How does therapy help?

Depending on your present situation and reasons for seeking help, there are many benefits to participating in therapy. Therapy can help you understand and better manage your symptoms and triggers if you seek a diagnosis or treatment for a mental condition. You can increase coping skills and discover new ways of dealing with situations. In addition, therapy can help improve assertiveness, problem-solving, and communication skills or provide support and help as you work through significant life changes.  Learn to see your circumstances as a personal growth opportunity instead of a burden or obstacle.

Some specific skills therapy can provide are:

• Emotional management for anxiety,  anger, grief, or depression.
• Coping mechanisms for situations that typically cause anxiety, fear, or avoidance.
• Stress-management techniques to apply to help you deal with stress within your everyday life, such as with your job, relationship, and family.
• Skills and techniques to help you better navigate relationships or to work through relationship conflicts.
• Problem-solving skills for life’s challenges, transitions, or social anxiety.
• Improving self-forgiveness, self-acceptance, and self-confidence.
• Improving communication, listening, and assertiveness skills.
• Understand your skills and strengths and learn to quiet your inner negative critique.
• Finding a resolution to the issues that initially led you to therapy, such as anxiety, depression, or overwhelming stress.

While the decision to begin therapy is an individual choice,  it can benefit everyone. There are various reasons to begin therapy, ranging from significant life changes, a transitional period, a diagnosed mental condition, or to help manage daily stress. Your treatment plan and therapy goals will vary based on your circumstances. Online session appointments are available every week.

What to expect on your first visit?

Your first therapy session has two main goals:

1. Assess your circumstances

We will take the first meeting to assess your current circumstances. While my areas of expertise may be consistent with your reasons for coming to therapy, we will need to address specific areas unique to you and your current circumstances. From there, we can better determine what type of therapy is right for you, what it will entail, and how to fit appointments into your day-to-day life. In addition, I may provide you with homework to do outside of our therapy sessions, such as reading or practicing certain techniques or specific book suggestions. Your level of participation will directly impact your experience and ultimate satisfaction. Taking on an active role in your therapy is essential for growth and healing.

2. Build a relationship

Our first session will be more like a two-way interview. I’ll get to know you, and you’ll get to know me. I will ask you questions to help me better understand your primary issues and concerns and your history regarding other events in your life, family, childhood, and career. However, you are welcome to ask questions too. For therapy to be successful, we must establish a client/therapist relationship that is supportive and honest. The nature – and quality – of our relationship will determine the success of your therapy goals. The success of the ‘meeting of the minds’ with your psychotherapist is the most accurate predictor of a positive, healthy outcome to the hard work you put in towards your happiness. As such, each client/therapist relationship will be unique, but specific values and themes are true for all sessions, and you can expect the following:

• You can expect to be treated with compassion, empathy, respect, and understanding.
• You can expect to be presented with someone available to listen to you and listen to your interpretation of what you are currently experiencing.
• You can expect to receive knowledgeable and scientifically backed techniques and information to assist you in overcoming your mental health-related struggles.
• You can expect to arrive in a safe, supportive, and confidential space.
• You can expect to receive fundamental strategies and techniques you can use to enact positive changes in your life.

I look forward to getting to know you and helping you reach your therapy goals.

 

Is therapy confidential?

Generally, all therapy sessions are confidential, and anything you discuss with your therapist will remain between you unless you request otherwise. This is as per protection rules by law, which all therapists legally need to follow, and no information from the session can be disclosed without prior written consent from the client.

There are exceptions to this law, however, and the therapist can disclose information from the session to legal authorities or appointed persons if any of the following are true:

• The therapist suspects abuse to a child, disabled or dependent adult, an elder, or is made aware of domestic abuse. These situations all require the therapist to notify law authorities immediately.
• If the therapist suspects an individual has caused or is threatening to cause severe bodily harm to self or another person, therapists are required to report it to the police.