The counseling process is one of personal self-discovery that takes time, effort, and patience, but can yield great personal growth and discovery. Our process will begin with an initial assessment where we will discuss your desired goals and address any questions you may initially have. Each session is designed to cater to the individual and their unique set of specific goals. Most commonly, sessions are scheduled on a weekly basis, with each session lasting 50 minutes. Sometimes individuals may be going through something particularly difficult or challenging, and may request or require more time per session and/or more than one session weekly. Counseling may be short term or longer term, depending on whether you are looking only to work on a very specific goal, or if you are looking to address more complex challenges. At times, I may ask that you do additional work that promotes furthering your personal growth towards your goals, such as tracking certain thoughts and behaviors, journaling, reading an applicable book, etc. Incorporating what you are working on into your daily life between sessions is important. Those who find therapy the most effective are those that actively participate not only during sessions, but between sessions as well.
I believe that the therapeutic process is a collaborative one. The foundation of my work with clients is building a safe, genuine, and honest therapeutic rapport. My approach is heartfelt and direct. I believe that the counseling process can be very powerful in spurring personal insight, growth, and empowerment that will lead you to the desired changes you wish to make. I will begin the counseling process with where you are in the here and now. As the process begins to unfold, I take an eclectic approach as we discover what techniques are the best fits for you.
When working with children and adolescent clients, I believe that the best outcomes happen when working together with the parents or caregivers in conjunction with working with the child. This means that I may ask you to incorporate specific activities or skills that I am working with your child on at home as well. Consistently working as a team to help your child reach their goals is essential to the process.