My approach to therapy is closer to life coaching, I am drawn to working with clients who are seeking someone who can accompany them as they figure out what their life aspirations are and what steps are necessary to achieving them.
I like problem-solving. I am a gay man, with a husband and son; I'm 33 years sober and have 20 years of working in the visual arts, plus a doctorate in philosophy.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
The first session involves some business issues such as reviewing the limits of confidentiality, discussion of the risks and benefits of therapy, etc. Once the business part is done, I get the opportunity to find out what brings you to therapy and we can start to talk about what your goals are for treatment.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
Compassion, life experience, good listening skills, problem-solving, connecting the dots in a client's story, empathy, and unconditional positive regard. I try very hard to meet the client where they are.
About Matthew Wettlaufer
Appointments
Virtual
My treatment methods
Solution Focused Brief Treatment
My focus in therapy is problem-solving and solution-focused. I would say my work with clients is closer to life coaching than it is in resolving deep-seated issues such as trauma, severe depression or anxiety. I am at my best when assisting a client in figuring out what their life purpose is, what their goals and aspirations are, and how to go about obtaining them--this could involve resolving the emotional blocks that stand in their way, working through fears around change, or it could be a matter of resolving old childhood messages of negative self-worth and empowering my client to piece together a picture of what their ideal life would look like. Solution-focused therapy comes in handy with this kind of approach.
Experiential Therapy
My use of experiential therapy is in the realm of art therapy--I have 20 years of experience working in the visual arts and have found that many art therapy interventions are highly effective in helping clients problem-solve and move forward through obstacles. Art therapy work helps clients connect the dots on what the issue is that is blocking them from a joyous life.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Many of my clients reach a point in their lives where the patterns of behavior they've learned in childhood no longer work for them as adults. This often includes codependency, among other self-defeating behaviors. Adults who were victimized as children by their care givers and others often wind up victimizing themselves through toxic relationships, dead-end and soul-destroying jobs, missed opportunities to achieve their dreams, and an overall sense of unfulfillment. Doing inner child and family of origin work, which is an aspect of internal family systems psychology, can help clients resolve issues from the past so that they can be present for their lives today and move forward to a place of life-contentment.
