What is psychotherapy and is it right for me?
There are different modalities of therapy and this will be discussed in your initial session.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is an example of an evidenced-based practice in which we identify and challenge ways of thinking that keep people cycling in patterns or relationships that are unfulfilling. This way of thinking may have served a purpose at some point in time, but may no longer be effective. Some modalities encourage practice of new skills between sessions.
I am also trained in EMDR and expressive therapies that have evidenced based research in helping clients with a history of trauma, anxiety, and intrusive thoughts.
Counseling is not only a form of support, but an opportunity to gain insight into why we may make various decisions, feel certain feelings, and process events and experiences in order to keep growing in our life journey. We learn new strategies that lead to feeling more productive and engaged in our lives. It is true that the work of psychotherapy can trigger moments of uncomfortable feelings that are processed in sessions. Part of creating change, and processing emotions, is talking about such experiences so that they have less power in our daily living.
In the beginning, it is encouraged that individuals be open to participating in counseling on a weekly basis however it is also understood that it is a time and financial investment. The frequency of sessions based on your needs will be discussed in your intake. Your goals and progress will be regularly discussed as a means of determining the length of time in counseling. On average, individuals participate in counseling from 3 months- 1 year based on symptoms.
Individual counseling sessions are typically 45 minutes or 60 minutes. If you desire an extended session, this may be arranged too