Dr. Richard "Wade" Arnold, Psychologist
About me
My name is Wade Arnold. I earned an MS in Counselor Education from Mississippi State University, an MDiv in Theology from Baylor University, and a PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of Florida. I have served as a staff psychologist and professor at several universities and I'm a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in the State of Florida.
If I were you, I would find it helpful to understand a little about the process of therapy or how a particular counselor works. I call my approach to psychotherapy an integrated, pragmatic approach. While I draw on many different counseling theories, I tend to think about the issues that bring individuals and couples into my practice in cognitive behavioral and interpersonal terms. Specifically, the two psychological theories on which I rely most frequently is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (GBT) and Time-Limited Dynamic Psychotherapy (TLDP). CBT assumes that we interpret the events we encounter in a way that elicits emotional and behavioral responses. It follows that if we want to change our emotions and behavior, we begin by reinterpreting the events we encounter.
TLDP assumes that problems in living are the result of cyclical maladaptive interpersonal patterns. In brief, this approach to psychotherapy holds that
1) we perceive ourselves in certain ways and we engage in certain behaviors which leads us to
2) expect specific reactions from other people, and
3) that others respond to us in ways that either confirm or disconfirm our expectations, and
4) that as a result of this process we develop ideas about who we are and how we should act in the world .
For instance, if Harry meets Sally and he expects Sally to reject him, Harry may be overly protective of himself and fail to demonstrate his interest in Sally. Sally may perceive Harry as aloof and misinterpret his fear of rejection as a lack of interest. As a result, Sally doesn’t show her interest in Harry. In the end, both Harry and Sally feel rejected (thus, confirming Harry’s expectation of being rejected) because both Harry and Sally misinterpreted the other's behavior.
My ideal clients are the ones I know that I will have the greatest probably of helping achieve their goals. To that end, I know I work best with people who are:
1) experiencing anxiety and/or depression;
2) struggling with relationships (e.g. couples, friendships);
3) Christians.
This is not to say that I don’t work with people who are experiencing other issues, or who do not share my beliefs; however, these are the types of issues that I have had the most experience and success helping resolve, and the world view from which I work.
If this approach sounds like something you can commit to, then contact me to set up a video session.
I am currently accepting clients Monday through Thursday from 1:00 to 4:00 PM EST.
Professional experience
Additional areas of focus: Family conflicts, Grief, Intimacy-related issues, Career difficulties, Coping with life changes, Compassion fatigue, Divorce and separation, Emptiness, Family of Origin Issues, Family Problems, Fatherhood Issues, Forgiveness, Guilt and shame, Infidelity, Isolation / loneliness, Life purpose, Men's issues, Midlife crisis, Panic disorder and panic attacks, Social anxiety and phobia
Clinical approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Gottman Method, Solution-Focused Therapy
License information
FL Psychologist PY8422
Reviews
These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Dr. Richard "Wade" Arnold. 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.
Doctors Arnold truly helped me to learn to control some areas of my life that have impacted past and current my relationships. I feel completely safe allows for honest discussions. Ultimately, I have been able to look deeper at myself and others. I am happy with the improvements we’ve made in a relatively short period time. I will continue seeing Dr Arnold and I am thankful for him helping me to grow.
Written on Sep 20, 2023 after therapy with Richard "Wade" for 1 month
I have met with Dr. Wade a few times and felt an instant connection with him. He has also helped me connect some dots to my issues I have been struggling with and guiding me through how to best address these issues. I feel comfortable and confident with Dr. Wade as my therapist and look forward to each session with him.
Written on Dec 21, 2022 after therapy with Richard "Wade" for 3 weeks on issues concerning stress, anxiety, and parenting issues
I was initially seeking a male therapist as a proactive measure to understand the male psyche in hopes to gain a better understanding of my husband. I gained so much more from Dr Wade that I had not expected. Dr Wade is an excellent active listener, and he provides a thoroughness in his assessment that brings you to a much better place with clarity and understanding. I enjoy our talk sessions and look forward to learning more from him. Dr Wade is a student of the Word and provides direction to acquire confidence in hope.
Written on Oct 25, 2022 after therapy with Richard "Wade" for 2 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related issues, and self esteem
Dr. Arnold has helped me so much. He really listens and goes out of his way to offer helpful tips advice and strategies and pivots to what I might need depending on what happened recently. He is super easy to talk to and made me feel very welcome in our discussions.
Written on Jan 06, 2022 after therapy with Richard "Wade" for 3 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, and intimacy-related issues
Dr. Arnold is all things you will need in a therapist to help you meet your goals: attentive, educated, understanding, compassionate, and focused on helping you find what it is you are looking for.
Written on Dec 29, 2021 after therapy with Richard "Wade" for 2 months on issues concerning depression, and stress, anxiety
I really like Dr. Arnold, he listens to me and gives me great responses. Helps with different ways to better understand what I need and how to help me achieve what I need.
Written on Oct 01, 2021 after therapy with Richard "Wade" for 1 month on issues concerning stress, anxiety