Doesn’t going to therapy make me weak?
It can actually be quite the contrary. Hiding from our emotions, and hiding our emotions away, allows them to often grow stronger and feel as if they are taking us over. Acknowledging what we are feeling allows us to address the needs behind the feelings, and eventually to feel more emotionally balanced, stronger, and less vulnerable.
I talk to my friends. Why would I need a therapist?
Talking to friends is a very useful resource at times. However, sometimes our friends might not be able to help us get past our current situation. Sometimes, they might bring their own biases out of their feelings for you. A therapist is neutral, trained, and only interested in helping you navigate to a healthy, safe, emotionally balanced place in your life.
Can’t I just take medication?
Medication works best in conjunction with therapy. Medication can address symptoms but therapy can address the source of the issue and help create new strategies and pathways to decreasing the current symptoms.
What is therapy like?
The first two sessions are considered intake and consultation. In these 2 sessions, you will be signing forms, discussing what brought you to therapy and answering questions about your life events to the degree that you feel ready to share.
After that, you will talk about what feelings, thoughts, behaviors you are aware of and experiencing presently that are of concern to you. We will work together to identify the purpose of these feelings, thoughts and behaviors and what fears may be behind them. From there, we can help bring relief, healing and change to your whole self utilizing Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS). People describe that they generally feel calmer and more confident and clearer in their communications with others and their own intentions from this work.
How long will I be in therapy?
I do not work in a preset number of sessions as everyone is different. The good news is that your length of stay is up to you. I often describe the work of therapy as being in layers of depth. We can go as deep as you feel comfortable. The deeper work usually requires more time in therapy.
How can I get my money’s worth in therapy?
Continuing the work in between sessions is the best way to do this. Being mindful, reflective, and observing your thoughts, behavior, and feelings in between sessions will help the therapy process greatly. In addition, being as honest as you can be in sessions about what works for you and what doesn’t is a great assistance to the process.