FAQs

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 at 12547 County Rd 49 N, Suite 2, Foley, AL 36535

I hold flexible hours for the convenience of my clients. I reserve the same time slot each week for you in order to make our time profitable and a priority in your schedule.

A typical session lasts between 50-60 minutes.

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

You can call my office line, 251-278-0004. If I am unable to answer, I will do my best to call back within 24 hours. You can also email me at joe@newdayjourneycounseling.com

I offer a free 20-minute consultation for you to share what is going on in life and answer any questions you may have about me. This conversation allows me to share how I approach therapy. If we are a good match to work together, we can schedule our first session within one week or the first available.

We can discuss the best payment option for you at the end of the free consultation.

Insurance typically requires a copay before each session, and the therapist bills the insurance company for the rest. This can make therapy more affordable upfront. However, there are two potential drawbacks. First, coverage may be limited depending on your plan, and mental health still doesn’t always receive the same priority as physical health—despite being the root of many physical symptoms.

Second, insurance requires a formal diagnosis that stays on your medical record. This can feel limiting or even stigmatizing.

Private pay (cash, check, or card) removes the need for a diagnosis, allowing you and your therapist to focus on personal goals without labels or permanent records. Some therapists may also offer discounts for clients who commit to multiple sessions.

You may cancel 48 hours or more before and avoid the full-session cancellation charge.

 When you schedule your appointment, we guarantee that time for you and turn down other potential clients during that time—often referring them out.  Please know this is not a personal thing but one that ensures the longevity of this practice to bring healing, hope, and happiness to others in the future.

While our mission and purpose at H3O Living, LLC/New Day Journey Counseling are Christ-centered, they are also our livelihood. Therefore, we cannot offer refunds and must charge late cancellations or no-shows. This is not meant to be uncaring or harsh; it is a business reality we must deal with and one that you choose to accept when making an appointment with New Day Journey Counseling.

As a courtesy, the therapist will make an effort to reschedule a missed appointment within the same week to help the client avoid a cancellation fee. However, this is subject to the therapist’s availability and discretion.

I have had the privilege of working with clients aged 4 to 104.

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, including bringing healing, hope, and happiness to my clients. I find bringing eternal truths to each situation very helpful, giving 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 holistically pursue healing, hope, and happiness.

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 concerns 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 with Christianity; some are amazingly beautiful and life-changing for good, while others are, unfortunately, surprisingly 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 and died for me, even while I was His enemy. The scriptures are amazingly balanced; if your experience of Jesus is not balanced, 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 have set out to prove the Scriptures wrong throughout the ages. Those who were 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, misunderstood 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 come 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.

A mental health therapist cannot prescribe medication. I can help you process the possibility of going on medication. Still, the prescriber must be a physician, psychiatrist, or nurse practitioner.

When I work with an individual, that person is my primary client. But in marriage counseling, the marriage itself becomes the client—not the husband or the wife, but the relationship between them.

I don’t take sides. My role is to speak the truth in love and always foster growth in both spouses for a stronger, more connected union. Sometimes, that truth can be uncomfortable—even painful—but it’s never harsh. My heart is to approach these vulnerable, honest places with gentleness, compassion, and deep understanding.

I hold a B.S. in Communication Theory from Illinois State University, a Master of Divinity from Multnomah University, and a Master of Social Work from Michigan State University.

I am trained in EMDR through EMDR Consulting and have completed Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy training at Michigan State University. I also received training in Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), an attachment-centered, trauma-informed approach, from the Karyn Purvis Institute at Texas Christian University.

My clinical experience includes earning an MSW Medical Certificate through an advanced hospice internship and an MSW School Social Work Certificate focused on working with children with severe disabilities.

Additionally, I am certified in SYMBIS for premarital counseling and SYMBIS+ for marital counseling. I also have specialized training as a foster care therapist, supporting caregivers and children from hard places.

I love to travel and explore new places, breathe in the beauty of nature, take family bike rides, and hike the trails of the Appalachians. I enjoy fine woodworking, playing guitar, listening to clean comedy, and sitting around a fire pit on a cool evening.

Conversations about theology and the soul, dreaming about the future—especially when God will make all things new (Revelation 21:5)—and witnessing someone discover a profound truth about themselves bring me deep comfort.

Family is essential to me. I love creating art with my kids, watching them play on the beach, taking the boys out for ice cream, and making homemade pizza every Friday for our family movie night. I cherish going to concerts with my wife—or sometimes with the whole crew—decorating the Christmas tree together, playing the first Christmas songs of the season, and escaping on a marriage retreat or getaway with my wife.

Peaceful moments steady my soul. Whether it's studying something for pleasure in a cozy coffee shop, watching a sunset—especially with my wife on the beach—reading spiritual formation books, or sitting in a hot tub under the stars, I find joy in feeling small in the hands of a big God who loves me and loves beauty.

Simple pleasures delight me: a good foot rub, opening a fresh bag of strawberry Twizzlers, making someone smile, and soaking in a peaceful Sunday morning before worship at our church.