H3 COUNSELING, LLC
ORLANDO, FLORIDA

Nurturing our mental and emotional health is part of living a balanced life. It does not always mean something is “wrong” with you because you believe you need help. Our childhood experiences, biological attributes, personality, family structure, life events, and relationships all affect how we develop mentally, sexually, spiritually, physically, and emotionally. Please take some time and look around her website to find pages on topics that may be helpful to you, and to learn more about the services she offers. Feel free to call Dr. Hollenbeck at Warning Signs that Someone my need your Help! We are more alike than different As a Certified Sex Therapist and Certified Sex Addiction Therapist, I help couples address a broad spectrum of sexual issues. In my experience, I believe there are three basic facts that all couples should know to help them maintain a healthy sexual relationship that is intimate and fulfilling for both partners. and we all know how important talking to each other…really talking to each other, is to the success of any partnership. Many of the couples I help in Sex Therapy treatment and Couples Counseling have never really talked about sex. There are very valid reasons for avoiding the subject. Probably the most common reason is the fear of hurting each other’s feelings. We don’t want to hurt the person we love or embarrass them (or ourselves). Then there is the belief that you just don’t talk about sex…yes, even in today’s world children are being raised in a home and culture where talking about sex is taboo. So couples simply do not know what questions to ask or how to go about approaching the topic. Regardless of the reason for not talking about sex, every couple should be talking about it. One easy way to begin would be to make an effort to bring up the topic with your partner on your next date night by sharing something you really love about having sex with them. Also, think about purchasing a book on the topic and read it together in the evening. Both of these suggestions will most likely break the ice and help you both feel more natural discussing the topic and help you grow even closer as a couple. Don’t ever base the quality of your sex life together on performance. There are a large number of potential sexual problems that can occur for a couple over the lifespan. As a couple, your goal should be enjoying each other sexually as a natural extension of your relationship. The goal should not be having an orgasm, or having to perform for a length of time, or a certain number of times a week you have to have sex. Every couple is unique and will most likely experience some type of sexual dilemma during their relationship over a life span. Anxiety, depression, age, disease, stress, physical illness, trauma, differing desire levels, pregnancy, hormones, biology, genes, beliefs, and surgery are just a few of the many factors that affect a couple’s sexual interaction. There is nothing to be embarrassed about, sexual issues are a part of life and are treatable. When you and your partner begin to experience sexual issues, remember you are a team and together you can address the problems with success. Be open and talk about the sexual problem, be supportive of each other, get educated on the issue you are experiencing, and if you can’t solve it on your own or with your medical doctor, then meet with a Certified Sex Therapist and they will most likely help you solve the problem. In order for a couple to enjoy a healthy and fulfilling sexual relationship, they must understand that it is a collaborative process. Remember you are a team, partners in every aspect of your relationship and your sexual relationship is no different than any other area. Below are the characteristics of a collaborative process that must be applied as a couple in order to successfully address sexual problems when they exist. Discuss these as a couple alone or with a Couples Therapist to help you and your partner successfully resolve sexual problems. “As a business man, I was concerned that a Counselor would try to drag the issue out to create more hours. I was very impressed with how quickly Crystal tried to attack the issue and resolve it. She obviously has great morals and we will always suggest someone in need to see her.” from our very first session. Her knowledge-base is extensive and her commitment to her clients is palpable. As a teacher of the gifted and parent of a gifted child, I know how important it is to support the unique emotional needs of the gifted, and also how hard it is to find people who understand these unique characteristics. I am very grateful for Crystal’s ability to provide outstanding therapy for my son’s anxiety while also acknowledging his whole person.” “I have never been to a therapist before even though I knew I need to for a long time. I found Crystal and I knew that God led me to her. She understood quickly my situation and was spot on in her treatments. I simply followed every single suggestion she gave me and found my life making a huge turn for the better. Her kindness towards me was what I needed throughout my healing. Thank you Crystal.” “Crystal, you are caring, professional, and helpful all at the same time. You have made a difference in our happiness and our marriage! Thank you so much! “Crystal has been a key component to making my relationship better! She has helped me in several aspects of my life and is great at teaching you how to see the “truths” in life and not engage in self destructive behavior. My boyfriend and I went to her to help us overcome a few obstacles in our relationship and I can honestly say that without her I’m not sure we would be as strong as we are today. We just got engaged!!! Thanks Crystal…we couldn’t be happier!” “I saw a counselor for almost 10 years who did help me, but nothing like Crystal helped me in a matter of 4 short months (2-3 times a week). Her insight amazes me. She knows exactly what question to ask or statement to make at exactly the right moment. She uses EMDR which is a fabulous tool to identify, deal and heal the deep fears and traumas I’ve experienced during my life. She gave me many tools to use at home to deal with my issues. Be prepared for her to be straight-forward and tell you what you might not want to here, but know that she says it for your own good. Listen to her and do what she suggests. For example, I was having trouble dealing with my oldest adult son’s behavior. He is inconsiderate and and self-centered. Crystal said that I can’t change him and that I just have to accept the fact that he is that way. That is not what I wanted to hear. I wanted him to change so that he’d act like I think he should! That’s when she explained to me that I am co-dependent. She said I DON’T have to accept being mistreated by him. It’s alright for me to nicely stand up for myself and tell him when I don’t appreciate being treated a specific way. This was a huge eye-opener for me. She helped me to able to stand up for myself, to love myself, to nurture myself and to take care of myself too. What a novel idea! I liked that!! There were a lot more issues, fears and challenges that Crystal helped me through and I will be forever grateful that the Lord brought Crystal into my life. Thank you Crystal, you are truly a fabulous counselor and person!”