Premier Jacksonville Counseling Services

Psychology and Counseling Center

Thank you for visiting our Jacksonville Counseling and Psychological Therapy Center. We offer Jacksonville, Florida and surrounding areas with the most premier counseling and therapy services, providing Jacksonville with the most credentialed therapists and counselors in the area. Our team consists of a licensed and a board-certified clinical psychologist, two clinical psychologists, a doctor of educational psychology and licensed clinical social worker, a licensed clinical social worker, and a licensed mental health counselor. We also have an attorney and parenting coordinator.

What Is Counseling?

Today, counseling is used interchangeably with psychotherapy, life coaching, and therapy. Although, originally, these therapeutic services described differing depths of psychotherapy, counseling and counselor have become the more popular terms to describe the service and the various providers who provide it. Further, we have used psychotherapy or therapy to describe what is used to treat more significant psychological difficulties, such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, insomnia, or post-traumatic stress disorder. We used to use the term counseling to describe advice-giving, providing couples with direction about communication and improving their attitudes toward each other. Life coaching is typically the least intensive and describes individualized consultation that focuses on goal setting and maximizing strengths to accomplish those goals.

Individualized Counseling in Jacksonville at DPG

We know that people decide to seek counseling and therapy for many different reasons. Everyone is different and has unique characteristics that ultimately bring them to therapy. At D'Arienzo Psychological Group, we offer individualized psychological consultation, counseling, and therapy because we recognize that each person has a unique perspective that they bring when they meet us for counseling or therapy. We welcome the opportunity to address your individual and family therapy needs. If you are considering counseling in Jacksonville, FL or in the Northeast Florida region, we hope that you will consider one of our psychology doctors or counselors for counseling or therapy.

How Do I Pick a Psychologist, Counselor, or Marital Therapist?

  • Choose a Licensed Practitioner

    Picking a marriage counselor, psychologist or therapist can be daunting. There are so many professionals that identify themselves as a counselor, psychologist, or marital therapist, and there are so many initials to discern that follow their names. What is most important is that the counselor or therapist is licensed. The licensed counselors and therapists will be identified as a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) or a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) and have a masters degree in psychology, mental health, or social work. A psychologist is a doctor of psychology and is an actual licensed psychologist. All of these professionals who are licensed are trained to help you in psychotherapy or counseling at different levels. Do not see a person that is unlicensed, as they are practicing unregulated and with no oversight. This includes seeing a life coach that has no actual license to practice. You need protection. Knowing the professional psychologist or counselor is licensed will ensure that they have the requisite training and knowledge, and that you can contact the Florida Department of Health if they are causing harm, which can aid the State in stopping them from continuing to practice. After you have ensured they are licensed, other factors that are important are specific gender, theoretical, psychological or counseling orientation, availability, your physical comfort in the actual facility, and the level of professionalism of the associated staff members.

  • Male and Female Therapists

    It is not unusual that some people prefer a male therapist or a female therapist. If a woman is coming for marriage counseling, often she desires a male therapist that will more likely influence her husband based on the husband or therapist's personality. Likewise, a husband choosing a marital therapist may seek a woman that he believes will be better able to reach his wife. Often, women or men that have a history of abuse by a male prefer to see a female counselor; however, seeing a male with the right personality may also benefit him or her in being more comfortable with men. Truly, it depends on your personality, the personality of the therapist, and the issues at hand.

  • Scientifically Proven Therapies

    You want to ensure that the treatment method used is empirically-validated or empirically based. Psychotherapy and counseling methods that are within this realm include cognitive-behavioral therapies, emotionally focused therapy, the Gottman Approach, Motivational Interviewing, Solution Focused Therapy, and EMDR. Be cautious in seeking counseling with someone that offers counseling based on some other method, or if it sounds too good to be true, or too strange for that matter. Know that there are many unique people that practice in the fields of counseling and psychology.

  • Flexible Availability

    You also want to choose someone that is available. Many therapists and psychologists moonlight, meaning they have day jobs elsewhere and practice only at night. Choose someone that is available when you are available so counseling is a positive process and it is easy to get there and be there in counseling. Of note, it is rare to find someone that has weekend or evening hours in Jacksonville for counseling. At D'Arienzo Psychology, we offer late evening hours often until 9:00 p.m. We do make special exceptions and see people on the weekends for intensive marriage counseling work or other family intervention issues.

