Charles Justice, LPCC, LMHC: Counseling Approach and What to Expect

Choosing a therapist is a significant decision, especially when you are carrying the weight of depression, anxiety, relationship conflict, or past trauma. This guide offers a detailed overview of how Charles Justice, LPCC, LMHC, typically works with clients, what to expect in therapy, and how his training and experience shape the care he provides.

Who Is Charles Justice?

Charles Justice is a licensed mental health professional who holds both the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) and Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) credentials. These licenses indicate advanced graduate training in counseling, supervised clinical experience, and successful completion of rigorous national or state examinations, which are standard requirements for independent practice as a professional counselor in many U.S. states.

His work centers on helping adults, couples, and often families navigate emotional distress, behavioral patterns, and life changes. Clients commonly seek him out when they feel stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure how to move forward on their own.

• Professional focus: Outpatient counseling for mood, anxiety, trauma, substance use, and relationship concerns.
• Client age range: Primarily adults and older adolescents, with some work involving couples and families (depending on clinical context).
• Practice setting: Community-based and/or telehealth counseling environment, following professional and ethical standards for mental health care.

Core Issues Addressed in Counseling

While each person’s story is unique, many clients who work with Charles show up struggling with some combination of the following concerns. These are common reasons people engage in counseling generally, and reflect the kinds of challenges LPCCs and LMHCs routinely treat in clinical practice.

1. Depression and Low Mood

Clients may describe feeling empty, hopeless, or unable to enjoy activities they used to care about. Some report changes in sleep and appetite, chronic fatigue, or difficulty concentrating. Evidence-based counseling for depression typically emphasizes behavioral activation, restructuring negative thinking, and rebuilding connection with meaningful activities and relationships.

• Persistent sadness or lack of motivation
• Withdrawing from friends and family
• Feeling like a burden or a failure

2. Anxiety, Worry, and Panic

Anxiety can show up as racing thoughts, restlessness, muscle tension, or sudden waves of panic. Many clients report difficulty controlling worry about health, finances, work, or relationships. Structured counseling methods—especially those grounded in cognitive and behavioral principles—are well supported by research for treating anxiety disorders.

• Generalized anxiety and chronic worry
• Panic attacks and fear of future episodes
• Social anxiety or performance fears

3. Trauma and Adverse Life Experiences

Some clients come to therapy after painful or frightening events such as abuse, accidents, sudden loss, or violence. Trauma-informed counselors prioritize emotional and physical safety, collaborative decision-making, and paced work so clients are not re-traumatized during treatment.

• Intrusive memories, nightmares, or flashbacks
• Feeling constantly on edge or easily startled
• Emotional numbness, avoidance, or difficulty trusting others

4. Substance Use and Addictive Patterns

For some, alcohol or drugs become a way to cope with stress, trauma, or emotional pain. Clients may seek help when they notice negative consequences in work, health, or relationships, or when loved ones express concern. Counseling in this area often integrates motivational interviewing, relapse-prevention planning, and support for broader lifestyle changes.

5. Relationship and Family Conflicts

Couples and families frequently reach out when conflict escalates, communication breaks down, or trust is damaged. A counselor with broad clinical experience can help identify unhelpful interaction patterns, improve communication skills, and support healthier boundaries.

How Charles Approaches Counseling

Although each clinician has a unique style, most licensed professional counselors work within an integrative, evidence-informed framework. Charles’ approach is grounded in research-supported methods while remaining flexible and responsive to each client’s values, culture, and goals.

Person-Centered and Collaborative

• Respect and empathy: Sessions emphasize nonjudgmental listening and curiosity about your lived experience.
• Shared decision-making: Treatment goals, pace, and focus are discussed openly; you are invited to give feedback about what is or is not working.
• Strength focus: Attention is given not only to problems but also to existing strengths, coping skills, and supportive relationships that can be built upon.

Use of Evidence-Based Methods

Professional organizations encourage clinicians to use methods backed by research, clinical expertise, and client preferences. While the exact mix is tailored to each person, Charles’ work is likely to incorporate:

• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Identifying and shifting unhelpful thought patterns, experimenting with new behaviors, and building practical coping skills.
• Motivational Interviewing: Exploring ambivalence about change, especially around substance use, health behaviors, or major life decisions.
• Trauma-Informed Strategies: Ensuring safety, stabilizing symptoms, and gently processing traumatic memories at a manageable pace.
• Mindfulness and Stress-Reduction Skills: Breathing techniques, grounding exercises, and present-moment awareness to reduce reactivity and improve emotional regulation.

