Counseling Plus LLC

Counseling Plus is a mental health services provider founded by Jennifer Miller in 2010. Jennifer’s passion for the helping profession led her to strike her own path into private practice after several agency and public forum placements. It is Counseling Plus’s mission to enable you to become the best version of yourself. Jennifer Miller MA, MPHIL, LPC-S, NBCC In addition to the general forms of therapy I do that are listed on this site, I also use many techniques that are considered "out of the box." I feel that you deserve to benefit from any technique or intervention that I can provide for you or teach you, even if they are not frequently used by many therapists. Through my wide variety of experiences in the counseling profession, working with veterans, first responders and their families; I have been able to determine which of these strategies are the most effective in particular situations. I am most interested in helping you become the best version of yourself. My specialties include Critical incident processing, trauma counseling, first responders' occupational stressors, internal family systems trauma, as well as several different trauma processing modalities. It's my goal to help you readjust to coming home and taking the boots off, creating balance, and empowering individuals to maximize their functioning until they are thriving. I also use an animal assisted approach with my co-counsel Sarge that enhances the therapeutic outcome. I served in the US Army for ten years and spent a rather long deployment in Iraq. I am also a parent, so I am familiar with struggle of balance parents endure while also trying to maintain a career, healthy family life and strong interpersonal relationships. Maggie Shumpert, LPC I began my career working for Lexington County DSS and moved to different positions within state programs. Most recently I spent 5 years working for Richland County Vocational Rehabilitation Department, where I worked with high schools in Richland School District Two who had different disabilities. I helped them in finding jobs/work experiences. After nearly 13 years of state employment, I left to go into private practice. My love for helping teens/young adults continues. I thoroughly enjoy helping my clients as they move through different, and often times difficult, phases of life. I work with kids through adults on an array of mental health issues that are faced on life’s journey. I truly believe the quote by Carl Jung, “I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.” Many people face difficult times and circumstances in life, but those difficult times do not have to be a defining characteristic, instead they can help us to grow into a healthy and complete person. I have seen first hand how therapy can change a life and create a healthier and healed person. I focus on helping my clients learn to manage symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as ADHD management and grief and loss work. I have been married for nearly 18 years and have two teenage daughters. I love animals (we have three dogs, two cats and slew of chickens) and spending time in the mountains. I look forward to working with clients here at Counseling Plus. James L. Smyrl, Ph.D Life Coach My name is James L. Smyrl, Ph.D. Over the past 30 years, I have dedicated my life coaching men, women and teens to achieve their life goals. I serve at Prison Fellowship as a Senior Program Manager and as a volunteer Chaplain with Richland County Sheriff’s Department in the Victim Services Division. The officers in this division were recently featured on the Netflix documentary, “Missing: Dead or Alive.” Watching the documentary reveals the intense level of stress officers experience. I also serve as President of Bikers Against Trafficking, SC. BATSC is an organization that seeks to serve the emotional and physical needs of human trafficking survivors. Scout is a PAALS trained facility dog and an integral part of my work coaching people through relationship challenges, addiction, grief, and anxiety. Scout and I coach men, women, and teenagers to discover their life purpose and develop a plan to live out that purpose. We are blessed to make a difference in the lives of so many people. Scout and I began our service journey together at the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice (SCDJJ). As a Clinical Chaplain, we provided spiritual care, and life coaching to at-risk youth. The experience Scout and I gained at SCDJJ is now applied to the many people we serve in churches, community, and law enforcement. I daily witness the life-changing impact Scout makes in men, women, and teens. Dr. Smyrl offers coaching in the following specialized areas: • Self-Esteem Building • Anxiety Management • Stress Management • Addiction Recovery • Grief Endurance • Anger Management • Blended Family Dynamics • Thought Management • Life Purpose Planning