Diana Meier
Greetings and I appreciate you reviewing my profile as you seek an ally in this process. A therapeutic fit between a client and therapist is evidence-based as one of the main components of treatment outcomes and I hope you find the therapist who you feel you can best relate to on your journey! I have been dedicated to the field from a young age and have my own relevant challenges with mental health that guided my career path. I earned my Masters in Social Work in 1999, my Masters in Public Health in 2007, and obtained my license as a therapist (LCSW) in 2011. My approach is strength-based, compassionate, client-centered and pro-active. This is your own journey and my role is to guide you with the expertise I’ve gained, coupled with your own strengths. I believe any client who seeks therapy has been through many challenges, is seeking change, and that is a sign of resiliency, which you might not see right now in yourself. My hope is that you do.
First session
My first session is about getting to know you, what your goals are and your expectations from our sessions, as well as any concerns are regarding therapy. If you have had therapy in the past, I am interested in what has worked well for you, as will as what has not. Based on this, I will share my treatment approaches and initial thoughts to allow for you to determine if I am somebody you would like to work with. The alliance and trust are so important. Yes, there will be mandatory questions, however, I do not conduct robotic intakes because the information needed often is addressed through connection and conversation,
Strengths
My strengths stem from my knowledge that we each have our own path and everyone is unique and deserves respect, patience and compassion. I've often heard from my clients who were reluctant to re-enter therapy, that they previously felt unheard, judged or even "guilty" for "not getting better fast enough" as well as not being able to secure regular appointment times. This is a dynamic endeavor together and know if you would like to identify an ongoing day and time to meet that is totally feasible.
Ideal clients
Having provided therapy for over 20 years, I believe I can be an asset based on my continued education, experiences with clients, and my own life experiences that are unique and incorporate many life stages/transitions. At the age of 52, I have supported teenagers as well as clients over 50, which I do not consider "older" as much as having additional years of life experiences!
Treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
CBT is an evidence-based approach to therapy that addresses how our thoughts and perceptions impact our overall well-being and how we relate to others. It's a foundation for many therapeutic models and one that has made the most positive impact with my clients. I use an eclectic model beyond CBT to meet the need of the individuals with whom I work collaboratively.
Motivational Interviewing
Based on your goals for therapy and unique circumstance, I tailor my approach to ensure your goals are being met in a way that is specific to you. The Motivational approach allows for us to look at past experience (where you perhaps hit some challenges) where you are now, and where you would like to be. We focus on strengths and motivation and determine best approach together. I am supportive and non-judgmental and will also point out patterns that may not be serving you to be the self you want to be. We learn by experience, we teach people how to treat us, and all of that is welcome to be processed in sessions.
Strength-Based
This is part of all modalities I use. When depressed, anxious, grieving, or feeling "stuck", identifying our strengths can be challenging as we may feel we've "tried everything" and lose sight of our true selves and our abilities. I love working with clients to reconnect with their strengths and begin to use them as a means to feel empowered and identify and further develop strengths.
Eclectic
I have been licensed since 2011 and began doing online therapy pre-COVID in hopes of reducing barriers to accessing these services. I create engaging sessions that incorporate treatment methods from a number of modalities. Each client I see is unique and there is no "one size fits all" approach to the treatment I provide.
Location
Virtual sessions