Spencer Thorn, MA, LPC

Education

Bachelors in Music, Minor in Coaching/Human Development from SUNY Oswego

Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marshall University

Ohio LPC Licensed Counselor

License Number: C.2405960

In addition to private practice, I’m a Mental Health Counselor at Marietta College.

Here are some key points about my style:

-Good counseling is creative counseling. Creative counseling combines the wisdom of the ages with emerging knowledge to best support individuals’ unique situations.

-Our work often oscillates between the psychological, behavioral, social/emotional, and spiritual/Value dimensions.

-The focus tends to zoom in and zoom out. We zoom in on you as an individual and zoom out when we consider the context of your life.

-I try to bring my authentic expertise and knowledge to every session. Our combined strengths and efforts will shape our counseling work.

While I’m always learning and evolving my practice, here are other aspects of my approach…

Depending on the client/situation,  I borrow perspectives and techniques from:

Reality Therapy

DBT (Dialectical-Behavior Therapy)

Existential-Humanistic

Philosophy of Mind

Ecotherapy

Positive Psychology

Creativity & Expressive Arts

Psychodynamic Theory

Gottmans’ Couples Approach

"Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all."

-Aristotle

Spencer Thorn is a Professional Counselor in Ohio, with over 7 years of experience working in the Mental Health/Educational field across various settings. Over this time he has worked with adolescents, adults, couples, and families, addressing various personal, developmental, and circumstantial struggles.

He has experience in helping others manage stress, navigate significant life changes, cope with loss, change negative behaviors, and explore deeper existential questions about their life. Additionally, he works with couples to strengthen their relationships and address the challenges they face as a couple.

Specializations: Men’s Mental Health, Couples, Grief, and High-Achieving Clients.

I consider these dimensions when I work with clients. Depending on the many factors involved with counseling, I creatively bring about a counseling service that is tailored to your needs, goals and challenges.

Professional Ethics

The American Counseling Association provides these aspirational ethics for Professional Counselors. This is my take on each.

Autonomy

I deeply respect your right to make your own decisions and direct your own life. My role is to assist you by providing the necessary tools and support to navigate your unique journey. I believe in empowering you to take control of your destiny, fostering independence and self-reliance, rather than imposing my will upon you.

Nonmaleficence

My commitment is to do no harm, which is derived from the Hippocratic oath. I’m acutely aware of the potential consequences of our actions and words, ensuring that my methods are both theoretically sound and ethically grounded. It is my duty to ensure that our interventions are carefully considered and communicated, minimizing the risk of harm through vigilance and wisdom.

Beneficence

I strive to act in your best interest, going beyond merely avoiding harm to actively promoting your well-being. This means creating an environment where you feel valued, understood, and supported, as we are dedicated to enhancing your quality of life. My approach is rooted in genuine compassion, a love for humanity, and a steadfast commitment to helping others.

Justice

I am committed to treating all clients with fairness and professionalism. I recognize and address the diverse backgrounds and challenges each individual faces. Justice in my practice means ensuring that every client receives the same level of care and respect. I believe in fairness and strive to uphold it in all our interactions.

Fidelity

Trust and integrity are the foundation of our therapeutic relationship. I am committed to maintaining confidentiality and being reliable and loyal to my clients. When you entrust me with your vulnerabilities, I honor that trust by creating a safe and secure environment where you can explore your deepest concerns without fear.

Veracity

Truthfulness and honesty are paramount in this practice. I believe in providing transparent and accurate information about your situation and potential outcomes. Being honest also means acknowledging my limitations and ensuring that you receive the best possible care. This could mean having difficult conversations about your situation or referring you to other professionals when/if necessary. This commitment to truth fosters a relationship of mutual respect and clarity.

Wisdom, Integrity, Courage, and Compassion are the guiding virtues of this practice. I strive from every interaction to embody these virtues to serve my clients effectively and operate the business sustainably.

Personal Counseling Philosophy

My view of counseling is an intentional act of self-navigation, meant to increase levels of understanding, and self-awareness, while simultaneously developing skills and building mental grit to live a better life. I believe every individual has the capacity for growth, change, and the ability to overcome the issues that bring them to counseling. My approach is rooted in the idea that we all strive to create meaningful and fulfilling lives. This fulfillment is often found paradoxically, through sacrifice, meaningful suffering, value-based decisions, and a shift in our approach toward life.

While I do not act as a self-appointed expert on the client’s life, I do strive to bring my authentic self and expertise to each counseling session. The aim is to create a warm, supportive, and focused environment that allows the counselor & client to take educated guesses, challenge self-defeating beliefs, and experiment with new behaviors to pursue the therapeutic goals. My approach to counseling values knowledge, insight, and action as essential for progress.

Counseling is nested in both current evidence and time-tested wisdom about the human condition. The core of our work is centered around authentic dialogue between two individuals. Honesty with our word might just be the strongest therapeutic force we have. I strongly believe that the client/therapist relationship quality is key to successful counseling. As a counselor, I cultivate mutual respect, authenticity, empathy, and unconditional positive regard for my clients. By nurturing a strong working relationship, I aim to model for my clients their capacity for successful participation in such a relationship outside the counseling office.

For this reason, the therapeutic process is centered around the relationship rather than any particular theory or technique. I strive to strike a balance between developing insight and action and exploring the internal and external parts of ourselves.  During the initial stages of counseling, I focus on active listening, reflection of feeling, and accurate empathic understanding, all aimed at making the client feel heard and understood. As we move into the action stage, I increase my level of interaction and assertiveness, encouraging and motivating the client to take action on the issues and insights we have identified together.

Aside from straight-ahead talk therapy, I am inclined to incorporate various creative techniques to help make abstract concepts more concrete and make the counseling process relevant to the individual. I draw inspiration from expressive arts, game theory, play therapy, ecotherapy, and experiential therapies. I take great honor in helping others navigate difficult circumstances, and I look forward to working with you!

-Spencer Thorn, MA, LPC