New to Grow
Good day, I am Stewart, a curious, friendly and professional support here on Grow! I provide client-centered psychodynamic therapy with a focus on CBT, DBT, and mindfulness strategies to help you find your own way to your goals. I'm a helpful guide who believes in your ability to find your own solutions. I offer non-judgmental, professional support for people seeking perspective and insight into their issues. I have worked with people with severe mental health and addiction issues in the past at non profit organizations, which has allowed me to hone my therapeutic skills in clinical environments where there was great mentorship and support.
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
I will orient you to my style of therapy and explore your history of therapeutic access. I will review your background and needs, then provide my theoretical orientation, sharing how I provide treatment. I will emphasize building a therapeutic alliance and will set expectations for future sessions.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
I have honed my use of motivational interviewing to aid in the exploration of your issues. I provide a client-centered approach, where building a solid, genuine and supportive relationship leads to the growth of a helpful, nurturing environment where my clients are able to feel comfortable and heard and they are able to work through their issues with professional support. I have also developed a friendly, non-clinical way of working evidence-based interventions into what feels like a more natural conversation which helps me find a real connection with my clients while building a therapeutic alliance that we will use to do meaningful work on your issues. I feel that by centering the focus of the session on the client's needs I am able to better serve them and avoid the trap of pretending to be an expert in all things.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
I work with people with complicated mental health disorders and substance use disorders, and I specialize in supporting people who are neurodivergent. I emphasize a long-term psychodynamic focus for treatment that explores deeper issues, but I can also focus on short-term goals.
Psychodynamic
I provide a client-centered, psychodynamic approach with long term clients to investigate the true origins of mental health challenges in order to address root causes of mental health conditions. This is a relationship-based approach where the therapeutic relationship is used to create a genuine, professional connection with each client. This allows for the development of trust and safety in the therapeutic process, which results in the comfort a client needs to process difficult past experiences and unaddressed trauma so they can move forward in their life.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I am trained in CBT style interventions where we explore how thoughts and feelings are related to behavior. I generally apply this as a background process that we work on each week in session as part of the process of reviewing difficult situations and maladaptive repeating thoughts, feelings, body sensations or behaviors.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
I have been trained in DBT and have used it with clients struggling with dysregulated emotional content. This is usually applied as a process of psychoeducation and training for managing reoccurring strong emotions that are affecting quality of life outcomes.
Motivational Interviewing
I have a long history of practice with MI. I use this process of communication in each of my sessions to center the client in the process of change and to take a guiding role in each clients process of self-exploration. The techniques of MI are subtle and are designed to facilitate understanding and connection, which is crucial for the style of therapy I provide.
Trauma Informed Care
I have a significant training in Trauma Informed Care and have provided support to people with significant PTSD throughout my practice. I believe that much of what affects mental health is related to environmental and experiential factors.