As a licensed Psychologist, I first prioritize learning not only why a person is contacting me, but also to be able to relate to that person based on their individual needs and what are their expectations of therapy. I believe that we all need to have a sense of purpose or meaningfulness in our lives, something that our thoughts, emotions and life experiences contribute to the "heart" of our personalities. The process of healing from the challenges of life begins with a search for truth about our beliefs, habits and relationships. Physical health is affected by our mental health through the complex interactions between the brain and bodily functions. Interventions I use in my sessions include Cognitive Therapy, CBT, DBT and ACT. As a Psychologist, I have worked in private practice, long term care, and forensic and psychiatric hospitals. Even though these patient populations are diverse, the common denominator is the human "heart". My sessions work to connect a person's sense of meaning in life to help them overcome anxiety, depression and a loss of personal identity in this complex world.

What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?

The goal of my first session is for my client to feel comfortable in speaking about personal thoughts and emotions and for them to feel free to ask me questions about how sessions would be structured.

Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.

My biggest strengths are to really get to know my clients and to be sure we are staying focused on what is important to them. Having treatment goals provides the framework for therapy sessions, but it is important to be flexible as well in order to adjust sessions according to changes in a client's situation. Building trust is also important to create honesty and the therapeutic boundaries necessary for psychotherapy.

About Virginia Rockhill, Ph.D.

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