the purpose of my practice is to provide a safe space, a sanctuary of sorts, where I guide you to discover insights and strengths about yourself within the context of your relationships. Together we can develop strategies that empower you to create the healthy changes you are needing. I will help you connect with your existing internal resources that you have forgotten or not yet experienced, gain insights into how you interact within your relationships while working toward creating greater satisfaction.
How can Therapy Help me?Do I really need therapy? I can usually handle my problems.
Why do people go to therapy and how do I know if it is right for me?
What about medication vs. psychotherapy?
Confidentiality
How can Therapy Help me?
A number of benefits are available from participating in therapy. Counselors can provide support, guidance toward insights about yourself and how you interact within the context of your relationships, problem-solving skills, and enhanced coping strategies. Many people also find that counselors can be a tremendous asset to problem solving and finding new ways of relating in interpersonal relationships, family concerns, marriage issues, and the difficulties that are part of life as they impact on our relationships. Therapists can provide a fresh perspective on a difficult problem or point you in the direction of a solution. The benefits you obtain from therapy depend on how well you use the process and put into practice what you learn.
Some of the types of benefits of therapy may include:
- Attaining a better understanding of yourself, your goals and values as they impact on your interpersonal relationships
- Developing skills for improving your relationships
- Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy
- Learning new ways to cope with stress and anxiety
- Managing the realities of grief, depression, and other emotional pressures
- Improving interpersonal communication skills
- Discovering new ways to solve problems in your relationships
- Improving parenting skills
Do I really need therapy? I can usually handle my problems.
Everyone goes through challenging situations in life, and while you may have successfully navigated through other difficulties you've faced, it's a sign of strength to seek out extra support when you need it. In fact, therapy is for people who have enough self-awareness to realize they need a helping hand, and that is admirable! You are taking responsibility by accepting where you are in life and making a commitment to grow and change your responses within interpersonal relationships by seeking therapy. Therapy can provide long-lasting benefits, giving you additional tools you need to deal with the challenges you face.
Why do people go to therapy and how do I know if it is right for me?
People have many different motivations for coming to psychotherapy. Some may be going through a major life transition or need to handle stressful circumstances better. Some people need assistance managing a range of other mental health issues. Therapy can help provide some much needed encouragement and help with skills to get them through these periods. Others may be at a point where they are ready to learn more about themselves within the context of their relationships. People seeking psychotherapy are ready to optimally meet the challenges in their lives and ready to make changes to successfully do so.
What is Therapy like?
Because each person has different issues and goals for therapy, therapy will be different depending on the individual. In general, you can expect to discuss the current events happening in your life, your personal history relevant to your issue, and report progress (or any new insights gained) from the previous therapy session. Depending on your specific needs, therapy can be short-term, for a specific issue, or longer-term, to deal with more difficult patterns or your desire for increased interpersonal development. Either way, it is most common to schedule regular weekly sessions with your therapist.
It is important to understand that you will get more results from therapy when you actively participate in the process. Therefore, beyond the work you do in therapy sessions, your therapist may suggest some things you can do outside of therapy to support your process - such as reading a pertinent book, journaling on specific topics, noting particular behaviors or taking action on your goals. People seeking psychotherapy are ready to make positive changes in their lives, are open to new perspectives and take responsibility for their lives.
What about medication vs. psychotherapy?
It is well established that the long-term solution to mental and emotional problems and the pain they cause cannot be solved solely by medication. Instead of just treating the symptom, therapy addresses the cause of our distress and the behavior patterns that curb our progress. You can best achieve sustainable growth and a greater sense of well-being with an integrative approach to wellness. In working with your medical doctor, you can determine what's best for you, and often a combination of medication and therapy is the right course of action.
Confidentiality:Confidentiality is one of the most important components between a client and psychotherapist. Successful therapy requires a high degree of trust with highly sensitive subject matter that is usually not discussed anywhere but the therapist's office. Every therapist should provide a written copy of their confidential disclosure agreement called “Informed Consent” and discuss it with their clients prior to treatment. Sometimes, however, you may want your therapist to share information or give an update to someone, but by law your therapist cannot release this information without obtaining your written permission.
Therapists are legally required to break confidentiality in the following situations:
*Therapists are required to report instances of suspected child, dependent adult or elder abuse to the appropriate agency.
*Therapists are required to break confidentiality if a client presents to be a danger to themselves.
*Therapists are required to break confidentiality if a client presents a serious danger of physical violence to another person.
Your therapist should further discuss these exceptions to confidentiality with you and the necessary legal steps that are part of this process.