Confidentiality

Many people worry that coming to see a counselor will result in other people finding out about their personal business, but that is simply not true. Information exchanged during counseling is confidential and will not be disclosed without your prior consent, unless mandated by law or in the event of an emergency where there is imminent danger present to either yourself or others. If a client wants any counseling information to be shared with any organization or person outside RCS, he/she must sign a release of information allowing us to do so. You also have the right to revoke a release of information at any time. Although the counselor will keep a record of your sessions, that information is kept completely confidential. No one outside of RCS has access to your records – not even your spouse or your family. Everything you discuss with your counselor will be kept private. Your counselor will go over this in detail at your first session.

We offer the following Psychological Services

Individual Counseling

Individual counseling is usually conducted during face-to-face meetings (or sessions) in which the therapist and the client talk about what is troubling the client. Counseling works by helping the client look objectively at his/her behaviors, feelings and thoughts in situations that s/he finds troublesome. Counseling is a two-way process that works especially well when clients and their psychologists communicate openly. Counseling can be effective in helping people make important changes in their lives.

Couples Counseling

During couples counseling, couples attend sessions together. The primary focus of the sessions is to help the couple deal with any interpersonal difficulties. Troubled relationships almost invariably involve unclear communications, and in some cases, communication has broken down altogether. During these sessions, both individuals are given the opportunity to communicate their needs to each other, with the aid of a counselor.

Family Therapy

At times, an entire family may be treated together. Family therapy assumes that while one member of the family may have symptoms, the disturbance lies not only in the individual but in the family unit as a whole, including the children. With family problems, such therapy is usually quite successful because when a person comes to a therapist complaining of a family problem; it is the family that should be treated together.

Psychological Assessment

Psychological assessment is a procedure that clinicians use to gain an understanding of the unique characteristics of individuals and to get information about the success of their treatment. Assessment helps in screening, problem solving, diagnosis, counseling and rehabilitation, and in evaluating progress. In some cases, one evaluation can serve several of these purposes; in all cases the focus is directly on the individual.

Psychological Consultation

Psychological consultation focuses on the needs of individuals, groups, programs or organizations. It refers to planned interactions between the professional psychologist (consultant) and one or more clients or colleagues (consultees) relative to a problem, person, area, or program. Psychological consultation is based on principles and procedures found within psychology and related disciplines which a professional psychologist applies his/her areas of expertise in response to the presenting needs and stated objective of consultees.

Seminars and Training

Dr. Paulk is available to provide seminars and training on various aspects of psychology and counseling to community agencies, churches, and other concerned groups. Dr. Paulk’s topics include depression, suicide, and bullying. Find more detail concerning available presentation topics and speaker scheduling under “Seminars.”