Gail Black

Hello, my name is Gail Black. I have been working in counseling since 2000. My twenty years in my profession has given me invaluable insights into the strengths of individuals I have counseled. I have found that people have a remarkable ability to persevere through tremendous adversity. The most valuable tool utilized to address adversity is the person’s ability to be vulnerable. Being vulnerable translates into embracing the counseling process. Embracing the counseling process will look different for each person. But the most common and yet poignant factor is honesty with oneself. Having gained these insights has molded the way in which I counsel. My theoretical framework for counseling is solution focused. My philosophy is that people have the answer to their problems. When someone is both open to the counseling process and has the capacity to be honest with oneself, they have the foundational framework to resolve their problems. Having gained this insight, I utilized counseling sessions as an opportunity to allow clients to talk and reflect on the content of their conversation. This process allows clients to analyze their problem, categorize different aspects of their problem, and then brainstorm ways on how to solve the problem.