Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy Is a process of discovery where client and therapist work collaboratively to build awareness and understanding about issues and difficulties. Addressing and resolving conflicts can improve quality of life. 

Various clinicians practice different methods of psychotherapy. I prefer and employ an approach that values understanding the origins of issues, not just targeting symptoms. I believe that being curious about and attempting to understand underlying causes of undesirable symptoms creates longer term, more sustainable change. In doing so, symptoms are therefore also resolved.

What leads someone to seek psychotherapy varies anywhere from experiencing a crisis to a lifelong issue that has become intolerable. Some of the common issues addressed in therapy are:

• Life Transitions
• Relationship Issues
• Grief & Loss
• Anxiety 
• Depression
• LGBTQ Issues
• Long-standing Sadness or Emptiness
• Eating Disorders
• Coping with Anger
• Parenting Issues
• Need for Increased Wellness & Self-care
• Apathy, Boredom, Career Issues, Burnout
• ADD / ADHD and Learning Disabilities
• Infertility
• Adoption
• Self Doubt & Self Esteem Issues
• Chronic Illness
• Trauma / PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)

Benefits of Psychotherapy

• A greater understanding of yourself
• Increased ability to cope in times of stress
• Improved communication
• Learning how to grieve past and present losses constructively
• Create meaningful and lasting change
• Approach change and life transitions with greater confidence and awareness
• Develop, deepen, and/or sustain connected relationships 

One of the modalities I use is EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy. EMDR is an evidence based therapeutic modality to support people through re-processing distressing events from their past. EMDR is a highly effective therapeutic process to reduce the painful impacts of traumatic events, and symptoms of anxiety and depression.
 

When we experience a traumatic or disturbing event, our brains freeze and are unable to effectively process all of the information that is being stored. This can result in our brains making in accurate interpretations and meanings of ourselves and of our experiences. Then, when we later experience similar feelings and situations, we may have maladaptive responses based on the inaccurate interpretations from earlier events. 
 

You can learn more about EMDR therapy here.