Or you're struggling with depression after losing your job, but can't bring yourself to leave the house and get the help you know you need.

Maybe your life is so chaotic between your job and your family that there's no time to drive across town to see a counselor every week.

So often we stay stuck and live in misery because we don't have the time, tools or knowledge to save ourselves. The skills we need to live a more satisfying life are just too far out of our reach. Instead of finding a way out of our despair, we dig an even deeper hole.

Counseling — specifically telephone counseling — promises hope to those facing such challenges in life. With that first call, you can put yourself on a path of recovery and renewed joy in living.

It's more than just convenient, telephone counseling works and there are plenty of studies to prove it. In a busy world, jam-packed with demands and commitments, telephone counseling often is the ideal fit for many individuals and couples.

Why Choose Telephone Counseling

Here are just a few reasons why telephone counseling might be a good fit for you:

• It's easy and convenient. You can choose to receive therapy wherever you feel most comfortable. Instead of coming to an office for face-to-face counseling, you can relax in your favorite chair at home. Or if you are traveling, you can settle into your hotel room after a hard day and talk with someone you trust.
  
  
• For many adults, talking face-to-face about their most intimate issues can be intimidating, but telephone counseling breaks down that barrier and gives you more freedom to express yourself. When you are able to reveal your deepest feelings, your therapist is better able to help you define, clarify and explore your issues more quickly. This speeds up therapy.
  
  
• Telephone counseling offers an effective option for those who otherwise might never be able to get therapy because of physical or geographic limitations. Perhaps an illness or injury prevents you from driving or you live in a rural area where access to mental health care is limited. With telephone counseling you don't have to worry about how you'll get to your appointment.
  
  
• It allows you to find the right counselor for your specific needs. You are not limited to a counselor in your zip code but instead you can choose someone who has the training, skills and educational background that is a perfect match for you.
  
  
• It saves time and money. No fighting traffic or wasting gas to drive across town. No leaving work early to head to your counselor's office. You only need to find a quiet, private place where you can talk on the phone.
  
  
• For those with privacy concerns and who want a high level of discretion and anonymity, telephone counseling offers a way to get help without going to a local practitioner.
  
  
• You don't have to worry about how you are dressed or look. If your nose is running, your eyes or swollen from crying or you're in your pajamas, no one will see you.

Who benefits from telephone counseling?

• Those who travel and cannot get to an office on a regular basis.
• Those with a chronic or disabling illness that makes driving difficult.
• Those with a hectic and demanding schedule.
• Those who do not have transportation or cannot leave the house.
• Those who are shy or reluctant to talk face-to-face with a therapist.

Who should not do telephone counseling

• Anyone who is at risk of hurting themselves or who is suicidal.
• Anyone who is at risk for hurting someone else or is homicidal.
• Anyone who has a severe mental illness that requires more than weekly phone sessions.
• Anyone with a bad phone connection.

What to expect from telephone counseling

Mark Felber is a licensed professional counselor, a licensed chemical dependency counselor and a board certified practitioner of psychodrama, who is well-prepared to help you address your issues through telephone counseling. He has extensive professional experience and is trained in 18 therapeutic models including Solution-Focused Therapy and Imago Therapy, both of which have both been shown to be especially effective with telephone counseling.

As the name implies, Solution-Focused Therapy helps you define issues and find a satisfying resolution. Imago Therapy teaches couple skills that help them work together toward a more rewarding relationship. Mark is highly skilled at using Imago Therapy and has been using it for years in his private practice. He has helped hundreds of couples reap the benefits of Imago Therapy.

Mark's nearly 20 years of experience and training makes him well-qualified to deal with many issues that can be effectively addressed through telephone counseling, including depression, anxiety, abandonment, grief and co-dependency.

How it works

As with most therapy, it starts with a phone call.

Simply call Mark at 214-796-2323 and ask for a free 15-minute consultation. During the consultation you should consider your needs and goals for therapy as well as whether you have the kind of rapport that makes for a good counseling fit. Mark will answer your questions and tell you whether he believes phone counseling is right for you.

If you decide to start phone counseling, the next step is to download the forms required before therapy can begin. The completed forms can then be mailed or faxed to Mark's office.

Once Mark has received the forms, he will call you to set up your first appointment. Several appointments can be booked for the same time each week as needed. Clients must pay for each session in advance. Mark accepts major credit cards. The fee is $150 for a 50 minute session. If you cancel an appointment without giving 24-hour notice, you must pay for it in full.

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