I have been working as a therapists for over 10 years and have always felt a passion for helping people navigate problems or concerns they have in their lives. I have had my own mental health struggles for the majority of my life and have benefited immensley from treatment and I want to give back to others who are seeking support and guidance. I feel strongly about being honest and straightforward with people I interact with, but also doing it in a way that is respectful and strength focused. There is so much value in being seen and appreciated by others that is simply just part of being human. I want to understand how you have gotten to this point in your life that you have decided to seek out counseling and then support you on that journey.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
Welcome and I just want to acknowledge that if you are reading this, that means you have decided it is time to prioritize your mental and emotional health, that is fantastic! I think it is truly important that in our first session you are interviewing me to make sure I am a good fit for you and vice versa. Finding someone to divulge our most honest and raw thoughts can be scary and overwhelming and also feel freeing. I understand that the "connection" may not be there at first, but please know I understand this and let me know how you are feeling during the first session or two. In those first sessions, I want to focus on us getting to know each other and what you are hoping to achieve by meeting with me. I really value being yourself and therefore, you will also get the best version of me as your therapist. Once we get through the first few sessions and have identified that we are a good fit and goals have been identified, we will navigate treatment by breaking those goals down into smaller more manageable steps and coming up with ways for you to see evidence of your progress through treatment. People are typically really invested in something if they can see and feel the change. As we navigate treatment, we will keep checking back in on the goals you developed and identifying what else you are concerned about and want to work on. Ultimately, my job is to work myself out of a job and make sure you can sustain the changes you made in treatment, on your own with your own support system.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
I feel very strongly that no two experiences are the same and even for people who have experienced similar things, those people are different and therefore those experiences have impacted them differently. With that said, I have years of experience being able to help clients develop very specific goals, that are measurable, realistic and strength focused. This allows you the client to see that progress and have the evidence that you have grown throughout treatment.
Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.
I want to help you understand and learn to move through the negative things you may feel on a day to day basis; feeling overwhelmed about your job duties, not sure what needs done in the house, how to balance your own family and relatives/friends who don't know boundaries, avoiding certain people or places, stressed about money and basic needs, feeling nervous or worried about an upcoming event you want to be excited about but maybe don't know how too because the anxiety is overwhelming. I am here to help you recognize and accept all the feelings you feel and not judge yourself for having them, but to give yourself acceptance and learn to work with them, instead of against them. Distracting and avoiding feelings that don't make you feel good will only worsen over time, and when you are ready to understand why those feelings exist, let me help you accept them and figure out how to manage them in your day to day life.
About Grace Diehl
Specializes in
Licensed in
Accepts
Appointments
VirtualMy treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
What I love about CBT, and most treatment methods, is really tuning into what you are feeling and thinking. Our thoughts and feelings have such a strong impact on how we interact with others and how we perceive things going on around us. I've been using CBT with adults, youth and families for close to 10 years and its a great starting point for people to have a deeper relationship with themselves and then use this to make changes that impact their day to day mood.
Eclectic
As an individual, you interact with so many different people and environments and sometimes it can be difficult to use "one path" to help achieve your goals for your overall well being. I prefer to support my clients in understanding their needs and identifying the best approach, sometimes a combination of approaches, to make progress towards their treatment goals. An eclectic approach towards treatment would involve utilizing different tools, skills, interventions and approaches in the process of working towards goal. I feel strongly about leveraging the strengths of the person, regardless of intervention, and helping people find their strengths when they may have difficulty seeing that in themselves.
Family Therapy
I have been working with families for over 10 years, navigating the struggles that exist on a daily basis for caregivers and their children. Raising a family and not losing sight of yourself, your relationships with others and finding a way to balance "wearing those different hats" can be difficult. I have a strong passion for supporting caregivers/parents with addressing mental or behavioral health concerns they have for their children, and in the process also supporting them, because if you are not helping yourself and filling your own cup, how can you fill everyone else's. Depending on the presenting concerns, there are different ways to support a family through therapy and this typically includes a better understanding of how the family functions, psychoeducation on healthy relationships and family dynamics and utilizing the family's strengths to make those changes to make progress towards the family's goals.
Strength-Based
In my years of experience working with individuals, youth and families there are so many individuals I have worked with that have focused on the problems and negative aspects of their life. Of course this needs attention because this helps us identify ways we can grow, but most people struggle to see their strengths and how they can leverage that in small ways to impact the areas of their life they are concerned about and therefore sought out treatment. Using a strength focused approach can be crucial in helping people see their value and how they can make changes in their lives.