Mr. Damani P. Irby, MS, NCC, CCMHC, LPC, Licensed Professional Counselor.
Mr Irby is the owner & operator of Psych Choices

Damani P. Irby, MS, NCC, CCMHC, LPC, Licensed Professional Counselor Damani P. Irby, MS, NCC, CCMHC, LPC, Licensed Professional Counselor

Personal Philosophy and Approach to Treatment:

One of the hardest things in life is to be in tuned with one's self. It's quite paradoxical actually, in that we've lived in our bodies, aware of our own minds our whole lives, yet there can still be a disconnection. Sometimes negative experiences shape us without us being conscious of it until we start experiencing challenges in the form of depression, anxiety, and/or substance abuse. I believe these challenges and many others act as signals to our conscious mind that something isn't right.

My belief is that it's imperative, and at times critical, to have a healthy relationship with yourself in order to gain insight about the perceived problem. No one knows you better than you know yourself, and my goal is to help you unlock answers and awareness buried within you. While there are many techniques, approaches, and coping mechanisms that act as tools--it is the facilitation of growth, unconditional positive regard, and strong therapeutic alliance that I believe is the catalyst for change.

I maintain a strength based approach, which means to identify capabilities in a person, sometimes unbeknownst to themselves, and encourage the individual to utilize those strengths to conquer challenges. Throughout this exploration it is important to consider an individuals system in which they operate, because roles are a huge component to what messages we tell ourselves. What would happen if we could change those internal messages or modify them to be more useful?

A lot of people think of psychotherapy carrying the stigma of being weak or "crazy." Psychotherapists are people too who have challenges and don't look to raise themselves on some sort of pedestal. If you're choosing to attend counseling, it's because you're looking to be engaged in a nonjudgmental environment of emotional growth where you're liberated to self exploration. Ultimately, for me, this is the essence of treatment.

I have experience working with individuals age 5 and up, including families and couples. Experience has taught me to develop a set of strategies for each category of individuals, which has led me to successfully meet their needs in therapy.

Education

Licensures and Certifications