Individual Psychotherapy
Life's challenges don't need to be faced alone
Research has shown that mountaineers perceive a mountain to be 10-20 percent steeper when they’re climbing it alone—versus when they’re climbing it with other people. You need others to support and cheer you on. You also need people to call you out when you could be doing more. Having a team is essential for success.
Let me be on your team.
What is Individual Psychotherapy?
Individual therapy is one type of psychotherapy in which a trained professional helps one person at a time work through personal issues they have been facing. It is an effective treatment for a variety of emotional difficulties and mental illnesses. Traditional talk-therapy (but also art, music, yoga, meditation, biofeedback, neurofeedback and other experience-based modalities) can help reduce and control symptoms that negatively influence an individual’s well-being and improve overall functioning and life satisfaction.
Therapy sessions give individuals the opportunity to confidentially talk through problems or situations, learn new skills, try out new ways of relating or thinking about their lives, but do not necessarily make problems disappear. Rather, therapy equips individuals with the tools needed to cope with challenges more effectively, reach new goals and provide support with helping them integrate these changes into their lives.
In my practice I typically work with adolescents and adults but occasionally take on child clients. I prefer working with highly-motivated individuals ready to make lasting change especially those who have tried therapy before and been less-than-satisfied with the results.
What typically happens in a therapy session?
To start, I typically do a check-in about what’s been going on since we last met and you’ll share and update me (usually focusing on what we’d agreed would be the main issue we’d work on unless you have a more pressing issue or crisis that's come up.)
Then, we’ll review any homework, readings or exercises assigned and discuss them. I’ll listen and take notes and offer feedback. You won’t be criticized, interrupted or judged as you speak and our conversation will be kept in the strictest of confidences. This is a special, unique type of conversation in which you can say exactly what you feel—total honesty—without worrying that you’re going to hurt my feelings, damage our relationship, or be penalized in any way. Anything you want—or need—to say is OK.
After reviewing homework, we’ll continue on the path we’ve charted by working towards objectives, learning new skills, processing feelings, maybe trying an art therapy, yoga or music intervention and assigning/agreeing on new homework etc. Issues rarely occur in a vacuum, so our work will always cross into other topics and that’s ok but it’s my job to keep us on track towards the goals we’ve set.
At the end of sessions, I like to do another little check-in to get your feedback about how the session went (i.e. what I or we can do different next time), set our next appointment and we’ll say goodbye. I like to have a clear outline for sessions like this so that my clients know what to expect….and don’t have to worry about “having enough to talk about” each session!
What do I need to do now?
Get in touch and we’ll see if we’re a good fit. Together, we'll create a plan with concrete strategies to help you feel better and create a more beautiful life (and it won’t take years!)