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Lifespan Services |
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We care and we can help. |
727-847-0069 |
About Us
Rebecca M. Gerlach, MA, Licensed Mental Health Counselor
I can be reached by email at:
My Philosophy
As a counselor, two of my greatest strengths are rapport building and empathy, which I believe are the essential building blocks to any successful counselor- client relationship. It is important to me that my clients feel safe and comfortable in their sessions with me. Sometimes good rapport develops quickly and sometimes it takes longer. I have the patience to allow rapport to develop over time with my clients if necessary. After good rapport has been established, I like to discuss my client’s issues/problems with them and collaborate to find the best possible solutions so they can move forward in their lives. In some cases, like a crisis situation, clear and directive measures are required, but in most counseling relationships I prefer a team approach. In many cases, I find that my clients are very insightful about their own lives and can be very helpful in assisting in their therapeutic process.
My clients include young children up to twelve years old, and individual adolescents and adults facing a wide variety of issues. I utilize Play Therapy with children and work with their parents on improving their parenting skills. I also utilize Client Centered, Cognitive Behavioral and Solution Focused Therapies, depending on the individual client and their needs. I am involved in both short term and long term counseling relationships with my clients.
One of my other strengths is a strong desire to help people deal with their problems and successfully grow as individuals. When such growth occurs as a result of hard work in therapy, it is very rewarding to both my clients and myself.
My Background
My interest in psychology began when I was an undergraduate student, first at Muskingum College in Ohio and then at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA, where I graduated with a BS in Psychology. After staying home with my children when they were small, I continued pursuing my education by obtaining an MA in Counseling from Eastern University in St. David’s, PA. A few years later, after Pennsylvania passed legislation to license Master’s level counselors, I took an additional nine educational credits and earned a counseling license (LPC) in PA. I repeated this process after moving to Florida, obtaining an additional nine educational credits and earned a counseling license (LMHC) in FL. Along this journey I have worked with several group practices, done a short stint with private practice, worked in a school setting for an in school suspension program, and been a teaching assistant for graduate level counseling courses.
Currently, I work for Lifespan Services counseling all age groups for a variety of issues and concerns. I have been working here since 2008 and very much enjoy being a part of Lifespan Services and being a positive influence in the lives of the clients that I serve.