Individual therapy (often referred to as psychotherapy or counseling) is a process during which a person works with a trained psychotherapist to explore and navigate their inner world (thoughts, feelings, long-standing beliefs) with the purpose of reducing distress and improving quality of life. Psychotherapy is a safe and confidential place to process emotions and for many a very beneficial form of self-care. I employ cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques because they are empirically tested and proven to be effective for treating a wide range of psychological challenges, including depression, anxiety, substance abuse, intrusive thoughts, impulsivity, anger, relationship problems and more.
Depending on the issue you wish to address, therapy can be short term (6-16 sessions) or may require a longer journey. In the first stages we will work together to explore your history and symptoms and will collaboratively create treatment goals. During the therapeutic process, you can expect to learn a variety of coping and mindfulness techniques, identify your strengths and supports, learn to challenge unhelpful (automatic) thought patterns, and adjust your behaviors based on your desired outcomes. Because therapy is most effective when you take an active role, you will maximize the benefits when you practice these skills outside of sessions.
Processing your thoughts with a therapist in a safe, confidential and supportive manner can help you overcome the emotional blocks holding you back from living the life you wish to. Ultimately, therapy is an investment in yourself and can help you open the doors to many rewarding ventures.
Relationships can be nourishing and fulfilling but at times they can feel taxing and frustrating. Relationship challenges are common and can result from life stressors, differences in communication styles, problems in negotiating as a unit, unhelpful relationship demands, and more. Disputes can often be resolved with respectful and caring communication. If issues persist, it can be beneficial to visit a neutral third-party, such as a psychotherapist or counselor, trained in managing these situations. Psychotherapy, and in particular cognitive behavioral therapy, has been shown to be effective in building skills that can greatly improve your feelings of fulfilment within a relationship.
During the initial stage of therapy you will undertake a joint assessment of your individual histories, relationship conflicts, stressors, and expectations. This assessment will then allow us to identify your goals and create a plan of action. Upon establishing your goals, we will collaboratively work to help you acquire skills that support emotional awareness, communication, problem solving, conflict management, and cohesiveness as a couple.
Therapy is most effective when couples are working towards reaching mutual constructive outcomes. Therefore, couples are encouraged to approach each other with curiosity and openness to feedback. Shifting your communication style to an approach that includes respect, caring, and tolerance will allow for the formation of relationship resilience. During your couples work, you agree to a time period over which you will act as if your relationship is truly valuable. Questions of separation will be put on hold while you allow time for your relationship to heal. Exceptions to this involve situations where there is domestic violence or abuse or any risk of physical harm if therapy is to be conducted. In such cases, individual treatment is warranted.
Our families give us a framework for functioning in the world. Early family experiences teach us how to show and receive love, how to interact within relationships, resolve conflict, communicate as well as help us develop self-efficacy and self-esteem. We also learn many of our habits and customs from our families. A healthy family system can help its members become strong and resilient.
Sometimes families experience stressful events that can strain family relationships, such as illness, divorce, death of a loved one, financial hardships, substance abuse, miscommunication, conflict or behavioral problems in children. If your family is struggling with any of these areas, it is not an unchangeable situation! A family therapist will assist you in overcoming these challenges by transforming relationship patterns. Family therapy may include all the family members or only those members who are willing to participate. Because family structures maintain both functional and dysfunctional behaviors in their members, therapy is most effective when each participant takes an active role during the process.
During the assessment period, we will review your family history as well as issues around the presenting problem and will collaboratively identify your family’s treatment goals. Family therapy is usually short-term (an average of 12 sessions) but can be modified depending on your goals and needs. The therapeutic work will focus on supporting a healthy and flexible family structure. You can expect to examine your family’s communication style, family rules and roles, strengths and areas for improvement. You will acquire new skills such as coping skills, communication skills, and mindfulness skills with the purpose of creating new ways of relating to each other. Ultimately we will be seeking to develop a family structure that allows each member of the family to flourish.
