It may take you time to feel ready to seek therapy. The American Psychological Association suggests you consider time to see a therapist when something causes distress and interferes with some part of life, especially when:

• Thinking about or coping with the issue takes up at least an hour each day.

• The issue causes embarrassment or makes you want to avoid others.

• The issue has caused your quality of life to decrease.

• The issue has negatively affected school, work, or relationships.

• You’ve made changes in your life or developed habits to cope with the issue.

If you find yourself overwhelmed by problems, thoughts and emotions that don’t seem to resolve, seem to control you, or cause you to consider harm to yourself or others, please contact me or another therapist.

Talking with a therapist is different on many levels. A therapist can offer a space to share that is free of judgement and bias. A therapist will also listen to and address problems from a professional lens, offering tools and techniques proven to help you reach your desired change and goals. Therapists are required to provide a high level confidentiality and honor your privacy.

People often think that by going to therapy, they can change a spouse, family member, co-worker, or friend that is causing them pain. The reality is… the only person we can change is ourselves. I can help you work on yourself and areas of your life that may be affecting your quality of life and how you relate with others, but we will not be able to directly change other people in your life.

Medication can be and is sometimes necessary for people to cope with their mental health struggles. However, medication alone does not address the root cause of the issues a person is dealing with. Medication is most effective when used in conjunction with therapy. In therapy, we unpack the underlying issues causing the struggle. When possible, I strive to work with you and your medical provider to best support your overall health. As a therapist, I am not licensed to prescribe medication.

Therapy is unique to each person and there is not a one size fits all solve to each person’s issues. Therapy does require participation from both therapist and client. In our time together, I do a lot of listening, reflecting, and summarizing what you share until you feel heard and understood. Together we discuss your goals and what you want to accomplish through therapy, then we work on a treatment plan that fits you and your ability to accomplish your goals. It will be up to you to do the work to make the changes you want for yourself, however, as the therapist, I am walking beside you supporting, assessing and offering new approaches.

The length of therapy depends on the person and situation. Every person is on a different journey with a different set of circumstances. I cannot guarantee how long therapy will take to resolve your issue. Sometimes clients come into counseling wanting to work on a particular thing and then later discover something else they want to address too. I work very intentionally with my clients to set goals and treatment plans that fit their situations. Typically, we re-evaluate after several sessions to discuss progress and direction. One thing that is important to me is that we terminate well. This means together we decide when you are ready to move on from counseling and have proper closure.

You are your greatest asset in therapy. What you put into therapy is what you will get out of therapy. As we develop a trusting therapeutic relationship, your openness to participate, communicate, feel emotions, and take risks will move you farther in your process. Asking questions and giving me feedback during treatment will help direct out time together in sessions.