Individual Therapy
Wonder why you're repeating the same pattern over and over again?
While some problems pass, others stubbornly persist showing up time and again. Whatever it is that interferes with your ability to have the kind of life you want, it’s time for a change.
Emotional discomfort has only three places to go:
Words—oftentimes hard to find, afraid to hear much less speak because of what they might mean, feelings aren’t always easy to express.
Actions—hazardous behaviors, like drinking or substance use/abuse, promiscuity, dangerous risk taking, abusive relationships, neglect
Our bodies—physical pain, illness, frequent colds, feeling run down, inertia, lethargy.
Of the three, words are the least costly and easiest to manage.
Putting thoughts and feelings into words gets them out, liberates, heals, enables creativity.
Psychotherapy is a process of learning about yourself, discovering unconscious processes that motivate your actions, cause you to repeat unhealthy patterns, and do things that don't always work in your favor.
Sometimes, we humans sabotage ourselves: we tell ourselves what we want to be true which may not necessarily be what is real. Each of us has a core inner compass that points in the right direction. It’s when that compass is compromised for whatever reason—external pressures, fear, inertia, distaste for the outcome—internal peace gets scrambled and goes awry.
Psychotherapy gets us back on track. By talking with a psychologist who understands unconscious motivations, pain and suffering, we develop a capacity for introspection, deepen emotional understanding, and expand our range of competence and proficiency.
My approach
As your psychologist, the focus is on what is troubling and how the work together will best serve your needs. Sometimes just outlining the problem, looking at options, and considering some possible solutions might be enough. Other times, it might be worthwhile to go deeper, explore unconscious motivations, discover those parts of yourself that are hidden and can't be found on your own. By talking about your experiences, identifying feelings, you get to know your unconscious internal world and its impact on what you do, those with whom you interact and what it means for your self.
I work in 45 minute sessions usually once a week or on a schedule that best fits your needs. Sometimes those who want to explore a deeper understanding want to meet more frequently, twice or even three times a week for depth psychoanalytically informed psychotherapy. Not all insurance plans cover that frequency so you might want to check with them to see what they will cover. Knowing that cost is always a factor, we can adjust the frequency of sessions so the expenditure is bearable. The time and investment you put in yourself is something you get to decide.
“Human beings have always employed an enormous number of devices for running away from themselves….We keep ourselves so busy, fill our lives with so many distractions, stuff our heads with so much knowledge, involve ourselves with so many people and cover so much ground that we never have time to probe the fearful and wonderful world within. By midlife, most of us are accomplished fugitives from ourselves.”
—John Gardener