  • Professional and Warm Atmosphere

    The counseling office, lobby, and administration room should be clean and organized. The therapy offices should be comfortable and not appear too clinical. No one is taking blood so there should not be any white coats or rubber gloves. Our Jacksonville counseling and psychological center office is always clean and organized.

    The staff members and your psychologist or counselor should represent and reflect stability, professionalism, and warmth. It is not important that your psychologist, counselor, or therapist have had your problem or have achieved the financial success that you may have had. But it is important that they understand you, your challenges, and can outline a path of recovery or improvement for you and your life. Regarding the counseling supportive staff, again, you want to ensure that they are friendly, polite, and intelligent, as they will be managing your records and scheduling your appointments. If you have an issue with a staff member, don't be afraid to talk to the owner of the psychological firm or counseling office.

How Many Sessions of Therapy or Counseling Will I Need?

We know from the research that most people need about eight sessions of psychotherapy; however, this varies based on the level of the problem and the personality of the person being counseled. Sometimes people continue to be seen intermittently over a lifetime when problems resurface or they need additional support. Many people actually come for anywhere from one to four sessions just to get confirmation they are moving in the right direction or to have a question answered about themselves or a loved one.

Is Counseling or Therapy Expensive?

Remember that counseling and psychotherapy are like most things in life, in that you do get what you pay for! The more credentialed someone is, the more expensive they are. The highest credentialed are those that are doctors of psychology and those that have multiple certifications. With higher degrees comes more time in school as well as having internships and residencies treating a variety of people. In Florida, to be a therapist or counselor, one must have at least a masters degree. To be a psychologist in Florida, one must have a doctorate degree in psychology (Psy.D., Ph.D., or Ed.D) and complete an internship and residency (post-doc hours). Regardless, if the person is licensed in the State of Florida, you know they at least have a master's degree in counseling or psychology so they should have a grasp on what they are doing.

You may have noticed that many psychologists and master level counselors in Jacksonville, Florida do not accept insurance. Over the last decade, insurance companies have reduced reimbursement rates on an annual basis, with more and more regulation of services, to a point where keeping the doors open to a private practice has become extremely difficult. As a result, you will find that those psychologists and counselors with the most skills, credentials, and best reputations do not accept insurance. The benefit to you is that, since they are not bound by insurance demands, they are able to practice freely, focusing on the client. You may be surprised to know that insurance companies do not reimburse for marriage counseling. There must be a patient identified with a mental health diagnosis in order to see couples together for marriage counseling if insurance is to be utilized for counseling.

Despite the inherent challenges with insurance reimbursement, D'Arienzo Psychological Group continues to accept Tricare insurance (military insurance) in order to treat military members and their families, based on our founder, Dr. D'Arienzo, being a former active duty Navy Psychologist. Our love and service to the military will remain a tradition at our office, as military members and their families continue to sacrifice so much for us. We will continue to support them by offering them counseling and psychological services.

Jacksonville Counseling and Psychological Professionals at DPG

Our Jacksonville, FL Counselors, Psychologist, and Mental Health Counseling Experts

Does Counseling Work?

We know from decades of research that counseling and psychotherapy absolutely work! The most important factor is that the individual or couple is ready for change. People must be amenable to change or therapy can be a lost cause. It is typical that people that enter therapy are ambivalent about change, are considering changing, or are preparing for change, but they just do not have the confidence or the skills to make change possible. That is where we enter to help move them toward change by inspiring confidence and skill-building. This can be accomplished with a credentialed psychologist or counselor.

Counseling Services are Offered to Children, Adolescents, Adults, Couples, and Families

Counseling

  • Marriage Counseling
  • Couples Counseling
  • Individual Counseling
  • Family Counseling

Florida Psychotherapy

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Motivational Interviewing
  • Insight Oriented Therapy
  • Sports Psychology, Motivation, and Performance Issues
  • Anxiety, Depression, Insomnia
  • Exposure Therapy for Phobias
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • Substance Abuse and Dependence
  • 12-Step Therapy and Alcoholism
  • Drug and Alcohol Interventions
  • Suboxone Counseling
  • Sexual Addiction and Pornography
  • Oppositional Defiance and Problematic Behavior Patterns
  • Parenting Help
  • Divorce Therapy, Reunification Therapy, and Parental Alienation Therapy
  • Family Therapy
  • Marital Therapy
  • Anger Management for Individuals, Disruptive Physicians, and Disruptive Employees

