LPC, 6 years of experience
New to Grow
Hi, I'm Trish Pierzga, and I'm a Licensed Professional Counselor with 6+ years of experience. I know that life can be challenging and difficult. I also know that it is easy to feel stuck. My goal for each session is help you feel comfortable so you can explore and move past those challenges. When I think about what I look for in a therapist myself, it is someone who listens, is not afraid to challenge me, and helps guide me through life's transitions. I believe I bring this style to my own clients. I love what I do and I bring this excitement into my sessions because I want people to feel safe and grow in their confidence to overcome the obstacles they are facing.
I view our first session as the beginning of our partnership. During that first session, I will ask a lot of questions! Some of them may not seem related to why you are seeking a therapist but I promise you, all your answers help me to get a better picture of what is going on in your life, including where you are struggling, your support system, and your strengths. We will discuss what you can expect in future sessions. I want us to get to know each other during this first session. I do my best to create a safe space where you will feel comfortable. Because we are partners , we will collaborate to create realistic and achievable goals for the treatment plan. I want you to leave the first session feeling like you were heard!
My greatest strength is my curiosity. I love getting to know people and what makes them think and act the way they do. I will never force you to do a technique or to talk about something that you are not ready to delve into. However, I will create a space where you feel comfortable to revisit these areas in the future. I also use humor in sessions as laughter helps the healing process.
I believe that individuals can often feel stuck by feeling anxious, depressed, or in the midst of grief and feeling lost. Every day can feel like a challenge and I want clients who are not afraid to explore those challenging areas. It is important for me to help clients understand how their emotions impact their everyday decisions. By using an eclectic approach, I can tailor each session to you and your specific needs. I want you to leave each session feeling that you are better able to manage emotions, make decisions, and navigate life transitions.
I use acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in my practice to assist clients to end avoiding uncomfortable emotions so they can accept these emotions as valid reaction to anxiety, depression, or chronic pain. By accepting that these emotions are real responses, clients can then begin to identify where change needs to take place to help improve quality of life.
Using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in my practice helps clients to identify those thoughts and behaviors which impact our responses to other people, events, and can get in the way of our own growth. CBT helps clients to begin challenging these thoughts and behaviors to be able to move forward.
By using an eclectic model of therapy, I can tailor treatment to a client's individual needs. Not every client responds the same and being able to identify what modality will work allows for better outcomes. A few of the therapies I integrate into sessions can range from CBT to Christian counseling for those who want to examine how their faith impacts positive outcomes in therapy to solution-focused therapy where the client identifies how their choices can impact emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.