how therapy works

Therapy can feel awkward in the beginning. Especially the first session with a new therapist, and especially especially a first session with a new therapist if you've never been to therapy before. That's okay, we can figure it out.

what to expect in therapy

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• Your thoughts, feelings and experiences won't be judged. We usually don't have a lot of relationships that are judgment free in our society, so that can be hard to believe at first. It takes time to sink into that and feel safe enough to open up, so we go at your pace.

• I find effective therapy has at least 3 preconditions: something's challenging in your life, you are willing to talk about it truthfully, and you want it to be better. These are going to manifest differently for everyone, and often since life is messy these categories can be hard to define. That's okay, it just means we talk about it.

• Related to the last point, talking about ourselves and our experiences can feel strange and unnatural, and it's normal for certain topics to be difficult to discuss at first. 

• You and I work collaboratively. Meaning we create a plan for therapy together, we check in to make sure it's still working for you, and we speak honestly with each other about needing to readjust or amend our plan. 

• I might give you homework. In some fashion. For you to try outside of sessions. These activities can be as big or small as you like, formal or informal, but ultimately we are trying to help you change things out there in the real world, so we need to see what that's like.

• Important information, including content about confidentiality and it's limitations, will be outlined in an informed consent document before we begin to work together. Feel free to bring up any questions or issues about therapy, or the limits of confidentiality at any time.

 

 

benefits and risks of therapy

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benefits:

• ​One can experience improvements in certain areas of life and have a greater sense of satisfaction.

• One can come to a better understanding of oneself and how to mange one's internal life.

• One may experience improved relationships with others, including more intimacy and better communication.

• Therapy offers a unique relationship where someone is dedicated to supporting you, providing you with information and honest feedback about yourself and your life.

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risks:

• Discussing personal experiences from your past or present may bring up intense emotions or thoughts, which can sometimes be distressing. 

• Although the outcome of therapy is often positive, the level of satisfaction for any individual is not predictable and therefore not guaranteed. ​

• Beginning to look at thoughts, feelings and experiences that were painful or confusing can be helpful and healing but is not always (or even usually) a linear path. Please feel free to discuss your expectations of therapy with me and we will make sure that we are headed in the right direction.