What is "therapy"
Before we can heal a hurt, we must be willing and capable of feeling it
What you can expect ....
Psychotherapy is different from other medical or health procedures, in that therapy is not “done” to you. Instead, the outcomes depends largely on one's willingness to engage in the process and practice learned skills outside of session. It is also important to note that reflecting on unpleasant events and becoming aware of feelings attached to those events can bring on strong feelings of anger, depression, anxiety, grief and shame.
However, before we can heal a hurt, we must be willing and capable of feeling it. While I cannot promise to solve all the problems that brought you into therapy. I can promise to support you, to do my very best to understand you and help you understand yourself, to assist you in recognizing your patterns, as well as clarifying and pursuing your goals.
How can therapy help ...
Through therapy, you can:
-
Attain a better understanding of yourself, your values, your needs and your desires,
​
-
Manage and tolerate feelings of anxiety, grief, and depression,
​
-
Learn to establish and maintain functional boundaries,
​
-
Adopt healthy ways of communicating needs and wants,
​
-
Recognize relationship patterns and learn interpersonal effectiveness skills,
​
-
Enhance decision-making and problem-solving abilities for implementation in daily life,
​
-
Learn new ways to cope with and manage distress,
​
-
Improve your self compassion and boost self confidence
How am I different ...
My counseling style is active and collaborative, meaning that our time together will include dialogue and interactive exchange. I also believe in the use of metaphors, as life's lessons are all around us. Humor is another component of my personality that I bring into the clinical relationship, because in the midst of struggle and pain, a slight chuckle can remind us that all is not lost.
​
In therapy, our clinical work will be recovery and relationally focused. Recovery being less about the behaviors one is attempting to avoid, and more reflective of the new life to be recovered.
Individuals are typically guided and limited by their learned experiences, and since few individuals receive formal education on "life", it is understandable that when "life happens", outside assistance may be necessary. Therapy provides the opportunity to re-learn, or learn for the first time, wellness life and relationship skills.
