WELCOME
I look forward to working with you. It is my hope that the journey we begin together will be fruitful and we accomplish your goals. A clear understanding of my office policies and expectations is important in establishing an effective use of my services and facilitates a healthy working relationship. Please read the following information and ask all of the questions you may have.
UNFOLDING A NEW LIFE STORY:
The experience of psychotherapy is a process of self-discovery that can have a profound effect on your ability to enjoy life. It can help you deal more effectively with external stresses and help to improve your internal comfort. It can help you to take the reins of your life and direct your energy into endeavors that are meaningful and important to you. Psychotherapy can help you to create a different future.
One of the purposes of the psychotherapy process is to provide a safe environment to address problematic, painful, and limiting experiences by empowering you to explore, understand, and develop aspects of yourself to meet challenges to health and alleviate harmful behaviors and symptoms. On occasion the purpose may be to grieve losses, accept limitations beyond your control, and find sources of inner strength and creativity that allow you to become involved, enriched and committed to living your life to the fullest extent possible. Sometimes psychotherapy can be a way to explore and enhance your life experiences or used to clarify your ideas and resolve a specific problem. The psychotherapy experience can include one or all of these purposes.
The experience of psychotherapy works best when the client has a willingness to work with the therapist, a commitment to grow and when the client takes an active role in the therapy process. You can increase the benefits of our work by:
1) Developing a neutral, non-judgmental awareness that allows you to observe your patterns and behavior without blaming or shaming self-talk.
2) Talking honestly about your thoughts and feelings that are the hardest to talk about.
3) Practicing in “real” life, the skills and tasks you are learning.
Psychotherapy is not always comfortable since it is often connected to painful feelings, events, and to the working out of damaging patterns of behavior and/or interaction. There may be times when you feel resistant, nervous, or upset about coming. This is a normal part of working through problems. However, if you are overwhelmed by the process, or regularly upset and see no progress in a relatively short amount of time, please talk about it right away so positive action can be taken.
The relationship with your therapist is a special one. It is a relationship in which you share intensely private and personal information. It is very important to know that:
1) What you say is held in the strictest confidence.
2) Exceptions to confidentiality are clearly spelled out.
3) You will not be judged or devalued. It is a professional relationship that may be friendly but not a friendship. The therapist’s personal life and needs are not a part of the relationship. The context for therapy is for you, the client, to explore, clarify, understand your issues and make independent decisions and choices. It is important to the therapy process to preserve the special nature of the relationship. For this reason, personal invitations, gifts, requests to serve as a witness in legal proceedings, to give references, or to talk to your associates cannot be accepted.
CLOSURE:
The end of therapy is an important process. It is an opportunity to express your thoughts and feelings about the experience and reflect on its impact in your life. Once the decision to work together is made, my request is that sessions are not discontinued without making contact to discuss the reasons and bring a healthy closure to the relationship.
I look forward to working with you. It is my hope that the journey we begin together will be fruitful and we accomplish your goals. A clear understanding of my office policies and expectations is important in establishing an effective use of my services and facilitates a healthy working relationship. Please read the following information and ask all of the questions you may have.
UNFOLDING A NEW LIFE STORY:
The experience of psychotherapy is a process of self-discovery that can have a profound effect on your ability to enjoy life. It can help you deal more effectively with external stresses and help to improve your internal comfort. It can help you to take the reins of your life and direct your energy into endeavors that are meaningful and important to you. Psychotherapy can help you to create a different future.
One of the purposes of the psychotherapy process is to provide a safe environment to address problematic, painful, and limiting experiences by empowering you to explore, understand, and develop aspects of yourself to meet challenges to health and alleviate harmful behaviors and symptoms. On occasion the purpose may be to grieve losses, accept limitations beyond your control, and find sources of inner strength and creativity that allow you to become involved, enriched and committed to living your life to the fullest extent possible. Sometimes psychotherapy can be a way to explore and enhance your life experiences or used to clarify your ideas and resolve a specific problem. The psychotherapy experience can include one or all of these purposes.
The experience of psychotherapy works best when the client has a willingness to work with the therapist, a commitment to grow and when the client takes an active role in the therapy process. You can increase the benefits of our work by:
1) Developing a neutral, non-judgmental awareness that allows you to observe your patterns and behavior without blaming or shaming self-talk.
2) Talking honestly about your thoughts and feelings that are the hardest to talk about.
3) Practicing in “real” life, the skills and tasks you are learning.
Psychotherapy is not always comfortable since it is often connected to painful feelings, events, and to the working out of damaging patterns of behavior and/or interaction. There may be times when you feel resistant, nervous, or upset about coming. This is a normal part of working through problems. However, if you are overwhelmed by the process, or regularly upset and see no progress in a relatively short amount of time, please talk about it right away so positive action can be taken.
The relationship with your therapist is a special one. It is a relationship in which you share intensely private and personal information. It is very important to know that:
1) What you say is held in the strictest confidence.
2) Exceptions to confidentiality are clearly spelled out.
3) You will not be judged or devalued. It is a professional relationship that may be friendly but not a friendship. The therapist’s personal life and needs are not a part of the relationship. The context for therapy is for you, the client, to explore, clarify, understand your issues and make independent decisions and choices. It is important to the therapy process to preserve the special nature of the relationship. For this reason, personal invitations, gifts, requests to serve as a witness in legal proceedings, to give references, or to talk to your associates cannot be accepted.
CLOSURE:
The end of therapy is an important process. It is an opportunity to express your thoughts and feelings about the experience and reflect on its impact in your life. Once the decision to work together is made, my request is that sessions are not discontinued without making contact to discuss the reasons and bring a healthy closure to the relationship.