Bonnie Routh

Hello! I love coming alongside clients in their journey through life’s challenges, and I am honored that you would consider working with me. I am a licensed counselor/ therapist. I have 25+ years of experience working with kids, teens and adults dealing with various life adjustments, relational issues, depression and anxiety, and other issues. I have worked extensively with individuals and families who experienced sexual abuse and other traumas. I also love working with children in play therapy where they can feel safe to work out their conflicts in a way that is comfortable to them. I hope to be talking with you soon.

Some therapists focus a lot on coping skills and techniques to manage life. I call this a top-down approach where your mind is learning new ways to think and behave. Although I do use these strategies, I consider myself to work more from the bottom-up. I love the Psychodynamic approach to therapy and specifically Self Psychology. I'll try to describe this very simply. Most of us have parts of our Self that have gotten stuck at various times of feeling ashamed, frightened, or helpless. You probably have experienced a “younger” part of yourself when all the sudden you feel like a 5-year-old getting in trouble.

When a person feels safe enough to reveal their authentic self, the person can process difficult experiences and traumas and related thoughts and feelings. As individuals explore their strengths, weaknesses, and how they view themselves. they gain a deeper understanding of themselves. And as the person experiences being known and accepted by the counselor. he or she will find they experience a more cohesive and stable sense of identity, thus a more solid self. It's an exciting process.

It is normal to feel nervous before your first session—especially if this is your first time trying out counseling or if you’ve had a negative experience with a counselor in the past. I understand this and appreciate your courage. I endeavor to create a warm and friendly environment in anticipation that you will feel comfortable sharing about yourself at whatever level you choose in this first session. Some people share deeply—like a river, and others take their time to open up. It is important that you pay attention to your gut feeling in the first few sessions to see if my personality and style is a good fit for you.

I have personal experience with this from the client's perspective. I actually became a counselor because I had an amazing therapist who helped me so greatly. He was my 3rd counselor. So please be attuned to yourself and interview me --whether by words or by simply waiting to see if you feel I'm a person with whom you can in time reveal your authentic self.