How Therapy Works
Therapy provides support, insight and guidance during difficult times. Working with a trained professional can help you gain a better understanding of the obstacles that are making your life unmanageable and give you the tools to develop the resources and skills you need to achieve your goals.
How your therapy will work depends very much on you, what situation or problem brings you to therapy and how you want to address these issues. When you call me, we’ll discuss the different options and how you would like to proceed.
I don’t offer a standard set of solutions. What I bring is my training and expertise as a licensed therapist as well as my life experience as a mother and grandmother, wife and friend. I also have an extensive background in business and workplace situations.
Counseling or Psychotherapy?
These terms are often used interchangeably, however, one way I distinguish them is to consider the length and depth of the work. Counseling typically refers to short-term work (8-20 sessions) and focuses primarily on problem solving. Both Couples Counseling and Counseling for Parents often fit into this category, and sometimes Individual Therapy will also be short-term.
Psychotherapy refers to longer term, in-depth work that focuses on inner change and healing. Specific problems are still addressed but we take the time to discover who you really are — your true self — and how to access your full potential. In-depth work takes time as you learn to increase your awareness by living mindfully as you investigate the lasting impact created by your experiences in your family of origin, uncover repeating patterns of behavior, and become comfortable with both the thoughts and feelings that are part of every day life. This is hard work, but ultimately the benefits are incredibly rewarding.
Different Approaches to Therapy
Often it will make sense for us to work together one-on-one. This is called Individual Therapy. This work can be either short-term (8-20 sessions) or long-term depending on your situation and desired outcome.
Other times your major stress is the result of difficulties between you and your partner. Couples Counseling can help you recognize patterns and behaviors that are causing problems as you develop the skills to build a successful and happy relationship.
When children are involved I often recommend Counseling for Parents in order to directly address what is taking place within the family.
Each of these options offers a different way to understand and work with what is happening, and to identify the steps and process needed to improve the situation. Call or e-mail me to schedule a 20-minute, free phone consultation to talk about your concerns.