Dr. Jeff Russ

Qualifications & Experience

I have a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology, an M.P.A. in Personnel Management with a minor in Counseling and Child Development, an M.Ed. in Special Education (Curriculum and Design) a BA in Political Science with a double minor in Physical Education/Health/Recreation and Psychology.

My Call to Christian Counseling

James 5:20 says, “Remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” Ever since high school, my passion and desire has been to help people help themselves.

More About Me/On a Personal Note

I am a former triathlete. I now participate recreationally in all three sports. I also enjoy dancing and racquet sports.

Areas of Expertise/Specialties

• Abandonment and Neglect
• ADHD
• Aging and Geriatric Issues
• Anger Management
• Anxiety
• Autism
• Bipolar Disorder
• Chemical Dependency
• Coaching
• Counseling for Children
• Counseling for Teens
• Couples Counseling
• Codependency
• Depression
• Eating Disorders
• Family Counseling
• Grief and Loss
• Group Counseling
• Individual Counseling
• Infidelity and Affairs
• Lifespan Integration
• Marriage Counseling
• Men’s Issues
• OCD
• Online Counseling
• Personal Development
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Premarital Counseling
• Professional Development
• Psychiatric Care Services
• Relationship Issues
• Sex and Porn Addiction
• Sexual Abuse
• Spiritual Development
• Trauma
• Weight Loss
• Women’s Issues

Chemical Dependency

My name is Jeff, and I am a recovering alcoholic and drug addict. I have been clean and sober since March 27, 1981. I can provide what most psychologists cannot: I have been there and done that. Once you are convinced that you cannot drink and use drugs, then we can best treat your other mental health issues that may be co-occurring with your addiction, such as sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, ADHD, etc., which you have been attempting to self-medicate with your drug(s) of choice.

Sleep Disorders

When I was doing my doctoral practicum, I had a full-time position working with developmentally disabled clients, a part-time position as a counselor in a private clinic, and a full-time practicum. Some of this could be integrated together. However, after two weeks and realizing that I would have to maintain this schedule of just three to four hours of sleep per night, I actually thought I was going to die. I was enrolled in the Biopsychology course and honed in on as much as I could to save myself in the research literature. I saved myself and, in the process, became an expert in sleep disorders.

Anxiety

As a child my parents continued to fill me with thoughts that I was not good enough. There was always someone better than the good thing I did, and I would never amount to much. If this is not a recipe for anxiety, I do not know what is. Over the years, this resulted in panic attacks and much therapy with evidence-based strategies to help me overcome anxiety. I have not had a panic attack since 2017. Besides what worked for me, I have and continue to follow the literature on anxiety treatment methods.

Depression

Anxiety and depression go hand-in-hand. Sometimes it is a chicken or an egg question: “Which drives the other?” There are evidence-based, solution-focused strategies to beat both. However, if a person has a bit of both, it is incumbent on the therapist to ensure that they are not using strategies that work for anxiety, but create depression, or vice versa. Since COVID, about 95% of incoming patients seem to present with depression or anxiety. I can help you.

PTSD

Up until about twenty years ago, we treated PTSD by having patients describe their trauma over and over again until the “cows came home.” We were retraumatizing them. The experimentation started with the Vietnam war veterans and continued with latter individuals in Iraq or other direct combat zones. The evidence-based strategic approach now is like a game of chess. The back row contains the PTSD traumas and the front row is the pawns that are meant to protect the back stuff (nightmares, flashbacks, etc.). The evidence-based approach means that if we focus on the triggers or antecedents, eventually time will heal the PTSD, while you get adept at stopping yourself before you get to the deeper things.

Sessions: I offer 53-minute sessions. Sessions can be held more than once per week, weekly, or every other week. Scheduling options are discussed in greater detail during your Risk-Free Initial Session.

Availability (by office location):

• Longview – Wednesday
• Online Counseling – Wednesday

Fees: I offer a Risk-Free Initial Session for individuals, couples, and groups looking to pursue counseling with me. Please note that there is a fee for the Risk-Free Initial Session as it is a clinical hour and reimbursable to most insurance companies, but if you choose not to reschedule and continue therapy after the initial session the entire fee for the session will be waived. For ongoing treatment the full fee per session is required at the time of service.

Insurance: As a Licensed Psychologist, most insurance companies will reimburse for a portion of my services (as an Out of Network Provider). Please consult with your insurance provider as to whether they specifically cover adolescents, individuals and couples.

Receipts/Statements: In the event you require a printed or digital receipt, I will provide receipts for personal use, insurance reimbursement, Flex Spending Accounts (FSA), and Health Savings Accounts (HSA).

Payment options: Cash, Check, or Credit Card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, & American Express). A fee of up to 4% per transaction will be added for credit card payments.