Frequently Asked Questions
Starting Therapy
What can I expect during the first session?
The first session is an opportunity for us to get to know one another. I'll want to understand what has brought you to therapy, what your current concerns are, and what you hope will be different moving forward. We'll also talk about your personal history, relationships, and any previous recovery efforts. My goal is not to rush into solutions but to develop a thoughtful understanding of your story so we can create a clear direction for treatment together.
How do I know if therapy is right for me?
Many people contact me after trying to address these struggles on their own for months or even years. If you feel caught in recurring patterns, are struggling with secrecy or shame, or recognize that your behaviors are affecting your relationships, therapy can provide a place to understand those patterns and begin building healthier ways of living. Even if you're uncertain, an initial consultation can help determine whether we're a good fit.
Do you offer virtual therapy?
Yes. My practice is currently fully virtual for clients who are physically located in Georgia. Sessions are conducted through a secure HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform, allowing you to receive specialized care from the privacy of your home or another confidential location.
Compulsive Sexual Behavior
What is compulsive sexual behavior?
Compulsive sexual behavior refers to recurring sexual behaviors that continue despite repeated attempts to stop and despite causing negative consequences. These behaviors often become unhealthy ways of coping with stress, loneliness, anxiety, shame, or emotional pain. Recovery involves much more than stopping the behaviors—it involves understanding the emotional and relational patterns that sustain them.
Is compulsive sexual behavior the same as sex addiction?
Many people refer to these concerns as "sex addiction" or "pornography addiction" and use them interchangeably with "compulsive sexual behavior." Others prefer different language depending on their clinical or personal perspective. Regardless of terminology, my focus is helping clients understand the patterns driving their behaviors and helping them develop practical, lasting strategies for recovery from an evidence-informed, recovery-oriented approach.
Why do I keep returning to these behaviors?
Most people I work with are not lacking motivation or willpower. More often, these behaviors have become deeply learned ways of managing difficult emotions, stress, loneliness, or unresolved wounds. Until those underlying patterns are understood and healthier ways of responding are developed, lasting change can be difficult. Therapy focuses on addressing both the behaviors and the deeper issues that continue to fuel them.
Is recovery just about stopping pornography or other unwanted sexual behaviors?
No. While reducing and eliminating problematic behaviors is certainly important, recovery is much broader than abstinence alone. Healthy recovery includes growing in emotional awareness, honesty, integrity, healthy relationships, spiritual maturity, and the ability to tolerate life's challenges without returning to unhealthy coping strategies.
What if I've relapsed before?
Many people seeking recovery have experienced setbacks. A relapse does not erase the progress you've made, nor does it mean recovery is impossible. Rather than responding with shame or hopelessness, we work to understand what contributed to the relapse, strengthen your recovery plan, and continue moving forward with greater awareness and resilience.
Therapy & Recovery
What makes your approach different?
As a licensed psychologist and Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT) Candidate under supervision, I combine evidence-based treatment with a thoughtful understanding of attachment, trauma, emotional development, and Christian faith. My goal is not simply to help clients stop unwanted behaviors but to help them become healthier, more integrated people who are able to live with greater honesty, emotional maturity, and connection.
What does "CSAT Candidate" mean?
CSAT stands for Certified Sex Addiction Therapist, a specialized training program developed by the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals (IITAP). The training focuses on the assessment and treatment of compulsive sexual behaviors, pornography addiction, betrayal trauma, and the relational dynamics that often accompany these struggles.
As a CSAT Candidate, I have completed substantial specialized training and continue to receive clinical supervision as I work toward full certification. This means my approach is informed by evidence-based treatment models specifically designed for compulsive sexual behavior recovery, rather than relying solely on general mental health training.
Why do you recommend group therapy?
Recovery often stalls in isolation. Group therapy provides opportunities to practice honesty, receive encouragement, build accountability, and experience authentic relationships with others pursuing similar goals. While individual therapy remains important, many clients find that group therapy becomes one of the most meaningful parts of their recovery.
How long does recovery usually take?
Recovery looks different for every person. Factors such as the length of the struggle, past trauma, relationships, motivation, and support systems all influence the process. While meaningful progress can begin early, lasting recovery is generally best understood as a long-term process of growth rather than a quick solution.
Faith & Recovery
Do I have to be a Christian?
Gathered Embers is a Christian counseling practice, and my approach is shaped by both psychological science and the Christian faith. Most of the people I work with are seeking therapy that thoughtfully integrates both. If you're comfortable working within that framework, you're welcome to reach out, regardless of where you currently find yourself spiritually.
Will therapy mainly involve Bible study?
No. Therapy remains professional, evidence-based clinical treatment. Christian faith is thoughtfully integrated into the therapeutic process through conversations about identity, grace, relationships, forgiveness, spiritual growth, and healing as they naturally relate to your goals and circumstances. The focus is always on helping you experience meaningful psychological and spiritual growth together.
What if I've been hurt by the church?
Many individuals seeking recovery carry painful experiences related to churches, Christian communities, or spiritual expectations. Those experiences deserve to be understood with compassion rather than dismissed. Therapy offers space to explore those experiences honestly while distinguishing unhealthy expressions of faith from the hope and healing found in a healthy relationship with God.
For Spouses
Do you work with betrayed spouses?
My primary clinical work focuses on helping individuals recover from compulsive sexual behaviors. At the same time, I recognize that these struggles deeply affect spouses and families. Betrayal trauma is a very real and painful experience, and healthy recovery requires acknowledging its impact. When appropriate, I may recommend that spouses receive their own therapeutic support while we work toward greater honesty, accountability, empathy, and relational healing.
Can our marriage recover?
Every relationship is unique, and no therapist can promise a particular outcome. What I have seen, however, is that many couples are able to build healthier, more honest, and more connected relationships when recovery is pursued with genuine humility, accountability, and consistent effort. Even when the future feels uncertain, meaningful healing is possible.
Will you take my spouse's side?
No. My role is not to take sides but to pursue truth with compassion and integrity. That means holding individuals accountable for harmful behaviors while also recognizing the very real pain experienced by spouses. Healthy therapy creates space for honesty, responsibility, empathy, and growth rather than blame or defensiveness.
Recovery Philosophy
Is recovery really possible?
Yes. Recovery does not mean becoming a perfect person or never facing temptation again. It means becoming increasingly free to live with honesty, integrity, emotional maturity, and meaningful connection with God and others. While the path is rarely linear, lasting change is possible.
Why isn't stopping the behavior enough?
Because the behavior is often only one part of the problem. Lasting recovery involves understanding why the behavior developed in the first place, learning healthier ways of responding to life's challenges, repairing relationships where possible, and growing into a more emotionally and spiritually integrated person. Recovery is not simply about what you stop doing; it is about who you are becoming.