 | I don't overload myself with clients. I work full
time in the field and, on the average, I see about 25
clients per week. This client load allows me enough
time to complete all the behind-the-scenes work necessary to
be sure that you get the best possible service.
This is also the reason that I no longer take HMO insurance
plans. In my opinion, HMO plans do not reimburse
providers enough to allow them to have reasonable client
loads and make a living. If you are shopping around
for a counselor ask them if they work full time in the
profession and how many clients they see per week.
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| I don't try to counsel everybody for everything. I
know my limitations and will refer a client to another
professional when necessary. For example, I don't
treat children unless it is in the context of family
therapy, and I don't treat alcohol or drug dependence.
I DO treat adults with a variety of mental health and
adjustment problems, marital and other relationship
problems, and problems in the workplace.
|
| I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with a
Master of Counseling degree, and I am certified by the
National Board of Certified Counselors as a National
Certified Counselor (NCC) with a specialty certification in
clinical mental health counseling (CCMHC). I
have been in private practice for ten years.
Prior to becoming a counselor, I spent 16 years in the
business world. More info is available in my
bio.
If you are shopping around be sure to ask for the
credentials of the person that you are going to see.
|
| Clients who are currently active in their counseling
have access to the clients-only area of the Personal
Dynamics website. I believe that much of the change
that happens to clients occurs outside of my office.
The clients-only feature of the website allows clients
access to educational materials and other resources to help
reinforce the what has been learned in the time that we
spend in counseling. This is a new area of the website
that will be developed more over time. |
Question: How long does it take to
get an appointment?
Answer: Wait times for appointments vary depending
on the current client load and other commitments. Typical
wait times are between a few days to a couple of weeks. Due
to high demand, wait times for off-hours appointments are
considerably longer. There are also times when no openings
are anticipated for some time. In those cases prospective
clients will be given the option to be put on a waiting list
or to be referred to other professionals in their community.
Prospective clients who are suicidal, in crisis, or in some
way a danger to themselves or others should not wait for an
appointment, but instead call the local
crisis lines immediately. The 24 hour crisis services include Empact at (480) 784-1500 and the Samaritan Help line at (602)
254-4357. There are also other resources under
crisis
help.
Question: How are your
consultation services different from coaching?
Answer: While much of the process is the same, the
coaching model generally emphasizes using the telephone as the
primary means of communication. I believe that
face-to-face contact is essential to work effectively with
clients. While not all contact must be face-to-face, most of
the services should be provided with the client and the
consultant in the same physical location.
In addition, receiving these services from a Licensed Professional
Counselor (LPC) offers the client a number of
additional benefits. First, an LPC can provide psychotherapy
in addition to the consultation. This provides a seamless
continuum of services to address any emotional barriers that
may get in the way of the client reaching their goals.
Second, the communications between a client and a licensed
counselor are legally privileged. With a few exceptions, this
means that the information that you share with a licensed
counselor is confidential and can not be obtained by anyone,
including the civil or criminal legal systems (ARS
§ 32-3283). This is not the case with a coach who
is not also licensed by the state as a mental
health provider.
Third, coaching is not
regulated by any governmental agency. You have no
assurances of the qualifications of the person that you are
seeing. The International Coaching Federation requires a
minimum of 60 clock hours of training (roughly a week
and a half of full time training) and the successful passing of
a test to become an associate coach. This is roughly the
equivalent of one four-credit-hour college course. In
order to become an LPC the professional must complete a masters
degree in counseling consisting of at least 48 graduate credit
hours in specific courses, complete an internship, complete
one to two years of post-graduate supervised experience, and
pass a comprehensive examination. All totaled this is
typically a four year process of counselor development prior
to obtaining a license to practice independently. Additional information
about Mr. Hofmann's experience and qualifications is available
under the
long version of my bio.
