LCSW, 12 years of experience
New to Grow
My name is David Patrick, LCSW. I have 14 years of experience dealing with a wide array of topics that bring people to therapy. I view the therapeutic relationship as a partnership. I see myself and my clients as friends on a journey of discovery about themselves. I do not lead, nor allow myself to be led, I believe we are equals. I listen intently and make suggestions and sometimes assign homework when appropriate. Remember, there are 168 hours in a typical week, and most people only see their therapist for one hour, leaving 167 hours outside the weekly session to practice and explore questions and see if the new results are present. I see us as equals and occasionally I will make suggestions, but ultimately this is a time of discovery for the individual and it is a privilege to walk alongside you on your journey.
My first session with you will be to get to know you as a person. We will explore your emotions and where you are in the present. We will find something immediate to begin to build your hope that you are doing something important for you. I am a good listener and enjoy hearing your perspective on where you are now and helping you define where you want to go.
I have been told that I am very easy to talk to. I strive to put people at ease by listening to their story and helping them feel that their story is very important. My approach is calm and quiet allowing the client to express their feelings. My methods are easy and reassuring, helping people feel quiet in their spirit. These moments of quiet are great opportunities to begin to see where the changes need to be made. For most individuals, this insight leads them to see where they need/want to make changes. I truly believe that anything can be accomplished if we work diligently at it.
I believe I am best positioned to serve clients in the 15-95 year old age range. I like to talk about and identify your goals, and then develop a plan tailored to your needs and wants, enabling you to reach your personal goals. Many times when someone discovers that they have a great deal of control over choosing their thoughts, it is only a short time before they are using these new skills to redefine their life goals.
For individuals that identify a Christian faith I talk about personal obstacles I have overcome, using recall to reflect how important faith is in everyone's life. I also have many years of experience with people of different cultures and religions. I see each person as an individual, with goals and issues that sometimes prevent them from believing in themselves. As I work with each person we develop a custom treatment plan that will address THEIR goals and lifestyle.
I have many years of experience teaching individuals how to untangle old outdated thinking patterns. I make many suggestions and exercises on beginning to identify the distorted, unhelpful thoughts and replace these thoughts with new thoughts that shortly become more satisfying and begin to change how we see ourselves in the world around us.
I have many years of faith experience in my own life from which to draw examples. This recall and reinforcement also includes almost endless testimonies from individuals and experiences from therapy practice. Faith in God is the most powerful force in the world that a person can access. It is also free and living in our connection with God.