Patricia Elias

People usually find their way to therapy when something isn't working anymore. Sometimes it's grief, trauma, a relationship, a life transition, or a growing sense that the way you've always coped is no longer serving you. You may know exactly what's wrong, or you may simply feel stuck and unable to find your footing.

With more than 35 years of clinical experience, I've worked with people through some of the most difficult periods of their lives. What I've learned is that there is no single "right" way to heal, and no two people arrive at therapy with the same story. My role is to help you understand what's happening, make sense of your experience, and find a way forward that feels authentic to you.

I'm naturally curious about people and the stories they tell themselves about who they are, where they've been, and what is possible for them.

In our work together, I'll offer compassion, but I'll also offer honesty. If I notice a pattern that seems to be keeping you stuck, I'll help you look at it. If you're avoiding something important, we'll talk about that too. Not because I'm interested in pushing you, but because meaningful change often requires us to face the things we'd rather sidestep.

I take a flexible and creative approach to therapy because people are complex. Some days our work may be reflective and exploratory. Other days it may be practical and focused on what comes next. Either way, therapy is a collaborative process, and I see my role as helping you access your own insight, resilience, and capacity for change.

The first session is simply a conversation. I'll want to understand what has brought you to therapy, what feels difficult right now, and what you're hoping might be different. We'll talk about your history, your relationships, and any experiences that feel important to understanding where you are today.

Just as importantly, you'll have an opportunity to get a sense of me. Finding the right therapist matters, and the first session is as much about determining whether we work well together as it is about gathering information.

You don't need to have everything figured out before you begin. You don't need the perfect explanation for why you're seeking therapy. We'll start where you are and go from there.