Inner Room Counseling, LLC                   Troy A. Elenbaas, MA - LPC  

Scope of Practice

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Adult Mental Health
 

Inner Room Counseling has helped hundreds of people make progress when struggling through tough personal challenges and adjustments to life stressors.  In some cases a specific root to the problem is found and addressed, and the positive changes can be dramatic.  Other times, the progress is made through small steps in changing our perceptions of and reactions to the presenting problems, and this work takes time and patience.  About half of my time in practice is spent with adult men and women from their twenties to their fifties.  Much of this work involves overcoming and learning from the past, engaging positively with the present, and looking forward to a positive future.  Also, answers to some of life's larger existential questions will often be pursued here, when appropriate for the client.

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                                       Children and Teens    

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I have many years of experience working with children suffering with:  Adjustment issues, Oppositional Defiance, Conduct Disorder, Anxiety, Separation Anxiety, Depression, and other behavioral manifestations of trauma, neglect, or family conflict.  As a former high school teacher, I find relating to teenagers is second nature.  While not opposed to medications, I try to address problems without relying on medications when possible, and will suggest medications in some cases, when the overall quality of the child's life is likely to improve.  Teenagers benefit a lot from being truly heard in a safe place, learning what parts of their struggle are normal, and being guided in how to adjust to a life that brings with it many challenges and conflicts.  Children often benefit from guidance in gaining insight into their world and understanding of how they perceive and react to their environment.   

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Different counseling techniques  are chosen to match the child's developmental level.  Those at the middle school ages often talk more openly when engaged in a casual activity during sessions.  High School aged children usually do well with  traditional talk therapy.   Usually I can employ a very empathetic Person Centered approach to my counseling which often includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused Methods, and/or mindfulness work.     

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           Marital, Couples, and Christian-Based Counseling    

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Biblical Marriage is a covenant agreement between a husband, a wife, and God which I take very seriously as a counselor.    Walking out a life of love, commitment, and dedication to another requires some very challenging work of being more open, humble, and vulnerable than one thought they could be.  For those seeking Christian Marital Counseling, I use Matthew 19 and Ephesians 5 as a model for selfless Christ-like love, honor, and respect that we should be pursuing in relation to our spouse.  Often, with hard work over time, a healthier relationship can be gained which includes more trust and understanding of the other.  There is almost always work to be done between the husband and wife, as well as individual work putting right the negative views of self and other that were brought into the marriage.  

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