Jon "Kim" Trostle, MBA, MA
Licensed Professional Counselor
I’ve been married for almost 40 years to my high school sweetheart. We grew up in West Houston and raised a family – our son is in college and we are processing the life transition to “empty nesters.” After a career in business, I decided to embark on a second career, counseling. I have experience in private practice (couples, families and individuals), adolescent treatment and more serious psychiatric disorders, specializing in marriage counseling, grief and loss, depression and anxiety, and parenting issues.
In my career I have seen both sides of the coin; clients who improve by working hard and those who weren’t ready to make necessary changes. Most people initially come to counseling in the midst of a life crisis or transition. The most successful clients have been those willing to work beyond the initial crisis and delve more deeply into underlying issues.
To accommodate those clients ready to work, I have developed a structured/staged approach to counseling:
Stage 1 – Crisis Management – where we will work to move quickly to a more comfortable level of functioning – in relationships, career, mood, or life transitions. Most often, your hard work and effort will result in some relief within 5 or 6 sessions. (Obviously, some issues may take more time).
Stage 2 – Assessment - We will explore underlying patterns of behavior or belief systems which may have lead to the crisis. Chronic issues may be uncovered through a combination of psychotherapy, the use of specific assessment tools, and clinical interview. We will work to gain insight into issues that may be involved in your failure to achieve maximum potential in your career, maintain healthy relationships or maintain a stable mood.
Stage 3 – Change management – We will brainstorm ideas about how to remove the constraints which have been revealed during assessment. The goal is to get beyond a temporary “quick fix” and engage in more enduring changes which will have long term benefits to relationships, career and happiness. (Please note: It has been firmly established that for some issues, such as depression, PTSD and more serious psychiatric issues, a combination approach involving medication and therapy is most effective. If we find that to be the case, I will refer you to a psychiatrist for a medical assessment as we continue to work through these issues in therapy.)
Stage 4 – Implementation – Nothing easy here – only you can implement change. At this point, we will have a therapeutic relationship in which I will support your challenges and frustrations as you begin the challenging process of making real, durable change.
Stage 5 – Maintenance – As change is implemented, unforeseen consequences can occur – usually in the form of resistance from friends and family who prefer things remain fixed and predictable. You will need intermittent support through this stage as you work to grow in healthy ways.