Self-Help Resources

Parenting Resources

Continuing Education

Counseling Services

Individual Counseling

Individual counseling is an opportunity to receive support and experience growth during challenging times in life. It can be effective in helping a person deal with personal issues including depression, anxiety, substance abuse, marriage and relationship challenges, parenting problems, school difficulties and career changes. Individual therapy generally consists of weekly, 50 minute sessions with a registered counseling intern or a licensed therapist.

Counseling Groups

From time to time Village Counseling Center offers therapy groups that address various themes. Groups we have offered in the past include themes such as the following:

Enhancing your Self-Esteem
Dealing with Divorce
Managing your Anger
Stopping the Cycle of Domestic Violence
Recovering from Abuse and Trauma
Overcoming Roadblocks to Personal Success

Couples Counseling

All couples experience periodic ups and downs, conflicts and misunderstandings. This is only natural, since every relationship between two people is, in essence, a cross-cultural experience. Let's face it, we all grow up with experiences, parents and communication styles that are unique to our families. In addition, we all learn a non-verbal style of communicating that teaches us to expect certain actions from our partners under certain conditions. Often couples are able to work through these differences and move on. But sometimes, frequently for the best of reasons, conflicts remain unresolved and frustration mounts. This is when couples counseling can be of help. You can think of it as adding tools to your relational toolbox. Couples counseling often assists clients in verbalizing their expectations of one another, defining and clarifying their wants and preferences, and working through the myriad of everyday problems confronted by even the healthiest couples.

Family Counseling

Family counseling can take a variety of forms. Sometimes it is best to see an entire family together for a few sessions. At other times it may be better to see children and their parents separately. Whatever the format, the goal of family counseling is to identify the dynamics that cause problems and to institute changes in the structure or style of how the family operates. A small change in one area can often have tremendous impact on other areas, which means that significant gains can often be produced quickly and dramatically. As in many areas of life, relational problems will not go away just by ignoring them, so call today and get on track to a more enjoyable relationship with those you care about most.

College Transitions

Going off to college is one of the most profound points of transition in most people's lives. It can be a time of great discovery and excitement or a time of deep confusion and disorientation. As the Self develops, it is met with the challenges of new relationships and new identities on a regular basis. At the Village Counseling Center Center we have each been through these transitions and are able to help guide our clients through this period in a way that fosters healthy growth and exploration. We are committed to being a source of comfort and support for the students in our community.

Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, more commonly known as EMDR, is a remarkable form of therapy specifically designed to help people effectively cope with the effects of stress, anxiety and trauma in their life. Discovered in 1987 by Dr. Francine Shapiro, EMDR has been used to successfully treat more than a million people. For more information on the history and implementation of EMDR in the treatment of trauma, see the continuing education course: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing 1 offered on www.ceustation.com. Our director Clay Watkins is a Level 2 trained EMDR therapist. Contact him to arrange an evaluation, and find out today if you are a good candidate for EMDR treatment.

Online Therapy Services

Online counseling through videoconferencing software and webcams will soon be available. Consultations via encrypted email are available now for $25 per email. Call us at (805) 546-2656 or email Clay Watkins at clay@villagecounseling.net for more information.

Our director, Clay Watkins, M.A. LMFT, a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist. Our director, Clay Watkins, LMFT, is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. He provides individual, couples and family counseling. He specializes in anxiety-related difficulties including panic attacks, post-traumatic stress (PTSD) and phobias. He has advanced training and a decade of experience utilizing EMDR to treat trauma, and his unique brand of counseling integrates a solution-focused perspective that often speeds up the therapy process compared to more traditional forms of counseling. (BBS License #: MFC 37239)
Clay's Curriculum Vitae

Clay coordinates referrals to a network of experienced and qualified counselors with a variety of specialties to meet your specific needs. Contact him today and start creating a better life for you and your family.

Philosophy

At Village Counseling Center we believe most people have the resources to solve their problems. At times, however, a trauma or broken relationships or even the normal pressures of life can cause us to lose sight of our strengths; obscuring our natural ability to problem solve. Counseling provides a safe place where clients can regain their perspective, find acceptance, and challenge themselves to grow. And though true growth does require significant effort and courage, we at Village Counseling Center believe happiness is worth the price. Call us and begin building a better life, one risk at a time.

Learn more about Solution-Focused Therapy

Learn more about EMDR and the treatment of trauma, fear and anxiety