Welcome to my psychotherapy practice. I look forward to helping you have a better quality of life. Getting help for depression, anxiety or any other psychological concern is a big step towards feeling better. While medication management is an increasingly popular choice over the past decade, research shows that psychotherapy is just as helpful- if not more so, in some cases. So let’s debunk some of the myths that exist out there about psychotherapy:
- Psychotherapy is only for crazy people: First of all, I don’t use the term “crazy people.” Some people seek psychotherapy for treatment of depression, anxiety or substance abuse. Others my want help coping with life changes such as a new job, divorce or death of a loved one. Anyone can benefit from psychotherapy. Getting help is a sign of resourcefulness and research confirms that when we take care of our mental health, we are also taking care of our physical health.
- Talking to family members or friends is just as effective as going to a psychologist: Social support from family, friends, and members of the community can definitely serve as a buffer against chronic symptoms of emotional distress; however, mental health professionals can offer much more. Mental health professionals have years of specialized education, training and experience that make us experts in understanding and treating complex problems. Psychologists can recognize behavior or thought problems objectively and can offer interventions that have proven to be effective based on research.
- Psychologists just listen to you vent, so why pay someone listen to you complain: Psychotherapy is much more than just talk therapy or a venting session. The process of psychotherapy begins with a thorough assessment that includes gathering information of your background, as well as a history of your problems and other major areas of your life and the ways that you tried to address concerns. Once this information is gathered over the first few weeks, you will work with your clinician to develop a treatment plan- a contract that outlines how you will see improvement in the problem areas you are experiencing. Together we will work to identify problems, set goals and monitor your progress.
- You will need to stay in psychotherapy for many years or even the rest of your life: Everyone moves at a different pace during psychotherapy. Ultimately, it is not my goal to keep you on as a client forever. I want to empower you to function better on your own by working with you collaboratively so that you can reach your goals.