Most people come to therapy looking for relief. Often, they've been managing something for a long time - anxiety, grief, memories of an old experience that still show up in the middle of the night, or the sense of knowing what they should do and not being able to start. I'm a Licensed Professional Counselor and an EMDRIA Certified Therapist. Counseling is something I chose as a second career after a background in science and years as a writer.
I work with adults and older teens using EMDR, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Motivational Interviewing (MI). EMDR is a trauma therapy that doesn't require you to say the worst things out loud. ACT is less about arguing with difficult thoughts and feelings, and more about loosening their grip so that you can move toward things that actually matter. And MI is for the part of you that wants to change and the part that isn't sure - both are usually present and both have a purpose.
The first session is mostly me getting to know you and you getting a feel for whether I'm the right fit. You will find me fascinated by the science, curious about your unique experience, direct about what I notice and more interested in a real conversation than a completed worksheet. I'll ask about what brought you to therapy, what you've already tried and what your life looks like outside of the problem. You don't have to have it all figured out and you don't have to tell me anything you're not ready to tell me. We'll decide on one or two things that you want to be different. Most people leave the first session with a direction we'll be working towards rather than homework.
