Larry Westenberg

About Me

I have been a professional counselor for nearly 40 years. I started out on a 'back ward' of a state mental hospital, counseling extremely mentally ill people, and helping them to access their resources, use their strengths and improve the quality of their lives. It was a tremendous challenge. At that time, I had my Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, and no other training. The State system allowed people to do counseling who had no training in counseling whatsoever. In fact, many of them had never been to college. I discovered the 'uneducated counselors' were usually MUCH more effective at helping their clients. They were not 'full of themselves' and their degrees. Instead, they used what they knew about helping people, did what they could, and learned to help people by figuring out what worked as they went along. They also expected the same from the people they were counseling - that they would use the resources they had, do their best, and get better at improving their lives. Meanwhile, the majority of the 'professional therapists' with extensive degrees were lost in their long explanations and mythologies that tried to explain the patient's behavior, and they often developed bizarre theories and treatment methods they imagined would make the patients get better.

When you make a connection to another person in counseling, you offer them a safe space to "step out of themselves," and discuss their own behavior from a different perspective of detached observation. Recognizing your own skills and the tools you have can help you make meaningful changes strategically, that utilize your own abilities.

I specialize in trauma, anxiety and panic, ADD, and finding meaning in life. I have extensive training in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), and am a published author in the field of Ericksonian Hypnosis and NLP. I enjoy helping others uncover treasure within themselves.

---

Specialties

• Stress, Anxiety
• Trauma and abuse
• Self esteem
• Depression
• Coaching

Also experienced in:
Addictions , LGBT , Relationship issues , Grief , Anger management , Career difficulties , Bipolar disorder , Coping with life changes , ADHD , BDSM, Kink, Alternative Sex Culture , Caregiver Issues and Stress , Communication Problems , Control Issues , Divorce and Separation , Emptiness , Family of Origin Issues , First Responder Issues , Forgiveness , Guilt and Shame , Hospice and End of Life Counseling , Isolation/Loneliness , Jealousy , Life Purpose , Men's Issues , Midlife Crisis , Multicultural Concerns , Obsessions, Compulsions, and OCD , Panic Disorder and Panic Attacks , Polyamory / Nonmonogamous Relationships , Post-traumatic Stress , Prejudice and Discrimination , Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling) , Self-Harm , Self-Love , Sexual Assault and Abuse , Sexuality , Smoking/Vaping Cessation , Social Anxiety and Phobia Read more...

Clinical approaches:
Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Existential Therapy, Hypnotherapy, Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy

---

Services Offered

• 
  Messaging
• 
  Phone
• 
  Video

---

Licensing

LCSW #149008012 (Expires: 2023-11-30)

---

Reviews

These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Larry Westenberg. We don’t pay anyone to provide their review and they are all made voluntarily. Some people's experience receiving therapy with BetterHelp might be different.

Work with me!