These FAQ’s are specific to my Mental Health Services. You can learn more about me from my About page and my Connect page or watch a short welcome video from me.
A Quick Comment
So…Mental Health, Counseling, Therapy, Life Coaching… All of them have quite the varied connotations. They also have significant stigmas attached to them. For valid reasons, sadly. As much as I hate cliches, the “one bad apple ruins the bunch” is applicable here as the mental health profession is not free of the bad provider who takes advantage of another’s vulnerabilities. Or the “provider” who provides services without ethical regulations and credentials. It is a vile thing to do this and I do NOT subscribe to that nonsense. And, frankly, it makes me mad that I even need to put this on my page. I have worked hard in my life to be educated, supervised, practiced, credentialed, and above reproach in my provision of services. And I’ll never provide services outside of my realm of expertise. And I’ll never take advantage of another’s vulnerabilities. I do charge a small amount and that is just to cover my bottom line business expenses. (It’s also been shown that when someone invests in themselves, even just a little, they are more likely to get the most out of their investment.) That said…read on. 🙂
What is ‘PURPOSE’
‘PURPOSE’ is my program to help you live more on purpose. There is much in our lives that we cannot control but we can control how we respond and react. This is living on purpose. We will work through the decision-making, goal-setting, inspiration-getting, progress-defining elements of life while discovering tools in emotional intelligence, adaptability, self-care, and whole person balance. Living on purpose is a process and each step, big or small, matters. Read more about this program here.
If you’d like to be companioned and championed through PURPOSE, let’s connect today!
What is ‘Surviving PURPOSEfully’
‘Surviving PURPOSEfully’ is my program to help you make your stories of hardship and challenge matter. I’m quite certain that it is a universal human experience to have life-altering events occur sometime on our life’s timeline. And those events, chaotic as they are, can be purposed…in the middle of the storm or in the looking-back. Whether we like it or not, we are changed by our life’s experiences and in this program, we explore what those changes are, how you want to leverage them, what you want to “keep,” how you can intentionally practice new wisdom, and what your story has to offer, both for right now and for what’s to come. Read more about this program here.
If you’d like to explore ways to purpose your story, let’s connect TODAY!
What even is Survivorship??!
As a survivor myself, the word “survivorship” was an anomaly for me for quite some time as I was going through cancer treatment. It wasn’t until treatment ended and I was facing this weird-feeling transition, that I started to sort-of “get it.” Survivorship is this strange place where the directives to survive stop and the options to live begin…but everything is upside down and inside out and backwards from what you remember from “before.” You’re the same person but not actually. You look at life from a vastly different perspective. You may have touched death, but it didn’t take you. It can feel like a desert with not even a cactus for reference point… And because of all of this, “surviving” takes on a whole new meaning. It’s bizarre here… Why try and navigate it alone?
What is ‘PURPOSEful Grief’
‘PURPOSEful Grief’ is my program to help you in and through your grief. Grief and loss is another one of those universal human experiences and in my educated opinion, very misunderstood. There is an expectation to ‘just get over it’ and ‘move on’ and yet, anyone who is grieving the loss of anything will tell you that it’s far more complex than that. As a mental health professional with a lot of Grief and Loss experience, I will compassionately companion you in and through the pain of grief — both death and non-death losses and help you integrate your grief into purposeful living. Read more about this program here.
If you’d like a companion through your grief and loss, let’s connect TODAY!
What is Whole Person Integration?
I firmly believe that our life experiences are far richer (and far more worthwhile) when we see through a lens of our “Whole Person” selves. We are multi-dimensional, and each part makes up an incredible whole. Learning to integrate all of our dimensions in a way that supports, encourages and adapts to the areas that are struggling so that we can still experience well-ness is a key to living on purpose.
Wanna learn more? Contact me or pop open a chat from the lower right corner chat icon!
How are Counseling and Coaching different?
They are regulated differently.
- Mental health counseling is regulated by the Department of Regulatory Agencies of Colorado (DORA). In order to practice counseling in Colorado, the counselor must hold a valid license according to their education and training. I am licensed with Colorado as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC.0019520). I hold a master’s degree in counseling and have been practicing counseling for 12 years. I am clinically supervised by Katherine K. Cullis, MA, LPC.
- Coaching is regulated by the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE) and the International Coaching Federation (ICF). In order to practice coaching ethically, the coach must hold a valid credential according to their education and training. I am a board-certified coach via both entities (BCC4617). Coaching is a profession that can be practiced nationally and internationally provided the coach maintains a current credential and adheres to all codes of ethics.
They are designed differently.
- Counseling is often designed by the counselor with the client’s needs in mind. Counseling tends to address how the past has influenced the present to help change future outcomes. A counselor leverages their expertise on mental health to help a client toward healthier thoughts, behaviors, and perspectives. The counseling that I provide is “client-led” and I maintain that the client is the expert in their own life while I can lend expertise to help them address the issues they have.
