Who is therapy for and what are the benefits? For anyone wanting to learn new ways of relating to life’s challenges. We often turn to our friends, family, mentors, etc. to seek advice or validation, but sometimes we are faced with concerns that could benefit from brainstorming solutions with a neutral party. Because I have distance from your everyday world, it’s easier for me to address your concerns with more curiosity and compassion than it might be for someone who knows you well (or thinks they do).
Therapy can be a safer space where you learn to relate to yourself, others, and environment with respectful curiosity, acceptance, and compassion. You will also grow your strengths so that you feel more confident advocating for your values in your daily life.
What does therapy look like in action? After I learn more about the changes you would like to see in your life, I will teach you strategies that you can implement during and outside of therapy to think, feel, and act in ways that help you meet your goals. You will identify coping skills and self-care steps to manage difficult periods and learn to challenge dominant sociocultural beliefs that may not have been serving you well. I will also suggest practicing skills outside of therapy.
Any risks? As with many things we do to improve our lives, therapy may present challenges. The fact that you are in therapy to look for new solutions means that you are wanting to make changes in your life. Sometimes, the process of change may require you to confront painful thoughts and emotions. You may leave a session feeling worse than when you started, but the feelings are temporary.
As you learn to advocate for yourself more by making choices that draw on your strengths and more closely reflect your values, you may also find that not everyone in your life is happy about the changes you’re making. Consequently, you may experience judgment from or conflict with people in your life who do not understand the changes they see in you.
How long before I see improvement? Progress is rarely linear; some weeks may feel better than others. It is okay to not feel as though you are always progressing because sometimes, the changes are so subtle that you may not notice them in the moment. The amount of time it will take for you to notice significant shifts in your life will depend on factors such as the nature of your concerns, how long you’ve been experiencing them, if you have previous experience in therapy, your support system, etc.
Some clients experience the improvement they want in 3 months, while others need 6 months or a year or more. Because everyone’s situation is unique, clients tend to find therapy more rewarding when they approach it with an open mind about what the process will look like for them instead of holding themselves to a strict timeline or pressuring themselves to “get over (the problem) and be done with it already.”
How can I get the most out of my sessions? Practicing skills outside of sessions, journaling, meditation, taking notes during sessions, and reflecting on what you’d like to discuss before sessions are some ways to enhance your experience. That said, we can’t always predict how our days and weeks will look, so it’s okay if sometimes, the session itself is the only time you have to address your concerns. For many clients, simply taking the step to devote a part of their week to therapy (i.e. openly addressing their problems) is in and of itself a significant change–and a step forward that can make all the difference.
How will I know that I am ready to end therapy? Do I even have to end it forever? Some ways to tell are if you run out of things to talk about or you feel more confident facing challenges on your own and/or with the help of your support network. Clients who feel that they’ve worked through their presenting concerns are welcome to return to sessions on an as-needed basis.
What if I don’t think you’re helpful? I will regularly request feedback from you to learn if my services are effective and will do my best to make changes to enhance your experience. As it’s in my interest that you have a positive experience–whether it’s with me or another therapist–if you feel that I’m not the best fit, I will gladly help you search for a therapist who may be a better match.
Additionally, during the course of our work together, if I determine that the support you need is outside my scope of practice, I will do my best to assist you with finding a therapist who has the specific experience and qualifications to better meet your needs.