Welcome to Medical Problem Counseling Gary S. Grubb, LCSW, MD, MPH
This service focuses on helping people cope with illness and its associated psychological and social problems.
Information About Dr. Grubb
Training and Experience
Gary S. Grubb has been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker since 2016. He holds a Masters in Social Work degree from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Before becoming a social worker, Dr. Grubb earned an MD from Case Western Reserve University and a Masters of Public Health degree from the University of Minnesota. He is board-certified in Preventive Medicine and has been licensed in North Carolina since 1987. In his medical career he worked with the CDC, non-profit organizations, and corporations in epidemiology and clinical trials. He worked for three years counseling indigent clients in the Smithfield office of Carolina Outreach before starting his practice. Dr. Grubb had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma successfully treated in 2007 and has written about the patient's experience that was not what he was taught in medical school.
My Counseling Approach
I became a counselor to help people through medical problems like the cancer I had because I observed many patients who needed compassionate guidance and emotional support. I have specialized my training, research and connections to best meet the needs of clients coping with medical problems. While the average counselor lists about 15 interests, I specialize in one to provide the best service I can. I have empathy for the depression, anxiety, and grief that often come with medical problems. I use several proven counseling techniques (like CBT, ACT, mindfulness and clinical hypnosis) to find those that work best for clients.
. In addition to the psychotherapy approaches, one of my main goals is to give clients more skills and tools to treat their mental health problems on their own. To do that, I research several types of resources (like local help, experts, books and internet sites) that would help. I also help clients anticipate and counter problems related to their illness (like stigma and relationship effects) that are likely to lead to emotional discomfort.
Our Relationship is Key
With any of the above approaches, good rapport between a client and the counselor is often the key to successful treatment. I find out how a client dealt with problems before and help them build on their strengths. I always collaborate with a client in setting an agenda for each session and genuinely value the clients’ feedback to improve their future sessions.
I accommodate clients who are house-bound or ill by meeting in their homes or online but I am mindful to keep sessions from being tiring or stressful. These visits can present some difficulties for a successful therapeutic relationship. Therefore, I may ask for certain preparations to maintain privacy and avoid interruptions with these in-home or online sessions.