John Force LPC, NCC, CAADC
(814) 807-0861

I am a licensed professional counselor, who is also a nationally certified counselor, as well as a certified advanced alcohol and drug counselor. I obtained my master’s degree in clinical Mental Health Counseling from Walden University in 2018 and have been providing therapy since that time. I was granted national certification in 2019 and obtained both my PA state license and PA certifications both in 2020.

With a background as a former teacher, I transitioned into the counseling field – seeking a change of purpose and direction and ultimately discomfort – which brings a unique perspective to my clinical work. It also provides me with a level of comfort in offering treatment to a wide range of populations and demographics. I have worked extensively in both substance abuse and general mental health outpatient counseling work, but also in local county crisis management work in Mercer County.

My clinical approach, rooted in Adlerian theory, dives into core experiences and subsequent narratives that shape our own self-worth and purpose within bigger meanings. I believe in challenging unhealthy stories that foster inferiority and low self-esteem, aiming for healthier, more empowering narratives that restore us to this most fundamental state of being. Endorsed via certification by the Beck Institute, I specialize in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and CBT interventions to guide transformative change. Furthermore, these interventions help reframe detrimental and hindering thoughts and behaviors rooted in traumatic experiences and events. I also utilize a polyvagal-informed approach that listens and stays in tune with recognize the sings from our bodies that we are emotionally activated, and ultimately how to regulate those systems during times of distress via mindfulness and grounding techniques.

When working with myself, a great deal of the treatment focus centers on emotional congruence and authenticity and learning how to carve out spaces in your own life where you can be your truest self. From there, you can truly implement different behaviors and restorative change. Let’s work together to explore and rewrite your unhelpful narratives; let’s get to a place where you are living a life that is in tune with your individual need – embracing discomfort and growing through reflection, understanding and self-compassion.

“We may not be responsible for the world that created our minds, but we can take responsibility for the mind with which we create our world” – Dr. Gabor Mate