A client comes in to see her therapist and is 10 minutes late. She sits down and apologizes for her tardiness, to which the therapist replies that no apologies are necessary as clients are only late for their first session. The vignette illustrates something that I see in clients repeatedly who come into my office. Many should have come in at least a year or two ago but for some reason think that the problems they experience are still manageable. While I admire the will of many of those who still manage life like the proverbial Dutch Boy and the dike, I believe that asking for help is a strength of its own. In therapy, I come from the perspective of someone that had to receive help at various times in my life. I've also had a meandering career path, meaning that I've worked in several fields and industries prior to becoming a therapist and have been able to do ground-level empathizing with people who work in blue and white-collar professions.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
The client and I will get to work starting with session #1. In my experience, clients want their emotional pain gone yesterday. The work we do will become part of the rapport building and he/she will be given one or two tools when they leave on session one. Of course, said tools won't be everything, but they will definitely be a start.
What treatment methods and tools do you utilize?
I use many methods. The tools that I immediately use are from CBT as it is great to identify how one thinks. But I go further in inviting the client to contemplate why they have this belief. That is where I call the fruitful struggle begins. I also use existential therapy concerning the aforementioned "why." What needs to be added or removed? With what do it needs to be replaced? How do we get there and what will life look like if I choose a certain way? Solution-focused methods are used here as well. I also use mindfulness and tools from DBT where called for.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
Because of my life path, I'm able to effectively mentalize with issues that clients are going through. I've been told that I have the ability to understand a client's experience from their point of view, which makes them feel more welcome and that they won't be judged.