FAQ

I have found that most people enjoy the convenience of Teletherapy due to having no commute and ease of scheduling.

I meet with people throughout the state virtually and in-person sessions are located in Gulf Shores, AL .

Address:
541 Cotton Creek Dr.
Gulf Shores, AL 36542

You can get the ball rolling by calling (251) 278-0004 to schedule your free consultation. At the end of the phone consultation, we can plan our first session together.

You can call my office line. If I am unable to answer, I will do my best to call back within 24 hours. You can also email me at joe@joefritchley.com.

Insurance usually has a copay that a client pays before each session. The therapist then bills the insurance company for reimbursement. This arrangement makes therapy more affordable upfront for the client.

Unfortunately, there are two major drawbacks. First, there are usually a limited number of sessions for which the insurance company pays. Mental health still does not have equal parity to physical health. Some argue that mental health is the root of many physical symptoms. A medical doctor prescribes medication to help the patient cope with the symptoms but often apart from the illness source, which may be mental or emotional.

Another negative about insurance companies is that they require the therapist to label every patient with a disorder and make an official diagnosis that stays with the patient’s record.

Private pay is paying cash, check, or credit card for each session. By skipping the insurance company, there is no need to have a diagnosis. The client and therapist can work on personal goals to achieve restoration in the client’s life. There is no record and no label. Some therapists will also have the freedom to discount when a client commits to a certain number of sessions.

I have limited face-to-face sessions in Daphne, AL. There are other organizations with whom I have partnered that may offer a closer option for you, depending on availability.

I do offer phone and video sessions that are entirely HIPPA compliant and 100% confidential.

I used to be opposed to teletherapy and believed it to be impersonal. However, after the COVID experience, my clients and I have found that an online therapy experience is not very different.

Some clients are more comfortable with teletherapy because they can be in their own home, office, car, or at whatever location is convenient for them that day.

Therapists have their specialties and areas of expertise. During the free consultation, you and I will get a sense of whether we are a good fit for one another.

I value every person and believe they have great worth; however, that does not mean that I am the best therapist for everyone who comes across my path. Nevertheless, if you are reading this, the chances are very high that we are a good fit!

This is an excellent question!

The short answer is that I follow Jesus Christ, and He is at the center of everything I do, which includes bringing healing, hope, and happiness to my clients. I find it very helpful to bring eternal truths to each situation, bringing perspective on the current problems and crises. I do this while also using recent scientific studies of the human body, specifically human brain studies. By incorporating brain science, the client understands what is taking place and how to pursue healing, hope, and happiness in a holistic manner.

It is not wise to divorce God, our Maker, from our mental and emotional struggles any more than it is wise to ignore our physical bodies when sick.

The longer answer is that there are very different versions of “Christian Counseling.” The answer has to do with how and where counselors/therapists received their training and education. Some counselors only depend on Scripture for counseling. Others include many sorts of spirituality and are not knowledgeable about the Bible, let alone applying it to their life. But in fact, they are not Christians themselves.

I do not fit in either of these camps. In today’s world, saying “I am a Christian” can be equal to saying, “I am an American” or “I love Italian food because I am from Italy.”

We have all grown up and had unique experiences of Christianity; some are amazingly beautiful and life-changing for good, while others are, unfortunately, amazingly horrible and life-changing for bad. This is the world in which we live. For some, this may be why they are seeking counseling. It is not the belief that is bad but the human person’s abuse attached to the belief. Or rather, it is how one has experienced the incongruence of the life-giving scriptures expressed by someone close to them.

I follow Jesus. I love him because He first loved me and died for me, even while I was His enemy. The scriptures are amazingly balanced; if your experience of Jesus is not balanced, then I would love to talk with you. In some “Bible-believing” churches, there is much condemnation where none belongs. The Bible is His love letter to you and me.

Myriads of people have set out to prove the Scriptures wrong through the ages. Those who were very dedicated to disproving the Bible often ended up being some of its greatest champions for its evident truth. Most people who are uncomfortable with the Bible or do not believe it to be true have either never read it, misunderstand it, or only read minute portions of it.

I am sensitive to the client’s wishes and ask permission before I include God in the conversations. Still, each client needs to know that I am coming from a loving, gracious, and life-giving perspective that I can only find in the Bible.

Some people interchange these terms, but there are slight distinctions.

Coaching involves leadership development, optimizing skills, and strengths that are goal-oriented.

Counseling is helping a person through current struggles and establishing goals to improve their circumstances.

Therapy typically helps people who are currently struggling and desiring to improve their circumstances both now and in the future. However, treatment often involves looking into a client’s past to discover wounds that need healing before moving forward.

It is essential to know that coaching, counseling, and therapy can significantly overlap and become a philosophical question.

Yes. I hold the highest degree of licensure for a therapist. I am a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) in Alabama and Michigan and an ordained pastor.

I also have received training as a Trust-Based Relational Intervention practitioner. (A mouthful for saying I have training in working with kids and adults who have experienced trauma and use methodology informed by Attachment Theory. Attachment Theory is how we connect or do not connect with the people in our lives).

I have a B.S. degree in Communication Theory from Illinois State University. My Masters in Divinity is from Multnomah University, and my Masters in Social Work is from Michigan State University.

My training in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy is from Michigan State University. I received training in Trust-Based Relational Intervention (Attachment-centered, Trauma-Informed Training) from the Karyn Purvis Institute Texas Christian University.

I received an MSW Medical Certificate as part of my Clinical Internship in Hospice, and I have an MSW School Social Work Certificate for working with children with severe disabilities. Also, I have SYMBIS certification for premarital counseling and SYMBIS+ certification for marital counseling.

Finally, I have training as a foster care therapist for caregivers and their children from hard places.

I know this is a controversial subject for many. It is not my heart to repel any by my answer. It is a supreme value for us as humans in this culture to focus on the critical matters of life and not be distracted by peripheral issues.

With that said, I am a DOG person all the way! I am fine with cats as long as they are outside, and they leave me alone! My all-time favorite dog is a miniature schnauzer. They are smart, attractive, playful during the day, and relaxed in the evening when they curl up next to you (which lowers my blood pressure after a stressful day.)

I love to travel and see unknown places, be in nature, take family bike rides, and go on a hike in the Appalachians.

I enjoy fine woodworking, playing guitar, listening to clean comedy, and sitting around a fire pit on a cool evening.

Talking about theology and matters of the soul, dreaming of the future, especially when God will make all things new (Revelation 21:5), and getting to be a part of someone who has discovered a deep truth about themselves are comforting to my whole being.

My family is essential. I love doing art with my kids, watching my kids play on the beach, taking the boys to an ice cream shop, making my homemade pizza every Friday night for family movie night, going to a good concert with my wife or the whole family, decorating the Christmas tree as a family, breaking out the Christmas songs for the first time of the year, and going on a marriage retreat or getaway with my wife.

Peaceful moments bring comfort to my soul. Those moments include: studying something for pleasure in a comfortable coffee shop with no demands or deadlines, viewing sunsets (especially with my wife on the beach), reading spiritual formation books, and sitting in a hot tub looking up at the stars so that I can feel my smallness in the hands of a big God who loves me and loves beauty.

There is nothing that brings more pleasure than a good foot rub, the first moment you open a bag of strawberry Twizzlers, making someone smile, and having a peaceful Sunday morning and attending worship at our church.