My Philosophy
For me, counseling is a process where we work together so you can better accomplish your goals for the happier, healthier life you desire. My role is to act as your “mental health clinician”. During our counseling process, I will utilize my training, education, and experience to help you better help yourself through improved ways of thinking and behaving in relation to your issues/problems. Other
positive changes will come through helping you better identify and utilize the resources you already possess but have fallen out of touch with.
Note: there are no “quick-fix”, magical cures that will immediately take away your problems—either in or out of counseling. They don’t exist. I also cannot rescue, fix, or save you from your difficulties. No one can. However, I can help you achieve your goals through directing and supporting you to better approach your challenges in a healthier, more effective manner. We all face hardships and problems. However, what separates us is how we deal with them. Together, we will generate better ways to achieve your goals and overcome your challenges.
The positive changes that you can hope to expect from our counseling process will come from 3 main sources: 1) the work we do together in the counseling session, 2) the work you do between our sessions to apply what we have talked about, and 3) any other life event that shifts your life and/or how you approach the tasks at hand. Your counseling changes will be facilitated by the a) therapeutic
relationship we’ll share (based upon mutual trust and respect), b) the instillation of hope for change, and c) the utilization of a variety of therapeutic techniques and approaches to the problem(s).
In my opinion, the purpose of all counseling is to eventually not need it anymore—much like training wheels on a bicycle or braces on your teeth. I do not want to create an unhealthy “dependency” situation in our counseling process together. This is why I refrain from trying to “rescue, fix, or save” you from your problems. Changes with that approach tend to be short lived and ineffective anyway.
Instead, I prefer to promote a healthy “interdependency” in our counseling relationship where I will: 1) listen to you, 2) share, confront, and level with you in a patient, respectful manner, 3) review together with you better options for thinking and behaving differently towards your problems, and 4) back off and allow you to incorporate what we have discussed (mostly by yourself outside of the sessions).
During your change process, you will likely experience some “growing pains” as you get out of your comfort zone. However, know that this is temporary and is to be expected. Usually, you will change as much or as little as you are ready and willing to make happen. In truth, change requires hard work, patience, and a commitment to do what is necessary. This is why some people state the myth “people don’t really ever change”. However, people DO change for the better. If not there would be no such thing as the psychotherapy profession. I have seen it regularly over the past 27+ years of counseling. All that is needed for a person to change is for them to: 1) identify the area of their life they’d like to change, 2) learn and apply the best ways of making the change happen, 3) stay committed to the process until the changes occur.
These efforts towards change need to be made in spite of whatever difficulties may arise or tempting old payoffs exist from the previous self-defeating way of doing things. Counseling is where change steps #1-3 occur, with step #3 usually requiring a lifelong commitment thereafter. The good news is that our changes tend to become easier over time as we get better at doing whatever is required and our comfort zone expands. I'm not going to say “practice make perfect”, but it certainly makes doing the change easier.
In short, in my counseling approach, I'll help you not by giving you a fish to eat, but rather through helping you learn how to fish on your own in a more effective, efficient manner. If you can agree to get out of your comfort zone and go to work, then we should have a positive, successful therapy experience together. I would like to help you attain you goals to become a happier, healthier person. Give me a call to begin the process.
Sincerely,
Randy A. Gilchrist, Psy.D.
positive changes will come through helping you better identify and utilize the resources you already possess but have fallen out of touch with.
Note: there are no “quick-fix”, magical cures that will immediately take away your problems—either in or out of counseling. They don’t exist. I also cannot rescue, fix, or save you from your difficulties. No one can. However, I can help you achieve your goals through directing and supporting you to better approach your challenges in a healthier, more effective manner. We all face hardships and problems. However, what separates us is how we deal with them. Together, we will generate better ways to achieve your goals and overcome your challenges.
The positive changes that you can hope to expect from our counseling process will come from 3 main sources: 1) the work we do together in the counseling session, 2) the work you do between our sessions to apply what we have talked about, and 3) any other life event that shifts your life and/or how you approach the tasks at hand. Your counseling changes will be facilitated by the a) therapeutic
relationship we’ll share (based upon mutual trust and respect), b) the instillation of hope for change, and c) the utilization of a variety of therapeutic techniques and approaches to the problem(s).
In my opinion, the purpose of all counseling is to eventually not need it anymore—much like training wheels on a bicycle or braces on your teeth. I do not want to create an unhealthy “dependency” situation in our counseling process together. This is why I refrain from trying to “rescue, fix, or save” you from your problems. Changes with that approach tend to be short lived and ineffective anyway.
Instead, I prefer to promote a healthy “interdependency” in our counseling relationship where I will: 1) listen to you, 2) share, confront, and level with you in a patient, respectful manner, 3) review together with you better options for thinking and behaving differently towards your problems, and 4) back off and allow you to incorporate what we have discussed (mostly by yourself outside of the sessions).
During your change process, you will likely experience some “growing pains” as you get out of your comfort zone. However, know that this is temporary and is to be expected. Usually, you will change as much or as little as you are ready and willing to make happen. In truth, change requires hard work, patience, and a commitment to do what is necessary. This is why some people state the myth “people don’t really ever change”. However, people DO change for the better. If not there would be no such thing as the psychotherapy profession. I have seen it regularly over the past 27+ years of counseling. All that is needed for a person to change is for them to: 1) identify the area of their life they’d like to change, 2) learn and apply the best ways of making the change happen, 3) stay committed to the process until the changes occur.
These efforts towards change need to be made in spite of whatever difficulties may arise or tempting old payoffs exist from the previous self-defeating way of doing things. Counseling is where change steps #1-3 occur, with step #3 usually requiring a lifelong commitment thereafter. The good news is that our changes tend to become easier over time as we get better at doing whatever is required and our comfort zone expands. I'm not going to say “practice make perfect”, but it certainly makes doing the change easier.
In short, in my counseling approach, I'll help you not by giving you a fish to eat, but rather through helping you learn how to fish on your own in a more effective, efficient manner. If you can agree to get out of your comfort zone and go to work, then we should have a positive, successful therapy experience together. I would like to help you attain you goals to become a happier, healthier person. Give me a call to begin the process.
Sincerely,
Randy A. Gilchrist, Psy.D.
Randy Gilchrist, Psy.D.
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1899 East Roseville Parkway Suite 100
Roseville, CA 95661
(916) 899-4990 drgilchrist@yahoo.com
Roseville, CA 95661
(916) 899-4990 drgilchrist@yahoo.com
Counseling and Psychotherapy Services
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #MFC39159