Therapists answer…

For people that are hesitant to try therapy, what do you wish you could tell them?

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Stephanie Partida
Therapist and Addiction Counselor
Online & In-Person
Are you struggling with your faith? Do you feel like you don’t belong in church or anywhere? Encounters is a counseling agency for people who have been there. That deep dark pit and cannot find their way out. We welcome your doubts and questions, and we don’t expect you to wear a fake smile. At Encounters, no one is perfect, and we are not full of imperfect people; We always have room for more! We are a non-denominational Christian Counseling and Substance Use Treatment Agency. We offer a lot here; we have State Certified domestic violence and anger management programs. In addition, our Intensive Outpatient Program for substance use is certified through the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Agency (SAPTA). God does not have a single prescribed way to worship Him. While some traditional practices have developed over time, they are not necessarily the only or best way to connect with God. We need to find new ways to worship that are meaningful and relevant to us today, and that is where the Life Altering Skills come in. We want everyone who comes into Encounters Counseling and Recovery to have an encounter with the faithful love and mercy of Jesus, but we will settle for an encounter with yourself. We hope that by coming to Encounters Counseling and Recovery you will learn what it is to be Forgiven: Forgiveness and eternal life are available to all who accept God’s grace through Jesus Christ. It is not God who rejects us, but us who reject God. Salvation: Salvation is a gift from God that we receive through faith in Jesus Christ. When we trust in Jesus and confess our sins to him we are forgiven of our sins and made right with God. (You will learn more). We were all created to have relationships. We did not get sick by ourselves, and we do not heal by ourselves, we heal in community. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
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Lily Lu
LMFT
Online & In-Person
Being an avid advocate for behavioral health, I love teaming up with teens, adults, couples, parents and families to improve their overall mental wellness. I specialize in anxiety, ADHD, addictions, depression, OCD, and trauma. I also help couples and families with communication issues and parenting. When you come to see me, we will work together to find a therapeutic approach that suits you and is tailored to your needs. Being client-centered and strengths-oriented, I use different treatment styles - Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Gottman and Emotionally Focused Couples - to help you meet your goals. Prior to counseling, I was in high tech marketing and worked for Fortune 100 companies as well as innovative start-ups in the Silicon Valley. This unique experience gives me insight into some of the issues that many of my clients have due to a high tech environment. As a firm believer in community support, I spoke at libraries and community events to raise awareness of the importance of behavioral health. To address more specific concerns, I volunteered as an editor for the Los Gatos Community Against Substance Abuse and a Meetup organizer to enhance couples' relationships. I also manage clinical consultations among fellow therapists to foster collegial development and growth. My credentials include:​ *Certification and training in ADHD, Anxiety, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Unipolar & Bipolar Depression & OCD using CBT, DBT, and ERP *Training in EMDR *Externship in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy *Training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy *Internship in Internet & Sex Addictions
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