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Licensed Professional Counselors and our role in Mental Health

Licensed professional counselors (LPCs) are master’s-degreed mental health service providers, trained to work with individuals, families, and groups in treating mental, behavioral, and emotional problems and disorders. Their education and training is oriented toward the adoption of a truly client-centered, and not primarily illness-centered, approach to therapy.

Through this approach, a counselor focuses on establishing trust and creating strong relationships with clients, working toward an eventual analysis and possibly suggesting solutions or additional courses of treatment. The best counselors are those who are able to lead patients on a path to self-realization and discovery, ultimately helping them to find their own solutions to problems. Counselors are also adept at understanding mental illness, and may suggest treatment by a psychiatrist when appropriate and necessary.

 

Most counselors strive to provide a safe, warm and highly professional environment for their patients, as opposed to a cold, clinical surrounding. While early sessions may involve a lot of surface detail and a general discussion of present life happenings, a professional counselor will skillfully work beneath the surface, offering questions and provoking thought to assist each unique patient in getting to the roots of their problems.

It is often misconstrued that counselors work solely with people who have a mental illness, but this is untrue. We also offer services to individuals for a variety of other reasons such as couples considering marriage, people going through life transitions, and individuals who are simply looking for better ways to deal with the stress in their lives. Counselors are able to assist all of these individuals, by helping them deal with the residual emotions and stressors associated with daily life.

 

LPC’s adhere to a rigorous code of ethics and professional practice standards.

VIEW OREGON's LPC CODE OF ETHICS

 

Linda McCullough, LPC
415 North State Street  
Suite #148
Lake Oswego, OR 97034
P: (971)220-7381
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