Interventions (We do house calls or in officer interventions)

  • Interventions for Depression and Other Mental Health Problems
  • Intervention for Drug Addiction
  • Interventions for Alcoholism

Life Coaching Services

  • Life Coaching
  • Executive Coaching
  • Performance Coaching
  • Divorce Coaching

Links to Our Professional Treatment Team of Jacksonville Counseling and Psychological Experts

Awards, Memberships, and Partnerships

As Featured

Dr D. is an expert psychologist in local and national print & broadcast media

  • LIfetime
  • TLC (Strange Addiction)
  • ID Discovery
  • GQ
  • TD Jakes Show
  • Glamour
  • FCN
  • Jacksonville Magazine
  • The Sound Off Real Relationship Radio
  • CBS
  • The Resident
  • News4Jax
  • Florida Doctor
  • Health Source
  • MPR News

Awards, Memberships, and Partnerships

  • American Academy of Clinical Psychology
  • American Board
  • AFCC
  • Jax Bar
  • American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
  • Tricare
  • Psychology Today
  • Navy Psychologist
  • Best Rated Psychologist
  • 40 Under 40 Jacksonville
  • Jacksonville's Best Psychologist Award
  • Vistage Florida

Free Jacksonville Counseling and Psychotherapy Self Help Information

Special Message About Jacksonville Counseling: If you have made it to the bottom of the page and you are reading this, you are likely someone that definitely does their homework in researching the absolutely best person for counseling for yourself or your family. Please don't hesitate to call us so we can answer any more of your questions. Take the risk today to better yourself with us. We can help you when you are ready! Get Jacksonville Counseling today!

We offer the most premium Jacksonville counseling and psychological services you will find in the northeast Florida area!

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    5 Mar

    Tricare Psychology, Counseling, and Mental Health Care

    Tricare Psychology, Counseling, and Mental Health Care. Military psychology plays a pivotal role in supporting the mental health and well-being of service members, their families, and retirees. Understanding the unique challenges faced by these individuals is essential, as is providing comprehensive care through programs such as TRICARE Mental Health Services. This article delves into the significance of military psychology and the benefits offered by TRICARE for those serving, their loved ones, and those who have served. Military Service Mental Health Psychological and Counseling Center in Florida Understanding Military Psychology. Military psychology focuses on the psychological aspects of military life, combat, and the aftermath of service. It encompasses a wide range of mental health services aimed at addressing issues such as PTSD, anxiety, depression, and the stressors associated with military duties and transitions back to civilian life. The goal is to offer support that is both preventive and therapeutic, ensuring the mental resilience and well-being of the military community. TRICARE Mental Health Services: A Comprehensive Approach. TRICARE, the health care program serving Uniformed Service members, retirees, and their families, provides extensive mental health services. These services are designed to support the unique needs of the military community, including: Access to Care: TRICARE ensures access to mental health care without the need for referrals for active duty members. Family members and retirees can also access services with minimal barriers, emphasizing the importance of early and effective intervention. Diverse Treatments: The program covers a wide array of mental health treatments, including….

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    5 Mar

    When a student makes a threat at school what do you do

    When a Student Makes a Threat at School, What Do You Do? When a student makes a threat within a school environment, it’s a critical moment that demands a swift, comprehensive, and nuanced response. As psychologists, it’s clear that such situations are complex and involve numerous factors, including the mental health of the student, the safety of the school community, and legal considerations. Here are key steps schools should take in response to a threat: Immediate Action and Assessment
    Ensure Immediate Safety: The first priority is to ensure the safety of all students and staff. This may involve securing the area, notifying security personnel, and possibly even a temporary lockdown, depending on the nature and severity of the threat. Evaluate the Threat: It’s essential to quickly assess the credibility and specificity of the threat. This involves determining whether the student has the means, motive, and opportunity to carry out the threat. Professionals trained in threat assessment should be involved in this process.
    Involving the Right Resources. Mental Health Evaluation: A critical next step is to have the student evaluated by a mental health professional. This evaluation can help determine the underlying issues contributing to the threat, such as emotional distress, psychological disorders, or external pressures. Collaboration with Law Enforcement: In cases where the threat is deemed credible and specific, it’s crucial to involve law enforcement agencies. They can provide additional security, guidance, and ensure that any legal requirements are met.

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