- Coaching is designed by both the coach and the client in a collaborative manner. Coaching tends to address the present in order to change future outcomes and will go into past experiences when relevant and necessary. A professional coach leverages the client’s own knowledge of self and believes the client as the expert in their life. Coaching is always “client-led” as an industry standard.
Important note:
- While both professions are different, many skills that coaching and counseling professionals use overlap to best serve a client and their presenting needs. The professions complement each other well and at the core of both professions is an unconditional positive regard for the client. This means that any professional in coaching or counseling serves their clients best when they respect their client’s autonomy, provide a safe place for vulnerable and honest processing, and center all motives of service in empathy and inclusivity.
- I am not a medical professional and therefore do not offer medical advice nor do I prescribe medications.
Interested? Contact me to schedule a FREE Discovery Session!
Why would I pay someone to help me?
Let’s be real…sometimes we don’t “buy in” until we literally buy in. Have you ever decided to do something and then gotten stuck? Unmotivated? Made excuses and justifications for why you didn’t finish whatever it was that you set out to do? 🙋🏽♀️ I have. I’d get scared. Or too busy. Or too tired. Or the timing just wasn’t right. Or cancer hit. Life happens. The open waters sometime rile up a huge storm that takes us WAY off course. Or sometimes the sailing is so smooth that we start to get complacent.
I will invest your investment right back into you, because I am FOR you. And, I’m not doing this to get rich. I only charge $25 an hour because I want mental health services of high quality to be both affordable and accessible.
I’d love to chat with you for a FREE 30 minute consult.
Who do you serve?
I serve clients who are looking to create meaning in their stories, anyone who is desiring purpose and who is willing to engage in their own betterment. My specialties are listed above but fall within these parameters: Decision-Making, Finding Purpose, Surviving Purposefully, Grief & Loss, Cancer related counseling or coaching, Trauma related counseling or coaching.
Counseling services are for Colorado residents only. Coaching services are available for clients across the US and in some cases, internationally. As long as we can connect our schedules based on time zones and as long as we can communicate effectively based on language, we’re good!
Inclusivity Statement:
I am a friend to all. I hold a deep value for every person and firmly believe discrimination of any kind is unacceptable. I am, to the best of my abilities and intentions, inclusive to all, FULLY recognizing that I have so much to learn and I am honored to learn from anyone who I get the opportunity to serve. YOU, just as you are, are welcome HERE. 🫶🏼
What are your credentials?
I have a BS in Psychology, an MA in Counseling, an LPC from the Department of Regulatory Agencies of Colorado and a BCC from the Center for Credentialing and Education.
What are your rates and how do I pay you?
I am not doing this to get rich because for me, this is a heart-thing. I deeply desire to meet people and not only help them, but be helped by them. I always have something to learn, and fellow humans are the best people to learn with. Also, because I am wanting to make mental health options both affordable and accessible (two major things sorely missing from our system), I charge $25 per every 60-minutes.
I am currently receiving payments via Venmo or check, but can receive cash if preferred by the client.
Where do we meet?
Services are provided via Telehealth using Doxy.me. You will get a link to my virtual room and all you need is a stable internet connection and a reliable browser. There are no additional app downloads.
When are you available?
In general, I have a wide range of availability for 60-, 90-, or 120-minute Weekly Coaching Sessions and 30-minute Quick Check-Ins. Contact me to schedule any of the above! (PS. You also get 2 FREE consults.)
(RATE: $25 per every 60-minutes)
What is your Privacy Policy?
FOR FUN: What are some of your favorite quotes that you’ve learned from life?
I always have something to learn. I always have something to learn. I always have something to learn.
Be. Be where your feet are. (Thanks KR for this one!) And be there on purpose.
Everything is temporary. Live richly.
Priorities. Live changed.
What you’re doing – matters. How you’re living – matters.
BothAnd is absolutely acceptable. And is FULL of grace.
Show up and do your best with what you know and trust that you’ll know what you need to know when you need to know it.
The space between the unknown and the known matters, too.
Bravery isn’t the flexed arm. Bravery is participating rather than seeking escape or rescue. Bravery is considering the counter-cultural and counter-nonstructural viewpoints. Bravery is holding BothAnds when EitherOrs come with much more clarity. Bravery is choosing the path that resists. Bravery is genuineness. Bravery is grieving. Bravery is gratitude. Bravery is grace-filled. Bravery is having tough boundaries and a soft heart. Bravery is showing up when confidence, certainty, and faith feel small. Bravery is engaging in tough conversations, receiving feedback, and offering it. Bravery is saying, ‘I don’t know,’ and hearing what comes after that. Bravery is asking, ‘What do you know,’ and hearing what comes after that. Bravery is giving credit where credit is due – for others and for you. Bravery is traversing upside-down in an unexpected and twisted Wonderland. Bravery is living on purpose.
You may have more questions! I’d love to connect and answer any additional questions you have. Feel free to call me or email me anytime! Click here for my contact information and we’ll talk soon!
© 2024 :: The Purposed Sailor, LLC :: Amber Havekost, MA, LPC, BCC