Garrett Irby, MA, MDiv, LPC, CSAT, CPTT

Individual, Couples, and Group Counselor

Feeling confused about an decision that needs to be made? Instead of making that decision from a place of fear of what may happen, you can take those concerns into consideration, respecting all of the concerns of your system, and then make your decision from a place of inspiration .

Garrett specializes in helping people make decisions in tough situations, especially when feeling conflicting feelings and weighing out different possible outcomes. These difficult decisions are usually made more complex because of

• pain or hurt - from either someone in the current situation or past painful events (also known as raw spots)

• genuine concerns about potential negative outcomes to the decision

• confusion because our internal system can see different pros and cons to each decision

• different hopes about the future and conflicting perspectives about the outcome of each decision

Garrett uses specialized techniques to help clients listen to their authentic selves, the core of their being, and make the decision in a way that is authentic and honoring to their entire system, their entire thought process and all fo the feelings that are part of the decision. Some important parts of this process are

• listening inside to the different perspectives and hearing the concerns and hopes of each perspective

• noticing the polarizations of these perspectives and what the real concernes are

• recognizing a core hope that is usually shared by the different perspectives

• acknowledging pain that is brought up and/or caused by this situation and healing wounds from the past

• listening to your inner critic and getting to know how this part of you is trying to help and what good intention this one has for you

Ready to book an appointment? Call us at (205) 800-4366 to get started.

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Here is a little more of the story of Garrett’s career journey in his own words…

I began my professional counseling career in 2012 when, after spending years as a pastor doing pastoral counseling with church members, I started performing wedding ceremonies. For me to perform the ceremony, I required that couples go through premarital counseling with me. I became certified as a Prepare-Enrich facilitator and realized that counseling is my life calling.

That year, I went back to school to further my education in counseling at The University of Alabama at Birmingham. There, my mind was opened to many theoretical orientations, treatment modalities, and therapeutic interventions that we use at Hope House.

In 2014, I began an internship at a psychiatric hospital, doing most of my work with teenagers who had experienced trauma but were moving forward through their resilience to a new future. Two years later, in March 2016, I opened Hope House. I use a mix of all my experiences and education to lead our team to help individuals, couples, and families who deal with a wide range of issues. While we help people with many problems, one of our specialties as a team is helping people cope with betrayal in relationships. We at Hope House help people through personal introspection to make decisions about where to go next, set boundaries, and create safety and security. We help people through relationship counseling and specialty partner trauma counseling, and we work with the one who participated in the betrayal deal with their individual issues - many times there is an addiciton present such as gambling, alcohol, pornography addiciton, and/or sex addiction.

Having started my professional counseling with couples and expanding my work to counseling individuals, families, and inpatient hospital work, I bring a unique mix of my own personal life experience, training in spiritual direction, and training in mental health therapy to my work in counseling clients.

My clients continue to be amazed as they walk this journey, seeing that taking simple steps can lead to life better than the best they had imagined.

Do you desire deeper connection with others and peace with the world around you? If so, let’s take this journey together.

Email me at garrett@hopehousehealing.com to set up a free 15 minute consultation or click the button below to request an appointment.

Education

• M.Div from Beeson Divinity School of Samford University

• MA in Mental Health Counseling from The University of Alabama at Birmingham

Special Training

• Relationship issues by Prepare-Enrich

• Sexual addiction, betrayal trauma, and therapeutic disclosure by International Institute of Trauma and Addiction Professionals

• Trauma and EMDR by Personal Transformation Institute - an EMDRIA certified trainer.

Appointments with Garrett are available in Homewood, Crestwood, and online.