Kim Grogan, M.A., LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor, Founder, and Director of AATMC
ABOUT KIM
Kim is a believer that a clients’ decisions shape their destiny. She starts with understanding and appreciating her clients’ worldview, creating rapport, assisting her clients in defining what they really need and want and what is preventing them from getting it…She believes change is never a matter of ability but always a matter of motivation so helping her clients find their personal leverage for changing is the first step in the process. Kim’s perspective is that by encouraging her clients to become aware of their patterns of physiology, language and what they are focusing on…she can teach them how to interrupt their limiting, destructive habitual patterns, define their problem in solvable terms, create new empowering alternatives, and relate their new decisions to a higher purpose filled with meaning and fulfillment.
Kim’s has an accepting, genuine approach working with clients from a positive, affirming, empowering vantage point. She specializes in a wide range of issues including depression, anxiety, unresolved emotional issues, self-esteem, building resilience, grief and loss, identity, divorce and creating more meaning in life.
She utilizes animal-assisted play therapy when working with children and adolescents and holds extensive experience in working with youth placed in foster care and adoption that are struggling with issues such as rejection, guilt and shame. She has helped many children and families who have experienced trauma, especially sexual abuse by utilizing her knowledge of brain function. Through animal-assisted therapy interventions, her treatment plans aim to “retrain the brain” to be resilient by increasing the executive functions of problem solving, delaying gratification and forming healthy habits that generate positive emotion.
On a personal level, Kim lives gratefully knowing that her faith in God is what drives her, inspires her and gives her hope because she knows that God has a plan for her life. She is a role model and leader to her two greatest gifts in life, her teenage son and daughter. Kim is passionate about her life’s purpose, to serve the brokenhearted, wounded, suffering and grieving… in a way that gives meaning both to her clients and herself. Her competitive side is shown on the tennis court as she continually strives to improve, be more courageous and more determined to win a match…Kim is always looking to improve her fitness, mentally, emotionally and physically, set higher standards, learn more, give more and become more…..Together with her therapy dog, Dexter, they have made a great therapy team for the last 4 years and they look forward to serving the mountain community.
Kim’s Approach, Specialties, and Credentials
Kim is an Integrative psychotherapist with a flexible and multifaceted approach that allows her to use a variety of the most effective methods to create the ideal treatment program to meet the specific needs of the client. Her strength based approach emphasizes client’s determination and self-reliance, a philosophy of viewing clients as resourceful and resilient in the face of adversity.
SPECIALTIES
- Animal-assisted therapy for children, teens and adults
- Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Christian counseling for teens and adults
- Children-teens with reactive attachment disorder
- Adoptive, kinship foster families
- Childhood trauma-sexual abuse
- Children, teen and adult Resilience
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- ADHD, ODD, anxiety, depression, attachment issues
- Women’s issues, being a mom, career, divorce
- Non Directive Play therapy
- Art Therapy
- Human Needs Psychology
CREDENTIALS
- Master of Arts in Professional Counseling, Liberty University, 2013
- Licensed Professional Counselor
- Certified Animal-Assisted Psychotherapist
- Certified Christian Counselor
- Advanced Training with Adoption-Kinship-Foster Families
- Certified Systemic Play Therapist
- Certified Systemic Art Therapist
- Creating Lasting Change-Art of Understanding Leadership Training
- Mastering 16 Key Habits of Emotionally Resilient People
THERAPY WITH DEXTER
My friendliness, playfulness, and gentle spirit is demonstrated by the way I interact with Dexter, which helps the client feel secure and safe with me. Therapy sessions with Dexter are fun, exciting, different and novel.
For example, 10 year-old Sachia, worked diligently teaching Dexter “up” and “roll-over.” She commented that she has quit everything she has ever tried in her life before. I asked her what was different this time? She said she really wanted Dexter to listen to her “up” command and she wasn’t gonna stop until he did it. At the end of 30 minutes, Sachia was able to lure Dexter “up” with a treat. She demonstrated patience, commitment, diligence, and problem solving skills. The look of fulfillment, self-confidence and pure joy on her face is something I never will forget as she said, “I did it”. By working with Dexter, Sachia will remember that she can do hard things if she persists and she can accomplish anything if she puts her mind to it.
With my therapy dog, Dexter, I am able to work with my clients in the “here and now” observing how they interact with the animal and commenting on how their behavior is affecting or not affecting the animal and noticing how the animal is responding to them. For instance, I have said to my client, Kara, an adult survivor of child sexual abuse, “wow, what is different in you today? It seems Dexter is so much more interested in being near you and playing with you today.” Kara thought reflectively for a moment and answered, “I made an effort to look at him, pet him, smile at him and throw his ball for him”. This led to a more engaging fulfilling experience with Dexter that day, unlike the previous weeks when she didn’t make an attempt to connect with him. This helped Kara get clear on how her behavior and actions affect those around her outside of therapeutic relationships. She learned that how she conducts herself, which she has control over, has a great deal to do with how other people respond to her.
~ Kim Grogan