Individual Therapy
Individual therapy is a collaboration between the client and the therapist to address specific symptoms or areas of personal growth. People seek individual therapy for a variety of reasons but common symptoms include depression, anxiety, or relationship issues. When a potential client first calls me I recommend that we speak on the phone for 15-20 minutes so that I can learn more about the issues they would like to address. Based on this brief conversation I am better able to determine whether we would make a good patient/therapist match. Research suggests that two factors best predict the success of therapy – the motivation of the client and the quality of the relationship between the therapist and the client. Therefore this initial phone interview and the initial in person session will give us a good sense of whether we are well matched to work together on the issues that concern you.
I have been trained in a variety of theoretical approaches and I bring these perspectives into the therapy room a bit like a well-stocked tool box – some symptoms are best treated with one theoretical approach (for example, cognitive behavioral therapy) while other symptoms are best treated with other theoretical approaches (for example, psychoanalytic therapy). Together we will explore the issues that concern you to help you develop more flexible adaptable and satisfying solutions. In a sense the goal of individual therapy is for you to develop your own well-stocked tool box so that you can bring greater self-knowledge and awareness into the matters and relationships that you most value.