New to Grow
Hello and welcome! I know that taking the first steps to reach out for support can be overwhelming and scary. There are so many options of therapists, how can you possibly choose the "right one"? I tell all clients I meet for the first time the same thing: 'finding a therapist is like trying on a pair of jeans or a pair of shoes, they can all be the same size, but they all may fit a bit differently. One may be too tight, too big, or one you just might not like for a reason, and you don't really know why.' The only way to truly know is to try it on and see how it feels. That may not be the pretty answer, but it's what I have found in my 10 years of experience to be true. So I invite you to simply try, and if it doesn't work the first time or second, try again, because once you find the right one, it's worth it. I hope I am the "right one" for you, and if I'm not, finding you the person who is the "right one" for you is extremely important to me, and I will do everything I can to help find that one for you.
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
In our first session, I will often start by telling you a little bit about myself, as I find it is easier for the client to open up when they aren't the only person who is sharing. I will discuss the limits of confidentiality, the length of our sessions, and the best way to contact me outside of sessions, and paperwork( what I refer to as housekeeping). I will then ask clients if they have ever been to therapy before, if so, what were things they liked or did not like about a past therapist, and what they are hoping to be different this time. I will invite you to share with me what brings you to therapy today. I then allow the clients to guide the session, if they would like to go through a traditional background history, information gathering session, or if they would like to jump into something specific, and for me to get background information as we go.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
I have received feedback from many clients that having a session with me is like "having coffee with a friend who just gets it". My goal is to establish a strong rapport with you, and part of that is being real and transparent with you. I believe progress in therapy cannot be made if you do not have a strong therapeutic alliance, which means that if I am going to challenge you, I am open and often request that you challenge me and provide me with feedback. In a therapy session, that may look like, " No, I don't think that is what made me so upset". You are the expert in your own life. I view my role as your therapist as a person who may offer an alternative perspective, encourage you to challenge a thought process, maybe even examine where that thought process originally came from, and decide does this thought process serve me?
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
My ideal client is someone who is curious. Someone who is willing to have me walk along the therapeutic journey with them and point out various things along the way and potentially see a different perspective.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I tailor all of my treatment to each individual client, often incorporating various modalities within a single session. I often use Cognitive behavioral therapy as a foundational starting point with new clients to help identify how our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are all connected.