Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), founded by Dr. Sue Johnson, is a new way of understanding adult love relationships, drawing from attachment theory.

Emotion-focused therapy (EFT) is a therapeutic approach based on the premise that emotions are key to identity.

This approach has been met with unprecedented success in helping distressed couples improve their relationship and deepen their bond.

A key tenet of EFT is that one has to feel a feeling in order to change it. In EFT, clients are helped to better identify, experience, accept, regulate, explore, make narrative sense of, transform, use, and flexibly manage their emotions.

Story-Informed Trauma Therapy enables us to help clients with the real source of their distress.

Story-informed Trauma Therapy is a structured, directive therapy that utilizes one's chronological life story to inform, process, and resolve childhood trauma.

A unique aspect of this material is the recognition of the impact of childhood trauma on spiritual development and maturity.

A trauma-informed approach seeks an awareness of the widespread impact of trauma on life experiences and relationships. It recognizes trauma's role in the outlook, emotions, and behavior of a person with a trauma history.

They are a powerful combination. Frequently, the "stuck" cycles and painful arguments couples experience are fueled by unhealed, underlying personal trauma.

When an old trauma wound gets triggered, we often react defensively or pull away, which our partner can misinterpret. By bringing trauma-informed awareness into couples counseling, we create a secure, judgment-free space where both partners can understand each other's historical wounds and build a truly safe emotional haven.

Navigating your emotions for a better life.

Emotions can be wonderful! They can also be confusing and inconvenient. Worse yet, they can seem debilitating. Some of us live in numbness. Others of us are taken by surprise when our emotions overwhelm us. The consequences are pain, broken relationships, and disruption in our lives.

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Thriving as an adult when unresolved childhood stories follow us.

Our unresolved childhood stories follow us, often making it difficult or impossible to truly thrive as adults. Even though we tell ourselves it wasn’t that bad, that we can push through, that it is long forgotten, that others had it worse, or even that we left it at the cross, still its impact persists.

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Learning to forgive and be forgiven in healthy ways.

If you have been hurt deeply and intimately by another person, then the messages we have heard about forgiveness can often feel trite, unrealistic, and even offensive. Many of us were taught lessons on forgiveness that only compounded our hurt. The expectations of other people for us to quickly forgive have only added insult to injury.

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Trauma impacts every part of life.

If the trauma victim is a religious person or someone raised in a religious home, the trauma will have shaped their spiritual experience. This is especially true in cases where the trauma took place in a religious environment or where the perpetrator was a trusted religious leader or parent.

This particular module is also appropriate for pastors and other helping professionals who want to understand the impact of trauma on spiritual formation.

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My counseling style is warm, collaborative, and proactive. We don't just sit in silence; we actively engage.

• For Individuals: We focus on getting underneath your immediate distress to process life circumstances, build self-awareness, and heal the relationship you have with yourself.

  Giselle Armantrout Counseling

• For Couples & Families: We focus on deconstructing the negative communication cycles that cause you to feel stuck. We work on transforming those arguments into productive, healing conversations that reinforce your bond.

Because every individual, couple, and family dynamic is entirely unique, there is no one-size-fits-all timeline. Some clients find clarity and relief within a few months of focused work, while others prefer longer-term support to process deeper generational or childhood trauma. We will continually evaluate your progress together.

I operate as an out-of-network provider. I highly recommend checking your specific out-of-network behavioral health benefits with your insurance provider prior to our first session. Payment is due at the time of scheduling or service, and I accept American Express, Cash, Check, Mastercard, and Visa.

I hold your session time specifically for you. Cancellations or rescheduling requests must be made at least 24 hours in advance. Sessions canceled with less than 24 hours' notice will result in your card being charged for the full session amount. Please note that Monday appointments must be canceled by Friday afternoon.

Our office is located at 3305 Metairie Rd, 2nd Floor, Metairie, LA 70001. We are easily accessible from Interstate 10 and just minutes from Lake Pontchartrain.

Giselle Armantrout Counseling serves clients in the greater New Orleans area, including Metairie, Kenner, Gretna, Harvey, and the surrounding communities. We also offer telehealth appointments to clients throughout the state of Louisiana.