What to Expect in the Counseling Process

1. The First Session: Orientation and Assessment

The initial meeting usually focuses on understanding your background, current concerns, and what you hope to gain from counseling. This often includes:

• Review of confidentiality limits and consent for treatment
• Discussion of symptoms, history of counseling or medication, and relevant medical issues
• Clarifying short-term and longer-term goals

Assessment is not about labeling you but about gathering enough information to choose the most helpful strategies.

2. Early Sessions: Building Safety and Skills

As rapport grows, you may begin to learn and practice coping skills. Examples include:

• Identifying triggers for anxiety, cravings, or mood drops
• Developing a simple self-care or safety plan
• Practicing grounding skills for trauma-related distress

Clients are often encouraged to apply these tools between sessions, then reflect on what they noticed, which helps tailor further work.

3. Deeper Work: Patterns, Meanings, and Change

Once you feel more stable and supported, therapy may move toward deeper exploration of:

• Longstanding beliefs about yourself, relationships, or the world
• Patterns in how you respond to stress or conflict
• Unresolved grief, trauma, or identity-related concerns

This stage can involve challenging conversations, but the goal is to create a context where difficult emotions can be experienced, understood, and transformed rather than avoided or suppressed.

4. Planning for Maintenance and Ending

As you progress, sessions typically shift toward maintaining gains and reducing reliance on therapy. This might involve:

• Consolidating coping skills and relapse-prevention plans
• Identifying early warning signs of relapse or symptom return
• Discussing options for occasional follow-up or booster sessions if needed

Telehealth and Accessibility

Many LPCC and LMHC clinicians now provide telehealth counseling, which research suggests can be as effective as in-person care for many conditions, particularly depression and anxiety. When available, online sessions with a counselor like Charles may offer:

• Increased access: Helpful for people in rural areas, those with mobility limitations, or those with limited local providers.
• Scheduling flexibility: Easier to fit into work and family responsibilities.
• Continuity of care: Fewer disruptions due to travel, weather, or health issues.

Telehealth services must comply with privacy and security standards, such as encryption and secure platforms, in line with professional guidelines and applicable regulations.

Is Counseling with Charles Right for You?

Only you can decide whether a particular therapist is the right fit, but there are several signs that working with someone like Charles may be helpful:

• You are experiencing ongoing distress that is affecting work, school, relationships, or daily functioning.
• You feel stuck in cycles of worry, low mood, conflict, or substance use despite trying to change on your own.
• You are open to exploring your thoughts and emotions and willing to try new coping strategies.
• You value a collaborative, respectful, and practical approach to personal growth.

Licensure as an LPCC/LMHC indicates advanced training and supervision in psychotherapy, but fit also involves interpersonal comfort, cultural responsiveness, and shared expectations about what therapy will look like.

Practical Tips for Getting the Most from Therapy

• Clarify your goals: Before or during the first session, jot down what you most want to change or understand.
• Be as honest as you can: Counseling is most effective when you can safely share what you are actually thinking and feeling.
• Give feedback: If a strategy does not feel helpful, say so. Therapists expect and value this information.
• Practice between sessions: Most change occurs between appointments, as you apply new skills in real life.
• Be patient with yourself: Emotional and behavioral changes often come in steps rather than overnight breakthroughs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What do the LPCC and LMHC credentials mean?

A: Both designations indicate that the counselor completed a graduate degree in counseling or a closely related field, accrued supervised clinical hours, and passed required licensing exams. Specific titles and requirements vary somewhat by state, but they all represent a high standard for independent mental health practice.

Q: Can counseling help with both depression and anxiety at the same time?

A: Yes. Many people experience symptoms of depression and anxiety together, and evidence-based counseling approaches—particularly cognitive-behavioral methods—are designed to address overlapping patterns of negative thinking, avoidance, and stress responses that contribute to both conditions.

Q: How long will I need to be in therapy?

A: The length of counseling varies. Some clients notice meaningful change in a few months of weekly sessions, while others benefit from longer-term work, especially when coping with complex trauma or longstanding patterns. Research suggests that a significant proportion of clients experience improvement within 8–20 sessions, but this is not a rule and should be tailored to need.

Q: Is telehealth therapy as effective as in-person sessions?

A: Studies generally indicate that, for many common mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety, video-based counseling can be comparable in effectiveness to in-person therapy, provided that privacy, technology, and client preferences are appropriately addressed.

Q: What if I feel nervous about starting therapy?

A: Feeling nervous or unsure is common. You can mention these feelings in your first session—therapists are trained to help you move at a pace that feels safe and manageable, and to answer questions about the process so you know what to expect.

Written by

Medha Deb

Medha Deb is an editor with a master's degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Hyderabad. She believes that her qualification has helped her develop a deep understanding of language and its application in various contexts. Medha specializes in the areas of beauty, health, sports, and wellness and is committed to ensuring that the content on the website is…