If you or a family member has struggled with a personal issue, chances are you've wondered if therapy was right for you. The truth is most individuals experience some life challenge or difficulty at some point in their lives. We believe that a crisis or problem is an opportunity for change or growth, and can lead to a better, richer life. Therapy can be the key to turning a negative into a positive and emerging from a crisis even stronger. It can be particularly helpful in teaching individuals and families how to cope with and manage future life problems to formulate effective ways of challenging and overcoming their personal issues.
The Community Counseling Group, founded by Dr. Charlene Crothers and Dr. Thomas Locke, is located in beautiful Westlake Village. With over 60 years of combined experience and a highly skilled team of therapists, we are sure that whatever your situation or need we can help diagnose, explore, or overcome your particular issue.

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Services Offered

Counseling Services - If you have a recurring problem or issue that is affecting the quality of your life, you owe it to yourself to seek assistance. Our team of therapists has helped hundreds of individuals and families face their challenges and overcome difficulties to lead a more positive, fulfilling life. Below is a list of frequently used therapies and how we can help. Just click on the category below to read more and learn how our specific therapies can help you and your family.

INDIVIDUAL THERAPY - Individuals are under more pressure than ever before with demands from family, work, extended family and social demands. It's not only natural, but normal, to feel overwhelmed sometimes. Our therapists can help you deal with a variety of issues and presenting problems including depression, anxiety, sleep difficulties, stress related symptoms, drug dependence, loneliness, low self esteem, phobias, shyness, and weight control. We respect the unique worth and potential of the person and will help in a non-judgmental way no matter the situation.

COUPLES THERAPY - When the lines of communication are severely severed or trust has been broken, a couple often needs outside assistance to get back on track. Sometimes the issues have persisted for so long that one or both partners have withdrawn emotionally and physically or even attack each other verbally or physically. These attacks often cause hurt and pain, and there are often persistent feelings of disappointment in the marriage. Marital therapy helps rebuild the relationship from the ground up and emphasizes the role of direct, clear verbal and non-verbal communication. The therapist serves as the guide to help the couple redefine and clarify the goals of the marriage so they may reach a more fulfilling relationship.

FAMILY THERAPY - Because problems and issues rarely happen in isolation, it is often most beneficial to work with the family as a whole to gain a complete picture of the circumstance or crisis being faced. Working with families is important to give everyone a voice and to help identify and reinforce the strengths within the family and work on the limitations. The therapeutic power often lies in tackling the inequalities in which many conflicts arise and helping each member attain the emotional support they crave.

CHILD THERAPY - Children often mirror their home environment by acting out in various ways that they cannot express verbally. When a child shows signs of poor academic performance, disruptive behavior, failure to fit in emotionally or mentally into the life of the family or school setting, it can often be a warning sign that something is not quite right. Sometimes a child will become depressed, rebellious, angry, begin lying, stealing or become truant as a cry for help. These calls for help should be taken seriously and given professional attention before they become worse. We approach and handle children with utmost respect to uncover hidden issues and help them become aware of their thoughts and feelings and their psychological roots. We then work through their feelings to help them move beyond the pain and reach their true potential in all areas of their life.

ADOLESCENT THERAPY - Adolescence is a trying time for both teenagers and their families. The teenager's constant attempts to exert independence are often met by parental and societal roadblocks. Therapy focuses on identifying the teen's strengths, identifying roadblocks to determine if they are actually halting their growth. Parents are taught how to avoid nagging and/or using physical force and threats and use effective discipline. The result is a happier, peaceful coexistence among parents and teens.

THERAPY FOR SENIORS - There are several concerns and transitions that people face as they age chronologically. Becoming older involves changes in various personal roles and capacities as well as transitions in families and environment. Older adults experience a variety of issues including a change in physical and mental capacities, becoming a grandparent, changing family roles, passing on family traditions to the next generation, financial issues, loss of friends, and death of a spouse or partner. Proper assessment and psychological treatment can help seniors achieve and maintain a personally rewarding, happy, and satisfying life.

PRE-MARITAL THERAPY - In all our vast system of educational, religious and social institutions, there is often no place for people to learn about and explore their own ideas about what they expect from love, marriage, sex and intimacy. They often rush into marriage with unrealistic expectations without thinking through what they really want in a mate and what they will offer in exchange. Pre-marital therapy offers the opportunity to explore these issues, to ask questions about themselves and their mate, and lay the groundwork that will ensure a happy life together. Becoming clear on expectations will ultimately help couples establish healthy lines of communication. Pre-marital therapy is appropriate for both first and subsequent marriages and blended families.

SEX THERAPY - Often when couples are experiencing difficulties in their relationship, their intimate relationship suffers. Or, if one partner withdraws sexually, the other is left feeling insecure and confused. Sex therapy can help couples deal with issues regarding their sexual relationship openly and directly. Common issues dealt with during sex therapy include premature ejaculation, impotence, orgasmic difficulties, and lack of sexual desire. A combination of situation counseling, guided imagery, behavioral prescriptions, and step-by-step approximation and communication training are often beneficial to help couples seeking sex therapy.

STRESS MANAGEMENT - Stress can manifest itself in a number of direct and indirect ways. Left unmanaged, it can cause or lead to actual physical and emotional ailments that can weaken the individual at a physical and emotional level. Although stress cannot be eliminated completely, it can be managed skillfully and creatively. Treatment techniques include biofeedback, self-hypnosis, guided imagery, and modification of habits that contribute to anxiety, depression, and tension plus discussion of positive habits that reduce stress such as meditation and exercise.

Fees and Payment

Most insurance companies provide mental health benefits; some benefits are minimal, and others are quite good. In order for us to set realistic treatment goals and priorities, it is important to evaluate what resources you have available to pay for your treatment. Your therapist will fill out forms and provide you with whatever assistance they can in helping you receive the benefits to which you are entitled; however, you (not your insurance company) are responsible for full payment of all fees incurred. It is very important that you find out exactly what mental health services your insurance policy covers.

The cost of therapy can vary greatly depending on whether you go to a public or private agency, the provider you choose to work with, their level of experience, and their licensing level and status. At Community Counseling Group, we have different levels of providers (Psychologists, Registered Interns), so we can have some flexibility with our fee structure. Because fee structures do change, please call for details specific to your situation.

Ultimately, you often get what you pay for, and investing in yourself may be the most important thing you can do for yourself, your family, and friends.

Services Offered To:
Adults
Couples
Teens
Children

Payment:
Medicare
Medicaid