My name is Elizabeth Hocker and I provide counseling to individuals from all walks of life struggling with a variety of issues. People begin counseling for a variety of different reasons. Ultimately, I believe that reason is to achieve a better quality of life. We are all searching for something which will allow us to feel safe, happy, accepted, and connected to ourselves and others. Over the course of our lives, we have encountered various experiences which have been painful, making it difficult to move forward. Often times these experiences stem from our childhood or as young adults. Sometimes these experiences evoke such powerful and overwhelming feeling that we find unhealthy ways to cope with these distressing emotions, at times to our detriment. These unhealthy means of coping look different for everyone and may include behaviors such as smoking, overeating, using alcohol and drugs, developing unhealthy relationships and so on. Yet, although these unhealthy patterns of coping may look different they all leave using feeling more isolated and can create their own set of issues. Learning to find a new way forward becomes critical. Telling our story can be painful yet healing. Learning to retell our story in a new way can be empowering. I encourage my clients to share their story, seeing it from a new perspective. I work alongside my clients to find new ways to cope and find a new meaning, purpose or direction in life. It is ultimately up to them to make these changes but through support, encouragement, education, skill building, and developing life goals the process of growth and positive change occurs.