Vision & Philosophy
As a person moves through life, one occasionally encounters individuals who have given up, stopped trying, or become helpless or hopeless due to seemingly insurmountable barriers or obstacles in their path. They see these barriers as keeping them from achieving their goals or simply preventing them from living the life they dream. These individuals often have tried very hard to find solutions to their problems, only to be met with disappointing results. What may be less obvious is that some people often do or say the same things or act in similar ways that they have already tried, expecting different results. They may have sought or relied upon the advice or counsel of close friends, family, or even a therapist but, for whatever reason, they cannot seem to overcome their struggle to be free from pain, grief, loss, anxiety, addiction, relationship problems, eating disorders, job or career related problems, or a host of other difficulties.
Keep Moving Forward Counseling and Consulting LLC is more than just the name of a counseling practice. It is an idea, a vision that no matter how many things you have tried, no matter how many possibilities you have considered and then discounted or disregarded as unworkable, there are always many potential choices you haven’t tried that can help you arrive at the solution you seek. Our approach to helping others is to be genuinely curious about you -- to learn from your previous successes and disappointments, and through collaboration, help you to arrive at your own solution to your difficulties, rather than taking an “expert role” in what we think is best for you. Our position is, “No one knows what is best for you besides YOU.” By working collaboratively with you, rather than dictating what we think is best or what you NEED to do, we will endeavor to help you arrive at your own solutions, ones that have a far greater chance of being successful than one that is pressured or imposed upon you. Our thoughts are thus: you are and should always be in the driver’s seat. We accompany you on your journey to help you explore your own path to a life that is happy, rewarding, and meaningful.
If you think about it, when was the last time you REALLY followed someone else’s advice about a major personal dilemma? Did you follow it? Was it successful? It is sometimes hard to arrive at solution we can't fully embrace and one that falls within our own set of values. We are bombarded everyday with suggestions and advice from media, peers, friends, family, professionals, and advertising about what is good for us, what products to buy that will make us healthier, what services to obtain to make life easier on us, etc. How many times have you heard the phrase, “What you need to do is….” followed by some armchair advice from someone who really doesn’t know what it is like to be in your shoes? How could they? They aren’t you and don’t have your life experiences to perceive things as you do. When was the last time that you had someone take a genuine interest in why you think the way you do; why you behave the way you behave; why you live the life you live; and more importantly why it might be so difficult up until now to achieve the change that you seek? Change is often difficult, sometimes extraordinarily so. We can always come up with reasons why it is best not to change. Change can be scary because it represents the unknown. What we are curious about are those reasons why you might not want to change, in spite of the troubles and difficulties you are experiencing in the status quo. By exploring those underlying reasons for remaining in the status quo, we believe change is possible, achievable, and a completely realistic goal as long as you are open to the possibility of change.
The counselor's role is to help you explore your strengths and fears, your thoughts and beliefs, what is meaningful and valuable in your life, and what obstacles lie in your path. The hope is to help you understand and gain greater insight into yourself, explore your own strengths and abilities and how they can be utilized more effectively, and work to develop different ways of thinking and interacting with the world. While someone might ask me, “What do you suggest?” A therapist might simply ask back, “Well, what have you tried?” It would be irresponsible as a therapist, and a disappointment to you, to not know what things you have tried to resolve your difficulties, only to give you the same advice you received from some other source. The counseling relationship should a collaborative one; one that does not necessarily take the form of “counselor as the expert.” We view the client as the expert of what is best for them. Our job is to help you uncover the solutions you seek, locked inside you.”
As Walt Disney once said, “We keep moving forward, opening new doors and trying new things, because we are curious, and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths. “
Keep Moving Forward Counseling and Consulting LLC is more than just the name of a counseling practice. It is an idea, a vision that no matter how many things you have tried, no matter how many possibilities you have considered and then discounted or disregarded as unworkable, there are always many potential choices you haven’t tried that can help you arrive at the solution you seek. Our approach to helping others is to be genuinely curious about you -- to learn from your previous successes and disappointments, and through collaboration, help you to arrive at your own solution to your difficulties, rather than taking an “expert role” in what we think is best for you. Our position is, “No one knows what is best for you besides YOU.” By working collaboratively with you, rather than dictating what we think is best or what you NEED to do, we will endeavor to help you arrive at your own solutions, ones that have a far greater chance of being successful than one that is pressured or imposed upon you. Our thoughts are thus: you are and should always be in the driver’s seat. We accompany you on your journey to help you explore your own path to a life that is happy, rewarding, and meaningful.
If you think about it, when was the last time you REALLY followed someone else’s advice about a major personal dilemma? Did you follow it? Was it successful? It is sometimes hard to arrive at solution we can't fully embrace and one that falls within our own set of values. We are bombarded everyday with suggestions and advice from media, peers, friends, family, professionals, and advertising about what is good for us, what products to buy that will make us healthier, what services to obtain to make life easier on us, etc. How many times have you heard the phrase, “What you need to do is….” followed by some armchair advice from someone who really doesn’t know what it is like to be in your shoes? How could they? They aren’t you and don’t have your life experiences to perceive things as you do. When was the last time that you had someone take a genuine interest in why you think the way you do; why you behave the way you behave; why you live the life you live; and more importantly why it might be so difficult up until now to achieve the change that you seek? Change is often difficult, sometimes extraordinarily so. We can always come up with reasons why it is best not to change. Change can be scary because it represents the unknown. What we are curious about are those reasons why you might not want to change, in spite of the troubles and difficulties you are experiencing in the status quo. By exploring those underlying reasons for remaining in the status quo, we believe change is possible, achievable, and a completely realistic goal as long as you are open to the possibility of change.
The counselor's role is to help you explore your strengths and fears, your thoughts and beliefs, what is meaningful and valuable in your life, and what obstacles lie in your path. The hope is to help you understand and gain greater insight into yourself, explore your own strengths and abilities and how they can be utilized more effectively, and work to develop different ways of thinking and interacting with the world. While someone might ask me, “What do you suggest?” A therapist might simply ask back, “Well, what have you tried?” It would be irresponsible as a therapist, and a disappointment to you, to not know what things you have tried to resolve your difficulties, only to give you the same advice you received from some other source. The counseling relationship should a collaborative one; one that does not necessarily take the form of “counselor as the expert.” We view the client as the expert of what is best for them. Our job is to help you uncover the solutions you seek, locked inside you.”
As Walt Disney once said, “We keep moving forward, opening new doors and trying new things, because we are curious, and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths. “