About Abram

Qualifications:

    • License # 35001932A
    • Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist
    • School: Christian Theological Seminary, Indianapolis, IN
    • M.A. Marriage and Family Therapy, 2011
    • B.S. Theology, Concordia University Wisconsin, Mequon, WI

About Me: 

As an interactive therapist, I strive to create a strong working alliance with my clients with a style that is warm, direct, and depth-oriented.  I believe in a collaborative approach which establishes clear goals for treatment and utilizes a blend of therapeutic approaches to most benefit my clients and their presenting issues.  

Benefits of quality counseling are:

    • Improved overall quality of life
    • Practical solutions to everyday concerns
    • Understanding past experiences and how they impact you today
    • Gaining a new perspective on life events
    • Resolved conflict

I enjoy working with:

    • Relationships with spouse or partner
    • Relationships with family membersunexpectedkindness-is-themost-powerfulleast-costly-andmost-underratedagent-of-humanchange
    • Those who have experienced loss of a loved one
    • Parenting and family transitions
    • New parents, growing teens
    • Blended families and launching young adults
    • Learning disabilities for all ages
    • Depression, anxiety, fear, anger
    • Mood disorders
    • Chronic illness
    • Physical and sexual abuse
    • Grief
    • Conflict, anger management
    • Spirituality and Faith
    • Premarital counseling
    • Divorce recovery
    • And more

Communities:

    • Bisexual Allied
    • Body Positivity
    • Gay Allied
    • Immuno-disorders
    • Non-Binary Allied
    • Queer Allied
    • Racial Justice Allied
    • Transgender Allied

My Approach

Positive relationships are the best human defense against stress and uncertainty.  When we possess a sense of connection with a loved one, we possess an internal regulation device to protect against feelings of being helpless and meaningless.  Research has shown that secure relationships are vital components of mental and physical health.  Attachment theory describes the importance of secure bonds between partners and family members in order for individuals to develop fully and authentically.  Counseling has the power to establish and re-create supportive bonds among individuals.

While I make use of a variety of methods including systemic, structural, and cognitive theories, Attachment Theory best describes my foundational understanding of human interaction.  All humans have a powerful need to connect and attach to other human beings, not only through childhood, but throughout the life cycle.  Research is showing that we are at our best physically and mentally when we have secure loving emotional bonds with others.  Secure attachments help us weather the trials of life and reach our potential.

How can I help you? 

Unproductive cycles often develop in our most important relationships and it is these cycles that lead to feelings of shame and inadequacy.  The cycle continues by allowing fear about our own ability to be loved and feel worth.  At these times, we have great difficulty sharing with others which pushes our loves one away causing them to feel rejection which perpetuates the cycle.  Through counseling, clients learn to recognize this cycle in their relationships, reduce anger and blame, and learn new ways to respond which facilitate supportive connections.

Secure relationships come from healthy emotional interactions with others.  It is more difficult to communicate honestly about difficult issues, but it is my goal to help my clients identify their needs and learn ways to communicate them directly and truthfully.  Healthy relationships equip individuals to reach out to and provide support to others, receive and accept support from others, and deal with conflict and stress in a positive way.

What is Marriage and Family Therapy?

Marriage and family therapists (commonly referred to as MFTs or family therapists) are trained and licensed to independently diagnose and treat mental health and substance abuse problems.  Marriage and family therapy is one of the core mental health disciplines and is based on the research and theory that mental illness and family problems are best treated in a family context.  Trained in psychotherapy and family systems, marriage and family therapists focus on understanding their clients’ symptoms and interaction patterns within their existing environment.  MFTs treat individuals of all ages, couples, family and group therapy. Whomever the client, Family Therapists treat from a relationship perspective that incorporates family systems.  Studies demonstrate that family therapy is a preferred method of treatment for depression, substance abuse, alcoholism, marital problems, child problems, couple enrichment, and schizophrenia, to name a few.

Post-graduate Instruction and Experience:

An Externship for Emotionally Focused Therapy has better equipped me to help couples experience emotional connection through focussed conversation and exercises.  As an individual with dyslexia, I understand the challenges that learning differences present, but I also recognize that there are often unique strengths which are often underutilized.  I enjoyed attending the Learning Disabilities Association National Conference where attendees were equipped to advocate and empower individuals facing a challenging world.

Personal Interests:

I have pursued many interests over the course of my life, from social welfare to music and theatre, In all my experiences, I have remained fascinated with how we as humans develop into individuals while connecting and supporting each other.  My work is also informed by being a husband and father of two children.  I truly enjoy working collaboratively with clients to develop healthy strategies to deal with life’s challenges.

 

Comments are closed.