Counseling differs from talking to a friend in its professional expertise, objectivity, confidentiality, and structured approach. Counselors are trained to provide evidence-based guidance, maintain strict confidentiality, and offer specialized techniques for personal growth and mental health challenges. They are neutral third parties, free from personal biases, and focused solely on your well-being during sessions. Friends, while supportive, may lack the same expertise, objectivity, and confidentiality, and their advice can be influenced by personal experiences and emotions. Counseling offers a more specialized, structured, and confidential space for addressing complex issues and personal growth.

We use an eclectic approach that allows us to pull from all the best therapy approaches. Therefore, therapy will look different for each client, but will likely include some of the following:

1) Family History: Learn your family's unspoken rules, patterns of communication and conflict, hidden legacies, and understand the role you and other members were cast in. To understand yourself and your behavior, you must first understand the context from which you came.

2) Mindful Awareness & Emotional Insight: Learn to look beneath surface emotions to identify the often unconscious emotions lying beneath. You may learn basic mindfulness tools to bring calm and clarity to otherwise overwhelming moments. Learn to become proactive, vs reactive.

3) Schema Identification: Schemas are the glasses or lenses through which we see ourselves and the world. These lenses color our perception and often skew the information we take in, resulting in maladaptive and self defeating patterns in our lives.

4) Healthy Habits: Incorporate healthy habits that can transform your mental health, such as quality sleep, nutritious eating, consistent physical movement, social support, and fulfilling work.

5) Verbal Processing: Counseling is called “Talk Therapy” for a reason! Verbal processing and storytelling is a crucial part of understanding ourselves and gaining power over our lives. Good therapy requires “dual attunement”, meaning you won’t just talk about things, by processing your experience in a grounded way and in a safe, non-judgmental, and supportive space.

6) Relationship Patterns, Boundaries, and Communication Skills: Learn your unique negative patterns of interaction, and how to get out of them! Learn to communicate your boundaries, while building healthy relationships, and caring for yourself.

7) Inner Child Work: Get to know the little kid within. Often this younger part of ourselves carries our heaviest burdens. Therapy will likely include identifying these burdens and healing old wounds.

8) Trauma Recovery: We use a 3 Phase trauma recovery model which focuses on stabilization and helping the client regain a sense of safety, personal power, and regained sense of self.

If you are more familiar with therapy theories, we use a mixture of the following: Emotion Focused Therapy, Structural Family Systems, Internal Family Systems, Rogerian Therapy, Schema Therapy, Mindfulness based therapy, and are highly influenced by Carl Rogers, John Gottman, Richard Schwartz, Sue Johnson, Gabor Mate, Pat Ogden, Dan Siegel, Stephen Porges, and Irvin Yalom <3 .

People come to therapy for all sorts of reasons. Some come to counseling to heal from experiences in their past, or to address a current issue. Others come due to anxiety, depression, or grief. Because of this, counseling can look different for each client.

Despite the initial reason for coming in, there are a few consistent things you can expect.

1) The first session is focused on getting to know you and what brings you in. It is really the opportunity to set the stage for your counseling session and begin building a relationship with your therapist.

2) Prepare for your sessions by coming in with an idea of what you want to focus on. During a session you may find we wander off to other areas that need attention, but it can be helpful to have an idea of where you want to start.

3) Arrive on time. Because sessions last 45 minutes, it is important you arrive a little bit early so that sessions can start on time and you get all the time with your therapist that you need! Please wait in the waiting area for your appointment

Each therapist at ECG may have different specializations and advanced training, but every therapist has a Master’s degree in counseling.

If you are more familiar with therapy theories, we use a mixture of the following: Emotion Focused Therapy, Structural Family Systems, Internal Family Systems, Rogerian Therapy, Schema Therapy, Mindfulness based therapy, and are highly influenced by Carl Rogers, Richard Schwartz, Sue Johnson, Gabor Mate, Pat Ogden, Dan Siegel, and Irvin Yalom.

We are unable to prescribe medication here, but can suggest doctors in the area, if it is something you are interested in. We do not push medication on our clients.

If you are currently on a medication, it may be helpful to know that research shows medication works best when paired with therapy. Therapy may be a great addition to your prescription plan!

BOTH! If you are in the Charleston area, we highly recommend in-person sessions. If you are outside of driving distance, Telehealth will be used.

The duration of psychodynamic therapy can vary widely depending on individual needs and goals. Unlike some forms of therapy that are time-limited (e.g., Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, which might last for a specific number of sessions), psychodynamic therapy is typically open-ended.

In psychodynamic therapy, the focus is on exploring deep-seated, often unconscious, patterns and emotions that contribute to current difficulties. This process can take time, as individuals work through complex issues and gain insights into their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Some people may find benefit in just a few months, while others may engage in psychodynamic therapy for several years. The duration depends on factors such as the severity of the issues, the individual's goals, their level of insight and self-awareness, and the therapeutic relationship.

It's common for psychodynamic therapy to begin with a more intensive phase of regular sessions (e.g., weekly) and then transition to less frequent sessions as progress is made. Ultimately, the decision to continue or end therapy is often a collaborative one between the therapist and the client, based on the client's therapeutic goals and sense of readiness for closure.

We are not contracted with insurance companies, though you may be eligible for reimbursed by your insurance company, depending on your particular plan! We can provide documentation for you to submit to your insurance provider, but cannot guarantee reimbursement.

ECG is not contracted with insurance companies for several reasons. One reason being this allows greater freedom, rather than working within the confines dictated by third-party payers. This ensures that you are offered the best quality service possible.

We accept all major credit cards and FSA/HSA cards as forms of payment.

Great question! There are some very important differences between counseling and coaching. Coaching is NOT a substitute for therapeutic or counseling services. Landrie makes clear distinctions for your informed consent. Please note some of the ways the two services differ.

● A medical diagnosis is never given.

● No medical records are kept.

● Coaching is strictly goal-centered, specifically around improving an already relatively healthy and functional life.

● Coaching is not for those in psychological distress.

● High-risk needs or concerns are not appropriate for coaching level services.

Dr. Etta Gantt: $149 for 45min for weekly individual sessions

Landrie Ethredge, Clinical Director: $250 for 45min for weekly individual sessions.

You may be eligible for reimbursed by your insurance company, depending on your particular plan! We can provide documentation for you to submit to your insurance provider, but cannot guarantee reimbursement.

We accept all major credit cards and FSA/HSA cards as forms of payment.

Unfortunately, we do not write ESA letters. Some have had good success with Pettable.com

We do not write court letters. If you think you may need documentation for a current or potential court case, we recommend seeing a social worker or asking your doctor for notes, as we do not offer this service.

We do not offer this service and recommend asking your doctor for these.