Philosophy statement

Philosophy Statement of Focal Point Professional Services, LLC

Adopted February 1, 2007

Amended 6/20/08

The practice of professional counseling at Focal Point Professional Services is defined as “the application of specific principles through proven and accepted interventions and strategies that address wellness, relationships, personal growth, or career development as well as human pathology.”

The specific principles may be psychological, physiological and/or developmental in nature. Any principle applied by a Counselor at Focal Point must be compatible with the traditional moral values of the community as well as supported by the validated research of the scientific community. Any deviation from this expectation is considered unsupported, and is not an approved practice of this agency.

Interventions used by the staff of Focal Point may be cognitive, affective, behavioral, or systemic in application. The purpose of an intervention is to motivate and facilitate positive, beneficial and lasting change in a client’s thoughts, emotions and behaviors. No intervention that violates the moral code of the community, or that is not supported by validated research will be applied by a staff Counselor.

Many interventions may have value as evidenced by research, but questions remain about the full validity and/or compatibility of these interventions with the traditional ethical and moral values of Western thought. Focal Point Professional Services makes no judgments or assumptions for or against these interventions, or against those who use or apply these interventions. Instead, Focal Point simply adopts an agency wide decision not to incorporate the following techniques or interventions while providing services to our clients.

Counselors at Focal Point have agreed as a term of their employment not to use the following techniques/interventions at any time in the therapeutic process.

· Any technique or intervention that the therapist is not specifically competent to apply.

· Any technique or intervention that the client specifically states is unacceptable,

undesired, or chronically uncomfortable.

· Reparative Therapy or Conversion Therapy for homosexuality

· Hypnosis or any therapy evoking an altered state of consciousness.

· Repressed Memory Therapy.

· Lucid Dreaming Therapy

· Any attachment therapies involving touching, holding. rebirthing or other physical

contact with the client by the therapist or another.

· Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

(While this process is often effective, Focal Point Professional Services, LLC does not have a staff therapist trained in EMDR.

Anyone desiring the potential benefit of this procedure may receive a referral to local professionals trained in this procedure.)

· Facilitated Communication

· “Inner Child” healing.

· Any intervention, technique or philosophy that is primarily spiritual or religious in nature.

If you have any questions or concerns about the practices and principles of this agency,

please call the Managing Member, Barry Swope, at 251-625-6448. Your questions will be answered, and any concerns will be completely addressed. You may also contact the office manager, Marcia Swope, at the same number.