Common Questions About Therapy

how do I know when to see a therapist?

Seeking professional help when navigating life’s difficult moments is a valuable tool that can be used for a short or long period of time. Most individuals seek the help of a therapist once they have tried to resolve problems or conflicts on their own but have been unsuccessful. Individuals may also consider the amount of distress an issue is causing in their life and decide to seek help based on that. For example, maybe you experienced something traumatic, and you find yourself thinking about it day after day or avoiding others or places due to the effects of the event. Perhaps you feel different than you used to and no longer want to do things that you used to find fun but are not sure why. Maybe you are having difficulties at work or with your partner, and the things you have tried before to fix the problems are no longer working. Although there are many other reasons a person might seek out the help of a therapist, these are just a few of the more common things people want to discuss.

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How Does Therapy Work, and what are the benefits?

Therapy typically consists of regular weekly meetings. Each week we will discuss what has come up for you and what your experience of those emotions has been like. Then we will learn to acknowledge the feelings, process and discharge the energy related to those emotions and learn coping skills to help you manage these feelings outside the therapy room. I will also teach you how to be with your feelings. How to safely experience them in a way that is not overwhelming and allows for the body and mind to move through the emotions, not pushing them away or down into the body, leading to chronic pain or illness.

The benefits of therapy are that many people feel better almost immediately after speaking out loud about their problems to another person. This is especially true when that other person is skilled at holding a non-judgmental, safe space and helping to resolve conflicts that arise in a person’s life. Therapy also allows a person to gain perspective on issues or problems that seem overwhelming because they are immersed in them. A compassionate third party can help you see solutions you may not have seen as possible and help normalize your responses to stressful situations.

As stated before, many individuals begin with weekly therapy sessions. This is especially important in order to building rapport, relationship, trust and to give you the opportunity to tell your story. After a few months, and if a client is feeling ready and comfortable with the skills they have learned, they might move to an every other week schedule or even monthly sessions. All of these are options.

how do I know when I no longer need THERAPY?

This might be my favorite and most important question when embarking on a therapeutic relationship. The only way to know when you no longer need therapy is when you feel you have met your goals. This is why I focus on gathering your desired outcomes during our first few sessions, so we will know when we have resolved the issues and therefore do not require you to “be in therapy forever.” You must know what you want, in order to know when you have achieved it. Some clients prefer creating a precise treatment plan, which we can do in session together, while others prefer a less structured approach, keeping in mind their goals and re-assessing every so often.