Thank you for selecting me to work with you. I’m an independent practitioner, and am committed to provide you with honest, respectful, thoughtful treatment to best serve your needs. You are welcomed and encouraged to ask questions about therapy, policies, fees, or any other concerns that arise. I look forward to helping you live a life that works and that you love.
My therapeutic approach
My work with people is strength-based and client-centered. This includes providing a nurturing, supportive, environment, meeting the client where they are, and identifying and using their personal strengths to improve other areas that we’re working on. Strength-based therapy is an evidence-based practice. I use a variety of modalities and tools depending on your needs and goals. Some of them include:
- CBT, Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- DBT, Dyadic behavioral therapy
- Art, Play, and Sand tray therapies
- Solution-Focused Brief therapy
- EMDR, Eye movement desensitization reprocessing
Psychodynamic; Systems; Social/Restorative Justice; Collaborative Problem-Solving; Family Directed Structural Therapy; social/emotional resource development; Love & Logic; and Bully-proofing are other practices and theories that influence my approach to therapy. Years as a school counselor, having seen what does and doesn’t work in many situations, has also influenced by my work with kids,. I’m happy to provide you with more information about any of these therapies upon request.
The therapy process
Sometimes people, including kids, fear that seeing a therapist means something is wrong with them. I like to look at it like an athlete would. The best athletes have coaches; not because something is wrong with them, but because they want to excel. A coach can teach skills, provide training, and see problems we can’t see in ourselves. Getting a coach, or a therapist, can save time, struggle and suffering in the process of helping ourselves to overcome challenges, grow stronger, and more skillful.
Because you will be putting a good deal of time, money, and energy into counseling, you should choose a counselor carefully. You should feel comfortable with the therapist you choose. Research shows that when you feel this way, you drastically increase the probability of therapy being helpful to you.
The overall aim of therapy is to help you improve the quality of your life and relationships with others. Therapy is a process that moves through stages and takes time. To be successful, you have to be willing to commit yourself to the process. This requires a commitment over time. It’s important to continue the momentum gained in therapy through regular appointments. In return, I commit to helping you (and/or your child) move toward your goals as positively, powerfully, and effectively as we can, and as you (they) are able and willing.
I use many tools and strategies to assist the therapy process, including; stories, games, play, art, role-play, imagery and homework assignments. This is done to engage, teach and support the client while facilitating growth, progress and success. An important part of therapy will be practicing new skills that you will learn. For that reason, I give assignments, to help clients get the most value out of our work, and help them to practice and apply ideas in life. I usually take notes during our meetings. You may find it useful to take your own notes, and also to journal or keep records between sessions. Your input in your treatment is invaluable. Please keep me informed of what you feel works and does not work for you in our sessions.
Length of Therapy
Length of therapy varies for each person, depending on their needs. Many clients come weekly for 3 to 6 months, depending on their needs, goals, and progress, (some choose to continue longer.) After that time, we may meet less often for several more months. Counseling then usually comes to an end. The process of ending therapy, called “termination,” can be a very valuable part of our work. Either of us may decide it’s time to end therapy if we believe it is in your best interest. If you wish to stop therapy, I ask that you meet for at least one additional session to review our work together, goals, and any future work that may need to be done.
