- Developing skills for improving your relationships
- Attaining a better understanding of yourself, your goals and values
- Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy
- Learning new ways to cope with stress and anxiety
- Managing anger, grief, depression, and other emotional pressures
- Improving communication and listening skills
- Changing old behavior patterns and developing new healthier ones
- Discovering new ways to solve problems in your family or marriage
- Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence
Everyone goes through challenging situations in life, and there’s nothing wrong with seeking out extra support when you need it. In fact, it takes a lot of self-awareness and courage to realize you need some help with an issue. Therapy gives you a perspective you can’t get by yourself. It also teaches you the tools you need to avoid triggers, change damaging patterns, and overcome whatever challenges you face.
Because each person has different issues and goals for therapy, therapy will be different depending on the individual. In general, therapy involves discussing the current events happening in your life and your personal history relevant to your issues or goals. Therapy can be short-term, for a specific issue, or longer-term, to deal with more difficult patterns. Most likely, we’ll meet once a week to work together.
In addition to the work you do in your therapy sessions, I might suggest some things you can do outside of therapy to support your process – such as reading a relevant book, journaling on a specific topic, noting particular behaviors in your daily life or taking action on your goals.
Medication doesn’t replace psychotherapy. And psychotherapy doesn’t do the same thing as medication. Through psychotherapy we will work together to achieve a long-term solution to your problems and the pain they cause. While medication just treats the symptoms, therapy helps you get to the root of your issues, so you can understand what’s getting in the way of your happiness and personal growth. There are times when a combination of medication and therapy is the best approach, which is why I encourage you to consult your medical doctor to determine what would be best for you.
It is important you feel comfortable and can trust that whatever we discuss in therapy will be held in the strictest confidence. In fact, confidentiality is one of the most important components between a client and psychotherapist. Before we begin our work together, I will provide you with a written copy of the confidential disclosure agreement. However, if there’s an occasion when you want me to share information or give an update to someone on your healthcare team, I can release this information with your written consent.
However, while state law and professional ethics require therapists to maintain confidentiality, the following situations are the exception:
- Suspected past or present abuse or neglect of children, adults, and elders must be reported to the authorities, including Child Protection and law enforcement, based on information provided by the client or collateral sources.
- If the therapist has reason to suspect the client is seriously in danger of harming him/herself or has threatened to harm another person.