Individual Psychotherapy

To thine own self be true, for it must follow as dost the night the day, that canst not then be false to any man.

- William Shakespeare, from Hamlet-

Individual Therapy:  This is often the initital choice of therapy for adults presenting with a variety of psychological struggles including: 

• anxiety and/or depression
• difficult relationships including family strife
• under performance at work or school
• grief, loss, and/or trauma
• passivity or excessive anger/rage and cynicism
• sexuality and sexual orientation

​Individual therapy introduces clients to the importance of self-care, or intentionally developing healthy behaviors to enhance your life and diminish dysfunction and distress.  This includes acknowledging and accepting our many emotions, communicating our feelings and needs, establishing healthy interpersonal boundaries, and changing those dysfunctional behavior patterns that were engrained during our formtive childhood years. 

Establishing trust in the therapaeutic alliance is essential for therapy to succeed.  You should experience me as easy to talk with, a good listener and questioner and comfortable sharing my reactions, suggestions and other feedback.  I should be attuned to your current feelings and non-verbal cues (i.e. tone, body language, inuendo)  and curious and caring about your welfare including history of emotional wounding or trauma. And when you have questions or complaints I should be non-defensive and clear with my response, including letting you know when I don't know the answer. 

My therapy emphasizes your growth as a person.   Your therapy should explore and broaden your identity on many dimensions including professional pursuits, parenting, sexuality, creativity, atttachment style, unconscious biases (such as racism or sexism), social and environmental justice, privilege, relationship  with food, alcohol and psychoactive substances and more    

Over time as your trust builds in therapy, you will more vulnerably explore and express deeper and deeper feelings of sadness, grief, anger and betrayal from past and present experiences.  This facilitate the emergence of deeper joy, contentment and appreciation.  Your inner world of thoughts and feelings will become less judgemental, punitive or restrictive, and more affirming, compassionate and creative.  You should experience yourself as blossoming into your fullest personhood, proactively living how you knew you could.