Meet Nathan

Hello and thank you for your inquiry into Thought Perspectives Counseling. My name is Nathan Comerford and I am the sole counselor and creator of Thought Perspectives. One of my aspirations is to provide those in need with effective counseling that can help them to alter their lives in a positive way. I truly believe that counseling can help people to make long-lasting positive change in their lives because I have seen it first hand. While change can be difficult to achieve, I have helped many people make those changes.
I have assisted people in repairing their marriages, decreasing anxiety, eliminating depression, learning how to communicate more effectively, as well as helping them with many other achievements.

Why I Chose to Become a Counselor
The decision to become a counselor was not a difficult decision for me. I believe that when it comes to being a good counselor, you either are one or you are not. In my opinion, the best counselors are born with the ability to help others. Do not get me wrong, even those born with the natural abilities still need schooling and training, but those born without the natural abilities will never be as effective as those who were. While I am not engaging in some form of self-flattery, I believe that I was born with the gift to be a counselor. It almost seems as if the counseling profession chose me and not the other way around. As far as I can remember I have been a go-to person for people to share their problems and frustrations with. Sometimes people that I had just met would start telling me all of their personal issues. One of the reasons for this is due to the fact that I know how to listen and understand people, I can figure out the unspoken emotions that they are experiencing. This is sometimes referred to as “listening with a third ear”.

My Personal Approach to Counseling
The most important aspect of counseling is the relationship between the client and the counselor. No matter what counselor someone decides to see, the relationship needs to be emphasized more than anything else including the theoretical approach of the counselor. As a matter of fact, several research studies have shown that counseling/therapy is effective regardless of the type of theoretical approach being used; it is the quality of the counselor and of the relationship that makes a difference. That is why I make every effort to understand where the client is coming from and to see the world through their eyes. I believe that the client will only make progress when they feel they can truly trust their counselor and to know that they are being understood accurately.

I choose not to adhere to one particular treatment modality or theoretical basis. I feel that adhering to one theory can be limiting to the counseling process and to the treatment of the client overall. My approach is an integrative approach that involves appropriating ideas and principles from several different theories including existentialism, psychoanalysis, cognitive-behavioral, reality therapy, as well as some of my own theories. I will use principles of particular theories where I feel they would work best with each individual. In other words, I customize the counseling sessions to fit the need of my clients. I feel that this approach is more effective than only using one modality.

My Training and Experience
My undergraduate training was obtained from Wayne State University in Detroit, MI with a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology. My graduate training was obtained from Oakland University in Rochester, MI with a Master’s in Counseling. I completed one practicum and two internships before I started counseling on my own. I am now an LLPC (Limited Licensed Professional Counselor) and an NCC (Nationally Certified Counselor). The NCC credential signifies that I have passed an exam for national recognition of basic standards of practice and that I am bound to an enforceable professional code of ethics.

My first four years of experience included working for Havenwyck Psychiatric Hospital as a Psychiatric Care Specialist and as a Utilization Review Coordinator. Havenwyck gave me a chance to work with patients who had severe psychological disorders that needed care on an inpatient level. I am now working out of my own private practice located in Farmington Hills, MI. I work with people that may have mild to moderate issues and people with moderate to severe issues. Most of my clientele consists of normal everyday people who are experiencing distress from some sort of traumatic life experience (divorce, death of a loved one, job loss) or from issues that have built up over time and have not been dealt with properly (depression, anxiety, relationship and family stress).

Meet the Counselor