Why Psychotherapy?

It is important to wellbeing.

Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, is a way to help people with a variety of mental and emotional struggles. It can help eliminate or control various symptoms. This is so a person can function better and can increase well-being.

Examples of ways psychotherapy can help include:

• coping with daily life
• the impact of trauma
• medical issues or loss
• mental disorders, such as depression or anxiety.

What does a session look like?

Typical Therapy Session: Sessions are conducted in an individual, family, couple, or group setting. I offer sessions for both adults and children and they are typically held once a week for 50 minutes. I encourage my patients to be actively involved in therapy.  Psychotherapy can be:

• short-term (a few sessions), dealing with immediate issues.
• long-term (months or years), dealing with longstanding and complex issues.

Confidentiality is a basic requirement of psychotherapy.  Patients are encouraged to pursue healthy lifestyle improvements. These include good nutrition, regular exercise, and adequate sleep. Medication may be an option as well as holistic practices such as meditation. Research shows that about 70 percent of people who enter psychotherapy benefit from it.  You may also improve emotions and adaptive behaviors. To help get the most out of psychotherapy, approach the therapy as a team effort. Being open and honest as well as following your agreed-upon plan for treatment will provide you with success. 

• Krause & Orlinsky (1986) found that between 60-65% of people experienced
  significant symptomatic relief within one to seven psychotherapy sessions. This number increased to 70-75% after six months, and 85% at one year.
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy for depression was found to cause fewer adverse side effects such as insomnia, fatigue, restlessness than antidepressants (Kamenov, Twomey, Cabello, Prina, & Ayuso-Mateos, 2017).

How can Psychotherapy help you?

• Help decrease or eliminate depression and anxiety.
• Reduce and manage negative or destructive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
• Understand and process the effects of traumatic events.
• Learn coping skills to manage difficult situations.
• Improve sleep, nutrition, and physical activity patterns.
• Establish new healthy behaviors and habits.
• Have more satisfying relationships at home, school, or work. 
• Learn to be more mindful and more relaxed.
• Become more confident and at ease in social situations.
• Increase your focus, attention, organization, and time management skills.

How to search for a Psychotherapist near you:

When searching in Google for a “therapist near me,” here are some things to consider:

• Consider whether you’d prefer someone with the same gender or opposite gender.
• Does age matter? Consider the age and trust level of your therapist.
• It takes less than a second for you to determine if you trust an individual.
• Look for someone who is willing to form a partnership with you. They should be your biggest advocate and trust that you are an expert on your on life.
• Look for someone who develops a plan, a set of goals, and a set of skills to be learned throughout your journey.
• Look for someone who advocates for mindful meditation practices to help you be your best self.
• Ensure that person is updated on the latest research.
• Look for someone who helps and makes you feel comfortable.
• Look for someone with whom you connect well and have great rapport.
• Consider whether you’d rather meet in person locally, virtually via teletherapy, or on the telephone.
• Look for someone who is flexible in their practices and is up to date on the proper technology.

I believe that psychotherapy can improve a person’s mental health. It is an important component of overall well-being.