If you’ve never been in therapy before, you might have some questions about what to expect. Let me tell you a little about how it might work for you.

Many studies have shown that the counseling method used is not as important as the sense of trust and confidence that develops between the therapist and the client. Many of us have spent lifetimes never feeling like we were heard, acknowledged or appreciated. I look forward to hearing your story.  You may find that just knowing that someone hears and appreciates your truth starts you down the road to feeling hopeful and alive.

It can also be very helpful to have someone teach you skills for coping with difficult feelings, relationships and situations. Learning how to weather hard times and feeling like you have what it takes to do more than just survive is important for everyone. It can be especially important for people who find it easy to feel guilty or bad about themselves.

Maybe most critically, it’s important to learn to feel good about yourself. Nobody wants to spend their days racked with self-doubt and a belief that she or he is worthless or bad. Imagine being at the end of a long day and feeling like you’ve done it really well and liking who you are.  Therapy can help make that a reality.

For people in couples counseling a major goal is to increase your knowledge about yourself, your partner and the patterns of interaction between the two of you. In order to do this, we’ll look at the kind of life you want to build together and the kind of partner you aspire to be. I have many, many tools to help you figure out where you want to go and how to become a more effective partner along the way. My goal is to help you each make better adjustments and responses to each other while also holding true to your values and beliefs.