Between planning wedding events and organizing a honeymoon, it can be easy to spend more time getting ready for your big day than preparing for a life together. Dr. Clark believes that premarital counseling is an excellent opportunity to ensure that you have the best possible start in launching your marriage. He will address key issues that commonly surface early in marriage. He will help you strengthen your bond and develop healthy communication skills that will lay the foundation for a lasting, fruitful marriage.

North Alabama Christian Counseling also offers counseling for married couples. Dr. Clark works with a broad range of concerns including infidelity, communication, anger management, conflict resolution, life transitions, trauma, and sexual addiction. He has seen many dysfunctional relationships changed into strong, vibrant relationships. In working with Dr. Clark, you and your spouse will experience more clarity, direction, and hope for your marriage.

Families in today’s culture are facing many challenges.  Family counseling can bring the family back together in a way that helps each member feel loved, heard, and understood.  Dr. Clark will explore your family dynamics in a supportive and nurturing way to understand how each member impacts one another, and what needs to be done to stabilize the home.

At North Alabama Christian Counseling, Dr. Clark offers professional counseling for individuals from all walks of life. He would be delighted to partner with you as you work toward health and wholeness. You will be provided a safe, compassionate environment to process the issues that are preventing you from experiencing greater life satisfaction and emotional well-being. Whether you want to address a specific or ongoing problem, or just need someone to talk to, he is here to listen and provide tools for healing and growth. Dr. Clark will initially spend time getting to know you and then determine how to best help you in the counseling process. He will provide you with tools and resources to move beyond past hurts, overcome present challenges, and navigate future circumstances.

As a parent of a teen it can be hard to know when your teen needs counseling. If you notice a marked change in your teen’s behavior or mood, especially if the changes are sudden, it may be time to think about counseling. This might be a change in sleep or eating patterns, or could be as serious as increased drug or alcohol use or sexual behavior. A significant decrease in school attendance or a slump in grades may reveal distress as well. Teens that need help will most likely display signs of depression, angry outbursts, or will withdraw from friends and family. During these tough times, communication can shut down and the teen may refuse to discuss what it is that’s bothering them. Dr. Clark will provide teen-friendly counseling to help your child define the issues, offer better ways to cope, and assume more responsibility for their life. He will also provide parents with resources they need to reconnect with their teen.

Many clients report that the typical 50 minute, once-a-week session is inadequate in resolving their individual or relational problems. This is particularly true when the clinician is unable to schedule regular follow-up sessions. It’s not uncommon for a client to complain that “an hour a week just isn’t enough time to make any progress” or “we were just getting into the real problem and the session was over.”

Intensive Counseling is unique in that it provides longer and/or more frequent therapy sessions over a shorter time span, which accelerates the resolution of the identified issues. Research has clearly demonstrated that intensive therapy can help an individual or a couple make greater gains in a significantly shorter period of time with a lower probability of relapse.

Some clients choose to schedule 2-3 appointments a week. Others are too busy for multiple appointments or live/work out of town and prefer a block of concentrated time (2-4 hours). The latter approach is especially helpful for couples that are in a complex, acrimonious relationship, which is moving toward separation or divorce. Intensive Counseling allows a couple sufficient time to de-escalate pent-up emotion, thoroughly discuss issues of conflict, and begin repairing and strengthening their relationship.

Who Might Benefit from Intensive Counseling?

• Affair recovery
• Trauma
• Anxiety and depression
• Recurring conflict
• Lack of emotional intimacy
• Sexual issues
• Lack of partnership or teamwork
• Parenting difficulties
• Family issues
• Anger Management
• Life stress

Who would not be a good candidate for Intensive Counseling?

• You are not committed to the intensive nature of this therapeutic process.
• You are not motivated to fight for your marriage.
• There is an ongoing or undisclosed affair.
• There is serious violence or abuse in the relationship.
• You or your partner is suicidal.
• You or your partner suffers from an untreated serious mental illness.
• You or your partner has an active addiction.

If Intensive Counseling sounds like the right approach for you, Dr. Clark would like to personally consult with you by phone. He would be happy to answer any questions that you may have.