Individual counseling may help if…
You have worries, fears, or a pervasive sense of “bleah” getting in the way of your life. You may have experienced a recent transition, or be worried about an upcoming one. You may have survived a traumatic event, as a child or as an adult, and just can’t seem to “shake it off.”
You’re over-stressed or overstretched. You want someone non-judgmental and compassionate, someone to help you move toward your strengths and values, keep you accountable for self-care, and learn new ways of being. You want a therapist to be supportive, gentle-but-honest, and to appreciate humor. You’re willing to be an active participant in therapy: being honest about your reactions, preferences, wants, and needs.
What is individual counseling like?
Professional counselors help people live more satisfying, fulfilling lives by engaging them in therapeutic talking, learning, breathing, and moving to discover new perspectives, skills, and ways of being.
Sessions usually occur weekly for 45-60 minutes. In our first session, I will work to provide a safe environment where we can explore your current concerns and background. We can then discuss treatment options and make attainable goals together. I tend to work by encouraging you to understand and accept yourself, build on your strengths, learn new skills, explore your options for the future, and choose different ways of looking at your life. I approach each counseling relationship as unique, but my most often-used treatment modalities include acceptance and commitment therapy, solution-focused therapy, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Feel free to ask about methods of treatment, techniques used, and expected duration of therapy at any time.
Counseling tends to work best if you take risks in being honest and sharing openly about your issues and reactions to our sessions. However, it is your right to withhold any information, even in response to a direct question. Please let me know if your level of discomfort is interfering with our work together at any time.
It is also your right to choose whether to begin or continue counseling at any time. Though many people improve their lives through counseling, clients often feel worse before feeling better, and some people do not find counseling effective at all. If you or I feel that we cannot adequately address your concerns, we can discuss other options before ending our sessions.
