Steve Baker, LPC, MAC

“The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.” —  William Arthur Ward

Are you ready or do you desire a change in your life?  If so, what kind of therapy are you looking for?

My speciality over the last 35 years has been working with people who need counseling and support with a myriad of problems. I work with people who are challenged with a combination of addiction, mood, anxiety, trauma, and/or depression.

I also work with people who are simply trying to find clarification, purpose, and meaning in their lives. I enjoy helping people who have developed self-defeating approaches to help them cope with the stressors to help them find better ways of coping. I also work with people who are looking for a new start and motivation to make the necessary changes they want to make in their lives.

I will work hard to create an atmosphere of radical positive regard and acceptance for you. This is not simply a place where transformation can occur, but also an experience where healthy integration can take place. My hope is to create a safe place for you to resolve your fears, worries, and if necessary your pain, and truly discover yourself for the first time, or the first time in a long time. I believe that healing in this way is our human birthright and destiny, but it can sometimes get lost and must be reclaimed.

The greatest reward in my work is to facilitate and bear witness to this process, and to be with you each step of the way.

I consider myself to be an eclectic therapist.  I have been very fortunate to be exposed to a wide range of therapeutic approaches while in the USAF, as an adjunct professor, a Behavioral Health Consultant, and in numerous additional training.

I have learned over the years that normally the most effective approach is what we refer to as a Client-Directed, Outcome-Informed perspective. This approach emphasizes helping you to identify what will be most effective to make the changes you would like in your life and your personal goals. I believe our therapeutic alliance and relationship is of utmost importance.  You must feel safe, heard and, yes, genuinely liked in our relationship.

Are you having difficulty with alcohol, opiates or other drugs?

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and certified Master Addiction Counselor (MAC). I have been working to help people overcome addictions  for over 35 years. I stay abreast of the newest innovations in the field. I choose to work in this area because of my own personal experiences, the harm I have seen encountered by individuals and families who are affected by this condition, and because I enjoy seeing the wonderful people I work with get better.

Would you like to quit but you just can’t seem to? Are you using a substance to help you deal with difficult emotions or circumstances?

If so, I believe I can help you as I have many others. While I will offer you feedback, reflection, and help in clarifying your own personal goals and the skills to achieve them, I won’t tell you what to do or demand that you achieve your goals my way. Instead, I will help you find your own wisdom, equip you with up-to-date information, and help you discover  your own solutions. I will support you as you develop your own problem-solving abilities, honor your decision-making process, and support you to feel safe to develop the tools and skills you need to make your own wise choices.

For over 35 years, I have been working with clients and their families with addictions and co-occurring disorders.

As a Master Addiction Counselor, I have likely worked with thousands of clients who have worked through the same sorts of challenges that you are dealing with.

If you’re seeking a therapist with extensive experience and training in helping people deal with substance use disorders, I may be the right person for you.

Often, substance problems can result from trying to cope with other life issues—including mental health, physical health, and other life challenges—by medicating them with drugs or alcohol. The understandable desire to just feel better can have the unfortunate outcome of making you dependent on a substance that starts running your life.

I deliver supportive, motivational guidance in a safe, nurturing environment where you’ll feel comfortable addressing your personal challenges and your substance use problem.

It is important that you establish a trusting, connected relationship with your counselor, and I have been told many times that it is easy to do that with me. Together, we will collaborate to help you achieve your personal goals, using tools that are best for you to enhance your personal skills in effective, measurable ways.

While I will offer you feedback, you won’t find me telling you what to do. Instead, I will help you find your own wisdom and develop your own problem-solving abilities so that you have the tools you need to make choices on your own.

Together, we will tailor a change process to what works for you as an individual.

We’ll achieve that by:

• Discovering your goals, your meaning, and your purpose

• Establishing a strong, supportive, heartfelt bond as therapist and client

• Using methods and interventions in harmony with your beliefs, and the best ways for you to make the changes you want

You won’t find me stuffy or formal. You will find me accepting, empathetic, and flexible. I am a very “real” person, and I really enjoy the connection and humor we will have with each other!

I am very well versed in, and very comfortable with, Cross Cultural Counseling with my clients. If you are from a Multicultural and/or LGBTQ+ background, you will find me respectful, competent, and sensitive in addressing your unique concerns, and to the joys and challenges your culture/orientation bring to your life.

You’ll find that I use a very wide range of tools and techniques to help you achieve your goals. Some of these include:

• Motivational Interviewing

• Change Theory

• ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy)

• CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)

• Solution Focused Therapy

• Brief Therapy

• REBT (Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy)

• Motivational Enrichment Therapy

• Holistic Therapy

• Mindfulness Interventions

• Interpersonal Psychotherapy

• Gestalt Therapy

• EMDR
  

Therapy has been proven to be effective in helping you identify and understand the challenges and problems you want to resolve. Using proven tools, I will help you make the positive changes you seek, reach new goals, and take the steps to live the life you want, in your relationships, in your work and play, and within yourself. You will know yourself better, gain skills and tools, learn to think in a healthier, more positive way, and act in ways that are better for you and others.

What clients say about me:

“l really appreciate your approach Steve”.
“I always felt care for and accepted.”
“Never judged.”

“You helped me to see things about myself I just didn’t. You helped me to feel safe.”

“You helped me to find my own way. I was apprehensive about starting counseling but I have really enjoyed working with you.”

“I can’t believe I am saying this but our time together was actually fun. I learned so much! I can’t thank you enough.”

“This has been one of the best experiences of my life. I am so glad I decided to see you. I think about the things we have talked about all the time. It has been so helpful.”

“I can move on with my life now. I’ve got my life back. I have my family back.”

“I had so many ideas of what counseling would be like but working with you was so different than what I expected. You really helped me to see myself in a different way.”

“Your experience has been so helpful. You get it, man. You understand.”

“This was life changing for me. I am now the person I want to be. I’m the dad I want to be.”

I can help you make the changes you seek for a happier, richer, more satisfying life! I look forward to hearing from you!

My Training:

I am a Certified Substance Abuse/Mental Health Counselor with over 35 years of clinical experience.

I have trained with people renowned in the science of helping people make positive changes, including:

• Dr. Carl Rogers (Client-centered Therapy)

• Dr. Scott Miller & Stephen Rollnick, PhD. (Motivational Interviewing training)

• Dr. William Glasser (Reality Therapy)

• Dr Arron Beck (CBT)

• Dr. David Burns (Author of Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy)

• Dr. Irvin Yalom

• Dr. Ben Furman, director of the Helsinki Brief Therapy Institute

I believe that the training with these specific individuals continues to inform my approach to each patient depending on their particular need, belief system, and personality.

EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS, CERTIFICATIONS & SKILLS

• Associate Degree – Social Service Technology —Community College of the Air Force

• Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology – University of Maryland

• Master of Arts in Counseling Degree – Liberty University

• Certified NADACC III (MAC) & ACCBO CADC III

• LPC – Licensed Professional Counseling

• Certified in Critical Incident Stress Management

COMMENDATIONS & HONORS

• United States Air Force Meritorious Medal, Commendation Medal x2, Achievement Medal x2 and Good Conduct Medal x6

• Distinguished Graduate Airman Leadership School, Distinguished Graduate Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Quarter January – March 1990

• Honorable Discharge United States Air Force 2000

Together we’ll discover how I might help, and we’ll get you on the road to a life worth living.