How can counseling help me?
Everyone is different, and counseling might work for you in ways it doesn’t work for others. Counselors provide support, problem-solving skills, and enhanced coping strategies for a variety of issues, including depression, anxiety, healing of childhood wounds, relationship challenges, loss and grief, obesity and weigh loss struggles, body image concerns, and career challenges among others. Many people find that counselors can be beneficial in helping them experience personal growth, with interpersonal or family relationships, marriage concerns, or simply feeling stuck.
As your counselor, we will work together to help you approach your challenges in new ways. You will learn new skills, gain new perspectives, and experience unconditional listening without judgement or expectation. You will learn to listen to yourself without judgement as well, which is not always easy to do. The benefit gained from therapy depends entirely how open and accepting you are with yourself and how you use the tools you learn. Trust the process!
I’ve never talked to anyone. I’m used to handling things on my own. Aren’t people who go to therapy weak?
Not at all! In fact, it’s exactly the opposite! People who ask for help know when they need it and have the ability to reach out. Everyone needs help now and then. That itself is a strength and takes considerable courage. You are strong, even if it doesn’t feel that way right now. Perhaps you’re feeling overwhelmed and this particular challenge is making it more difficult to find your strength right now. Therapy is a form of self-care, which is essential to being strong and healthy both for you, and for your family and loved ones. We will work to identify those strengths, how you’ve used them in the past, and how might implement them during your current challenge.
Can’t I just take medication?
I work from a place of wellness as opposed to illness. Medication alone cannot solve all the issues. Medication treats only the symptoms. Our work together is designed to explore the root of the issue, dig deep into your behavior and develop strategies that can help you change your existing narrative, and accomplish your personal and/or relational goals.
Medication can be effective and is sometimes used in conjunction with therapy. If additional support is needed, I work closely with homeopaths and psychiatrists in the area to help you find the best fit for your needs.
How does therapy work? What do I have to do in sessions?
Because each person has different issues and goals for therapy, therapy will look different depending on the individual. I tailor my therapeutic approach to your specific needs.
You can initially expect to talk about your current circumstances and struggles. Your personal history is relevant to your current situation as well, in that your experiences shape who you are and how you handle challenges that arise throughout your life. Its important to note that your results are a direct reflection of your level of participation in the process. As such, I might suggest additional activities, outside of our sessions, that support your process, such as journaling, reading a relevant publication, or being more conscious of your own thoughts and behaviors.
That said, the duration of therapy is dependent on your specific needs. Therapy can be short term for a specific issue, or might be longer term if you are dealing with more difficult behavior patterns or looking for more extensive personal growth. Everyone’s circumstances are unique and the length of time therapy can take to achieve your personal goals depends on your desire for personal development, your commitment, and the factors that are driving you to seek therapy in the first place.
I want to get the most out of therapy. What can I do to help?
I am so glad you are dedicated to getting the most out of your sessions. Again, your active participation and dedication is crucial to your success. As we will typically only see each other weekly, it’s the work you do outside of our sessions that will really help you see personal growth and development.
My partner and I are having problems. Should we be in individual counseling or come as a couple?
If you are struggling in a relationship, and would both like to work with me, I will work with you as a couple. If either or both of you is seeking individual counseling in parallel, I will provide referrals for you both. Due to potential trust issues, I will not work with one of you individually, while also working with you both as a couple. Once our couple work is complete, if one of you wishes to continue with individual sessions, I will work with only one of you, as working with both of you individual can also contribute to trust issues between us as client and therapist.