Hi, I’m Lynn Valenteen-marzoni
I am a nationally certified counselor working in Northwest Arkansas. My office is an extension of my home and a very serene, private locale in the Boston mountains. I am aware of the stigma that one might feel in seeking mental health help and want to keep it as comfortable as possible.
MY BACKGROUND
After retiring from school counseling, I achieved licensure in the state of Arkansas. I am serious about following our licensing board rules and abiding by our code of ethics, both of which are in place to protect you.
My PRACTICE
CLIENT RELATIONSHIP
The nature of the counselor-client relationship is professional. Our contact will be limited to our scheduled sessions and brief emails/calls/texts to schedule future appointments. An exception would be extending my service at a child’s school or home to help him/her with tools he/she is working on. It is always best to share information in a session where you can have my full attention and it can be documented as needed. Long texts, emails, and other communication that are not face-to-face are discouraged and not in your best interest for quality treatment. Social invitations and offers of that nature will politely be turned down in honor of our code of ethics associated with our licensing board. If we should see each other in public, we will keep confidentiality and not initiate contact. However, if you see me and would like to greet me, I am happy to say hello. Anything you share in sessions is held in confidence and will not knowingly be shared with another person without your written consent.
COSTS + BILLING
The fee for counseling is $50 per hour. It will be cash pay to Lynn Valenteen-Marzoni. If there is a hardship for clients, we can discuss other discounts. Details are in services.
MY PHILOSoPHY
I truly value the therapeutic relationship between counselor and client and believe it is the key ingredient to sparking change and healing in the lives of my clients. I believe in a wellness model as opposed to a medical model. While a medical diagnosis may be required, it is not my intention to determine what is “wrong” with clients but rather to focus on what is right and already working effectively for them in their life. I believe in empowering clients and using a wide variety of techniques and interventions to make meaning of their experiences to be able to move forward on their journey.
WORKING WITH MINORS
I have a strong passion for working with children of all ages. Research tells us that the children will do best with the involvement of BOTH parents. While I understand there may be some unique circumstances, it is our desire to, at a minimum, make BOTH parents aware that their child will be receiving counseling services from Lynn Valenteen-Marzoni at Through the Woods Counseling. There is a full playroom upstairs that I will utilize with minor clients along with visiting them in their schools if necessary. I will be willing to make extended efforts to contact parents who may be out of state, out of country, deployed, or incarcerated. This is a best practice policy to involve both parents. I am required by law to keep a current divorce decree/court order on file in my office so that we are informed of who has the right to consent to treatment and/or access records. I must have signed informed consent from ALL parties BEFORE providing services. I understand that sometimes both parents have the “Independent” right in which case we will seek consent from BOTH parents. If you have a court document stating you have the “Exclusive” right, it will not be necessary for me to receive consent from the other parent, though it is my preference.
When working with minors, I will do everything in my power to communicate to them how much I truly value them and the time we spend together. Part of building rapport with all clients includes creating a level of trust. While I recognize that minors are under 18 years of age, I try to honor them with the same level of confidentiality I offer my adult clients. For parents, this means trusting that while I might not provide you with the details of our counseling sessions with your child, I promise to tell you the things you’ll need to know.
Additionally, new paperwork must be completed and signed once a minor has turned 18 years of age. At that point, the 18-year-old now has the authority over their protected health information and may or may not allow his or her parents the right to that information. I must abide by their decision.