Psychotherapy: What to Expect and How It Can Help

Psychotherapy can support your personal growth, ease emotional challenges, and help you live more fully. Think of it as a collaborative space to address a range of issues, such as uncovering maladaptive patterns, making sense of your inner world, and building lasting, desired change.

Below, I'll outline what it involves, what you can gain, and what working with me might be like.

What Is Psychotherapy?

At its core, psychotherapy, sometimes referred to as “talk therapy”, is about speaking openly to gain clarity on your thoughts, emotions, and relationships. This approach is not guided by homework assignments, directives, or advice-giving, and it is not formulaic. While this may work well for some, it is not considered psychotherapy.

Psychotherapy is a tailored exploration designed to make sense of why you feel, think, or act in certain ways. We might discuss work stress, relational dynamics, past experiences, or anxieties that shape your present. The goal is to reduce suffering, achieve greater self-awareness, and make choices that align with who you believe you are and how you’d like to live.

Unlike casual chats with friends or online tips sometimes from social media, the psychotherapeutic approach is a dedicated, professional partnership. You'll do most of the sharing and work with your therapist to make sense of your problems as you carve your path forward.

What Can You Expect to Gain?

Many clients come seeking relief from anxiety, depression, relational rifts, or a vague sense of being “stuck.” Through our work together, you can expect to discover:

• Deeper self-insight: Recognizing influences that were not previously known (like how a past event impacts current reactions) can free you from repeating unhelpful cycles.

• Emotional resilience: Tools to navigate life’s transitions with less overwhelm and more compassion for yourself.

• Fulfilled connections: Better understanding your needs and limitations, leading to healthier relationships.

• Resilience & agency: Greater ability to make authentic, sometimes difficult decisions that enhance your overall well-being and align with your values.

When individuals engage fully, therapy yields real, enduring benefits, even for complex issues. Similar to tending a garden, patient effort is what yields sustainable growth. You will get out of it what you put into it.

What Sessions Are Like: Working with Me

Our time together is flexible and responsive to you. Sessions typically last 45-50 minutes, meeting weekly (or as agreed upon).

Here's a glimpse:

• Open exploration: Bring whatever's on your mind (big or small, comfortable or uncomfortable). If something feels hard to say (even about me or the process), we should try to unpack that too. It's in those difficult, vulnerable moments that progress often emerges.

• Advice-giving: I won't tell you what to do. Instead, we'll clarify your options so you arrive at insights that feel right. (If advice were the answer, you'd have found it elsewhere.).

• Pacing: Early on, we will work on building trust and setting a working rhythm. As we go, themes will emerge naturally, and where we go may not necessarily be linear. Some weeks will feel light while others will stir deeper emotions.

• My style: Warm, attuned, and direct when needed, while prioritizing your autonomy. We'll check in regularly to ensure our work is helpful and adjust as we learn more about what works and what may not.

Psychotherapy is not a one-size-fits-all program, and our work will be shaped by the material you bring in for review.