their marriage is on the line. I wake them up to see the depth, and scope and gravity of the situation. So, once we get the other person to finally listen & hear & comprehend, we can get somewhere finally. We can identify what the “needs” are, why they are so important and can immediately start meeting them. I teach a lot about the gender differences. It is astounding not only how different men & women really are - we are wired VERY differently than each other. Example: Men are naturally inclined to "fix things". When a man can't "fix it" generally he experiences frustration which gets displayed in ways that look like anger. So I teach men how to better understand women. What she needs, why she needs it, and how to go about meeting her need. I strive to eliminate "the middle man" - which are things like confusion, anxiety, and feeling rejected. I teach women about how men are wired in general, what men generally need to feel a sense of accomplishment, what he needs from her, how to really help him understand why she is at her breaking point. How all of this factors into their dynamic, which has become dysfunctional over time in many ways. I help her figure out how to meet his need, why he needs it, etc... The key to all of this - understanding. Understanding leads to insight. Insight leads to Empathy. Once there is Empathy....that's when the good stuff happens. Couples tend to see progress right away.....when & IF they are willing to work hard. Stop doing what doesn't work....which is what brought them to me in the 1st place. When they actually follow my guidance and implement my teachings. And it's often changing little subtle things. What we perceive as those “little things”….have more weight and importance than we had realized. I work with adults whom want 1:1 sessions for themselves, or as a Couple. I do Mediation between estranged family members and couples trying to navigate divorce/custody arrangements. I do not see children or teenagers.....it's not what I excel at, and those populations are better served by clinicians whom specialize in that. I am a mom of 3, so I’m am warm & fuzzy & as call myself “fluffy” and very silly. My children are 14, 9, and 7. Boy -Girl -Boy.By the way, I carried all 3 babies/pregnancies through the Prison. That tells you a lot about my personality. I was unphased by this, never once afraid. Believe it or not - I felt safer there than walking down the street. Surprisingly - Inmates were incredibly protective of me, more so than one would imagine. I am married to my husband of 15 years whom is also a Clinician (Craig Ehrhardt). My favorite color is Yellow, a big fan of Star Wars, favorite activity is going to Thrift-Shops, and simply being in the sun. My favorite food is Tiramisu. Favorite shows to binge watch are The Office, Breaking Bad and “How it’s Made”. Hobbies are keeping up with research on Neuroscience, playing Chess, and really anything that involves Critical and Analytical Thinking - my mind is never at rest. My childhood idol was Mother Teresa- and is still my idol to this day. I try to emulate her values and instill that unconditional-kindness in my children. This Christmas me and my children made pillows to distribute to the Homeless. Our family motto is: “Be grateful, not greedy”. I am a working mom - and I know better than anyone how hard it is to multitask in this day and age. To do it all. Be all to all people. To make sacrifices day in and day out. I also know how critical Self-Care is. You and your well-being needs to be your priority right now, and exploring therapy does count as Self-Care. I clearly take A LOT as I have so much to teach you! As they say "You will never find time, you have to MAKE time". So make the time, make the investment in yourself, and hop on my schedule! Rachel Ehrhardt, LPC, MSCP ******************************************* ALSO: "Live Chat" is a wonderful option for many people. It offers a certain degree of discretion and privacy that can be done anywhere. Sometimes people do not want their partner, children or coworkers to overhear. It can be done at your desk at work, which people enjoy because they “look like” they are working. Lunch breaks seem to be a thing of the past, and we have no time, as I said before - something’s gotta give! Chat is good for if you have to be in a loud place, or have a sleeping baby! Many people whom travel use it when they are at an airport, bus, noisy place etc.. For people whom are highly anxious, it's more relaxing and feels like less pressure. For all of us that have to muilt-task (we have no choice!). And thanks to the surge in people working from home post-pandemic - we have more flexibility during the day. Options like this exist now, and people love the "Live Chat". We can see eachother typing, in real time. It's great!

I am licensed in Pennsylvania with 10 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, relationship issues, & anger management. I also have experience working with concentration, memory and focus (adhd). I believe that you are the expert of your story and that you have many strengths that will assist you in overcoming things that challenge you. It takes courage to seek out a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards a change. I am here to support & empower you in that journey.

I am licensed in Pennsylvania, Delaware and Hawaii with 19 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, parenting issues, motivation, self esteem, and confidence, & career difficulties. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. It takes courage to seek out a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards a change. I am here to support & empower you in that journey.