Megan Kostiuk
Hi, I'm Megan! I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. I have experience working with individuals, couples, children, and families, in a variety of therapeutic settings, including outpatient community clinics, school-based counseling, and an inpatient residential facility.
I want to know your unique story and understand your past experiences so that I can help you gain insight for your future self.
I work from a interpersonal lens, integrating Person-Centered Therapy, Attachment Theory, and Emotionally Focused Therapy, to help you better understand your relational patterns, build compassion for yourself, and develop strength to voice your needs. I want to know your unique story and understand your past experiences so that I can help you gain insight for your future self.
First session
In our first session together, I will create a welcoming environment so that you can share without feeling judged. I will ask questions to understand what brings you to therapy, your past experiences and relationships, and what change will look like. We will collaborate on goals together and develop a plan of action. Therapy does not need to be rushed and not everything needs to be said in this first session. We will go at your own pace and I will respect your boundaries. My hope for you leaving our first session is for you to feel understood, relieved, and excited for our next session.
Strengths
I believe the therapeutic relationship is the most important aspect of therapy and that you, the client, are the expert in your life. I believe you have the capacity for growth and I will empower you to create desired changes by creating a warm and nonjudgemental therapeutic environment and meet you where you are. I am both personable and direct. I will hold space for you to process emotions and I will call it like it is. I like to use metaphors, and humor when appropriate.
Ideal clients
Therapy is an intimate experience and not every therapist will be for you. I like to describe therapy as finding the right pair of jeans, you have to try on a few pairs before you buy the right fit! My ideal client is someone that is ready to engage in the therapeutic process. Therapy is an active collaboration between us and you will experience most change when you actively participate, when you are ready to become vulnerable and confront yourself. It will be difficult, it will be exhausting, but it will be worth it. If you are someone who has been feeling stuck, unsure of themselves, and tired of repeating the same patterns, I offer a welcoming space for you to grow into the best version of you.
Origin story
Before I became a therapist, I worked in social services and I saw a need to support individuals struggling with mental health and substance use. After seeing these repeating patterns, I felt my work was a temporary "fix" and I wanted to understand the root causes so that I could be part of the change. This led me to pursue a Master's in Clinical Psychology and the rest is history!
Ongoing work together
Sometimes it might feel slow and like you are not making progress, but showing up to therapy is progress. I will continue to assess for changes in every session and reflect back the growth that I see and hear. Sometimes change can look as small as improved sleep or increased energy and as big as telling your partner your biggest fear or gaining confidence to ask your boss for the raise you deserve.
Treatment methods
Person-centered (Rogerian)
As a Person-Centered and Humanistic therapist I am nonjudgemental and non-directive. I believe every individual is unique and not every approach is one size fits all. I will take on facilitator role and label you as the lead. Throughout our time together, I will empower you to find strength and support from within to make the changes you want. I will practice empathy and acceptance and not judge you based on past behaviors or experiences. I will incorporate Attachment Theory to help you understand how early childhood experiences may be impacting your current relationships and behaviors. Using Emotionally Focused Therapy, I will support you in feeling safe to share your core feelings to create new patterns of connection.
Location
Virtual sessions