My Counseling style is change-focused. The heart of my style is transformation. When I learned that I was codependent in 2008, I wanted to do everything I possibly could to change. Codependency was running my life. My behaviors were so codependent that my relationships were being destroyed. I took everything personally, I lacked boundaries, I never said no, I put others needs before my own, and I had a horrible habit of over-explaining things to justify my life in hopes that people would understand me better. None of these tactics or behaviors were working for me. After years of counseling and seeing how a transformative approach worked first hand, I wanted to become a trained counselor myself. At the time I was still struggling with chronic health issues so I took a shorter route and became a Lay Counselor through my church, Woodland Hills in St. Paul, MN. I have worked professionally as a Lay Counselor for over twelve years now. The training I received focuses on the how not the why. It not that the why isn't important. But we have found that focusing on how you're thinking, how you're feeling, and how you're behaving has a more successful outcome of change. I'm often asked, "Gina, do you believe in talk therapy?" The answer is yes. There is a time and place for talk therapy. There is a  time and place for all forms of therapy: somatic, psychotherapy, EMDR, you name it, I believe in it. However, I believe that the kind of counseling I offer helps people become self-aware in their thoughts and feelings. I then give good tools for people to follow-through with the work in their own time so that they can see their behaviors change. I also have what a lot of PHD and academics don't: lived experience. With lived experience of hardship one gains wisdom. This wisdom is also brought into sessions. We will focus on the "how" but we will also work on the "why". "Why am I the way I am?"  "Why are others the way they are?" "Why is life the way it is?" "Why did my parents hurt me?" "How do I change?" "How do I do the work?" "How can I forgive someone?" "How can I deal with my anger?" "How can I grow?" None of those questions are truly answerable, but the perspective shift my counseling style gives helps people make better sense out of life. There is a practical and spiritual approach to my counseling sessions. Clients will leave a session with something tangible to take with them to start implementing in their lives. "Homework" is given in every session. I will help you find what is preventing you from moving forward in life and help you identify how you are stuck. Usually we get stuck when we have limiting beliefs or our beliefs aren't serving us well anymore.  I ask, "What are you believing about that situation?" You will learn to navigate through the way you think, the way you feel, and why your behaviors are what they are. I believe all emotional pain can be transformed into beauty, character and a well-managed life. Nothing is impossible to heal from. I understand emotional pain and I will help you understand yours.