Grace Woolsey
If you're looking for someone to help bring relief, clarity, and understanding to what has felt persistently dark, painful, and outright confusing, then I'm your therapist! Whether you come in with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, stress, trauma, anger, or another distressing concern, I'd love to hear your story, learn about what hasn't been working for you, and collaboratively find creative ways to bring you the relief you've been longing for. I use a variety of evidence-based treatments, including those rooted in emotion, compassion, pursuing one's values, adapting to life's challenges, and the influence thoughts have on emotions, tailoring my approach according to your unique needs. I aim to provide you with a safe space in which you feel seen and heard, find healing, and feel like you have a companion and guide on your journey--you are not alone! By the end of our work together, my goal is that not only will you have found some much needed relief, but you will also have learned how to surf the uncontrollable waves of life. I can't wait to start our work together!
First session
The first session will be a good start for getting to know each other! I'll share a little more about myself and what therapy with me is like, and I'll ask you to share more with me about you and what brings you into therapy! It is noteworthy that there will be one main difference between the first session and the remaining therapy sessions. That difference is that I'll ask more questions in the first session regarding the reason you're coming to therapy, relevant mental health history (e.g., prior therapy, history of suicide/self-harm, etc.), and aspects of your life that may have influenced the development of those concerns (e.g., family history, trauma history, etc.). This helps me get a picture of what we will be working on and determine how we can best get started, and we'll do this by your pace and comfort level!
Strengths
A unique experience you may have in working with me is that I commit to digging in with you when the road appears rough and dark. We will find steps to take forward and move at a pace that is specifically made for you, and I will help you with every step as needed. During our sessions, we will likely spend some time talking about where and how you feel you get stuck on your own. I find that is often where some of the most difficulty occurs and thus, where significant progress can be made in our work together! My hope is that even between sessions, you feel as though you are not alone and have a guide with you.
Treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I tend to use this as a starting point to help clients identify and understand where and how their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors may not be functioning well at the present time. CBT is also useful for helping improve awareness and insight into one's thought network and how it generally influences one's emotional experiences.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
ACT is usually the mechanistic "end goal" so to speak in treatment with me. To sum up that goal, it is to increase clients' overall flexibility. In other words, ACT is all about helping you learn how to live a life that is meaningful to you while rolling with life's uncontrollable punches. I often use an analogy of learning to surf in the ocean no matter what the waves are like. We start small, but it all comes back to flexibility and what is most important to you in life!
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
This is my bread and butter! Navigating one's emotions is CRITICAL for healing and being able to approach new experiences in healthy and meaningful ways. Understanding the nervous system's role in our emotional process is essential for emotion regulation, and I incorporate this into treatment in ways that are easily digestible and can be practically applied. I find that emotions tend to be the "stuck" point for many individuals, and being able to become a little more emotion-savvy can go a long way in in overcoming barriers to progress and relief!
Trauma-Informed Care
Being trauma-informed is essential in working with anyone who has experienced trauma before. I am familiar with and have used evidence-based approaches that have been shown to be effective in working with individuals with trauma in their backgrounds. Trauma requires special training, and I take care to implement those methods with those who need specialized care.
Integrative
I weave the above mentioned treatment methods together primarily, but I also incorporate aspects of Internal Family Systems, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Interpersonal Processing, and Christian Counseling (by client request/permission). I may use techniques, concepts, and coping skills from these other approaches depending on client need.
Location
Virtual sessions