How Therapy Helps

Psychotherapy

Therapy is a professional relationship intended to help one embrace and improve one’s quality of life, enhance relationships, cope with experience, develop skill, overcome obstacles or understand themselves more fully.

What brings people to therapy?

People who come to see me either want something in their lives to change or they are trying to live with changes—desired or not—that they are experiencing.

If you are thinking about beginning therapy, you likely are facing a difficult situation, struggling in a relationship, feeling emotional pain, find your thoughts problematic or are living with a frustrating behavior pattern. You may be feeling confused, overwhelmed or isolated. And you may already have tried to improve things on your own or using the support and resources available to you.

Our relationships, careers, health, families, sexuality and even our own bodies can all be challenging. Yet, it is always possible to gain understanding and make sense of our experiences. Obstacles to love, satisfaction, wellness, respect and sexual fulfillment can be overcome when we understand our needs and how better to meet them.

A significant percentage of my clients have endured abandonment, neglect, terror, violence or violation while growing up. They continue to suffer distressing, and often disproportionate, reactions when reminded of their past. Fortunately, we can develop more effective ways to cope with these thoughts, feelings and physical reactions, and new ways to live with painful memories.

How does therapy help?

In therapy, we will work together to create the emotional, physical, sexual or relationship changes you want. And we can change behaviors that are problematic or interfere with your goals and satisfaction.

We can address beliefs that distort your self understanding or that undermine your effectiveness, increasing confidence, skill and self-compassion. We can discover your strengths and best qualities.

We will work together to reduce symptoms that are troubling you and to live more easily with the effects of your past. In important ways, our relationship can help you feel less isolated or alone as you face these challenges.

Whatever your reason for beginning therapy, the quality of your life can be improved when you know what to do. I welcome the opportunity to help you achieve those changes and to build a life that you consider personally meaningful.