I’ve never talked to anyone. I’m used to handling things on my own. Isn’t therapy for people who want to complain and feel sorry for themselves instead of just getting out there and fixing what’s wrong?
Not at all. If you could fix it on your own, with your sheer strength of will, you would undoubtedly have done so already. In therapy, I can help you build on your existing skills and strengths to become even stronger and more resilient. We all encounter situations and moments in life that exceed our abilities to cope. Our friends and family might try to help, but they’re too close to the situation to be objective. In moments like this, talking to a professional can help.
The services I offer are not meant to replace the help you might get already from people who love and care about you, but rather to add something different, a different perspective to help you grow in new directions instead of being stuck the same roles and patterns you might have been in throughout your life.
Why shouldn’t I just take medication?
Medication alone can often help improve or alleviate symptoms, but it can’t resolve deeper issues or change long standing patterns of behavior, meaning that you might start feeling better but still be at risk of re-creating the same situations in your life that led to those symptoms occurring in the first place. Therefore, many people benefit from a combination of medication plus psychotherapy. I have seen this offer powerful benefits to my clients, with medications helping them to feel better relatively quickly, while also making it more tolerable to dig in deeper in therapy to really get at the issues that underlie their distress. It’s a highly personal and individual choice however, and though I will make recommendations and am happy to offer psychiatrist referrals if that’s helpful to you, at the end of the day, I completely respect your decision on whether or not to pursue medication as an adjunct to treatment.
How does it work? What do I have to do in sessions?
Because each person has different issues and goals for therapy, therapy will be different depending on the individual. I tailor my therapeutic approach to your specific needs. But mostly, just bring yourself, your honesty, and your willingness to work, and I promise to meet you where you are, and to do all I can to create a safe, warm, and affirming space where healing and growth can happen. I tend to be non-directive, meaning, I like to see where you are and assist you in self exploration, rather than setting a detailed agenda that will dictate what we talk about. However, I’m also open to hearing what you like and don’t like in therapy, and want to make whatever course corrections we need to along the way to be sure this process is as helpful to you as possible. If you speak up in therapy – with me, or any other provider – it will help you get the absolute most out of the experience. We’re here to help!
How long will it take?
It’s such a good question, and yet, it’s really hard to answer! Obviously, everyone is different, from who they are, to what they want out of treatment, to how they respond. As I get to know you, I can definitely give you more specific answers regarding your course of treatment, and if you are looking to spend the least amount of time in treatment possible, we can tailor our goals to accomplish that. I am happy to be flexible to what you’re looking for in therapy, or to help you find a clinician more suited to the kind of work you’d like to do.
I want to get the most out of therapy. What can I do to help?
Collaborate, be open, and speak up! I find that nothing helps a client succeed more than those 3 things. If anything I’m doing is making it harder for you to feel open and comfortable, please let me know. If at any point, things do not seem to be working or you want to try things differently, we can course correct and make adjustments to get us back on track. The important thing is that this will be a collaborative treatment experience, and your input is always essential to the process and also much appreciated.