Individual Therapy
“Why don’t you talk to someone?”
Often friends, family, or other people who care about you will make this recommendation when they see things are changing or not going well in your life.
Do you remember waking up that morning, and, for reasons that you don’t entirely understand, you couldn’t stop the tears? Sitting there in bed, your body shaking, you cried, and cried, and cried – just feeling so sad. Almost like you might never be happy again.
Are you struggling with feelings of hopelessness, which may be depression or the helplessness associated with anxiety, or perhaps you want to continue inner-child work? I can help you. You may need recovery support regarding your sobriety from a substance or process.
You may wonder about the grieving process and why you are experiencing anger and sadness and reacting at the slightest thing. Maybe you are asking yourself, “Why can’t I sleep, and why do I startle so easily?”
Many underlying difficulties are workable issues. You don’t have to be in crisis to seek help, and why wait. Start working on your problems when the pain from sadness or circular thinking does not subside. You do not have to suffer. Just talking about your feelings can shed light on the why.
Emotional pain can be debilitating…
… and it may not be obvious what the cause of the pain is, but together we can look at the contributing factors such as self-esteem, “I’m not meant to be happy,” or “I’ve always been depressed and will continue to be,” or “I’m not smart enough.”
Maybe substance abuse or addiction is mixed into numb these feelings.
But imagine a better future, not feeling pain or sadness only, but feeling all emotions such as joy, love, passion, anger, fear, shame, and guilt. Feeling life to its fullest.
Individual therapy is a one-on-one professional relationship with a therapist.
And the success of that relationship depends on several things…
You need to be confident that your therapist has the training and experience to help you reach your goals.
I am an AZ-Licensed Professional Counselor or LPC.
I have a masters in Art Therapy and Counseling and am a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner.
I am also trained in EMDR, EMDR-R-TEP, EMDR-G-TEP, EFT, CSAT-C, and Trauma-Informed Art Therapy.
As your therapist, I am active in the field, always researching topics related to your case, consulting, training, and seeking to understand every client I see. You are not only in mind for the hour I see you but continually. Be confident that I am providing you with the best treatment available
You need to trust the process…
The process may seem difficult, with many emotions and perhaps counter-intuitive approaches. For example, after having a highly charged day at work, take a run around the block but feel only temporary relief. What about slowing it down and take a leisurely mindful walk around the block? Instead of elevating your high charge, try slowing it down.
You need to have hope for a better future…
Hope is knowing that things can change just as your sensations change constantly; your feeling states change moment to moment. Something as simple as shifting your posture can shift your emotion. Imagine a future of feeling all emotions, being open to what it is to feel and live life to its fullest. Therapy offers you ways to change patterns from hopelessness to hopefulness.
We’ll tailor your therapy to suit your schedule and meet your needs.
Depending on your goals, you can choose either a 60-minute session weekly or a 90-minute session every other week.
A 60-minute session is ideal for self-regulated individuals. It can tap into their trauma work and then have learned self-resourcing connect with their support system, journal, meditate, etc., after the session.
If we’re incorporating EMDR (a technique for treating trauma), 90-minute sessions seem to work well. I’ve found that when treating trauma, a week’s break between sessions is often appreciated.
Art Therapy is also an example of a 90-minute session because it takes time to use materials and reflect through visual images. Because most people are not used to looking at images, a more extended session can be beneficial.
You may also be interested in adding Art Therapy or “Healing Hearts” (betrayed partners group) to your therapy.
It all begins with a conversation.
At first, it might be hard to talk about your feelings and experiences.
It is hard for some people to talk about feelings because they feel they are not essential or deserving of others’ time. These are core issues of self-esteem and dependence, relying on others’ approval to feel good about themselves.
Being vulnerable can help, and sharing who you are is learning to be vulnerable. It is beginning the development of intimacy. I’m letting you see into me. This is who I am without shame of showing you my authentic self.
But, over time, developing trust will make being vulnerable and talking much easier. Being nonjudgmental about your experiences and your responses will build trust.
Understanding that all responses originate with patterns developed in childhood and learning about these origins also helps build trust. Learning to take nothing personal is good boundary work and creates trust. Within the group process, when you share yourself, you begin to trust.
Your problems probably won’t be solved overnight. But, with time and patience, you will experience change.
Here’s how we’ll get you to living a better life…
We’re going to identify and work on your goals.
Your initial goal upon starting therapy may be “I want to feel my emotions,” so we begin learning to feel, beginning with sensations that incorporate the somatic experience. Then we look at what happened that caused you not to feel.
Sometimes, this is trauma work. We go back to childhood and look at “what it was like for you” and “what your caretakers were like” because it is in childhood that attachment is developed. This will determine your adult relationships, can attachment be addressed, and I say yes.
The therapeutic goal may then include trauma or inner-child work as each relates to attachment.
You’ll learn about the patterns of your thoughts, feelings, and emotions.
When we go back and remember childhood, we look at what experiences we remember? Childhood is 0 to 17 years.
Remembering family rules and your role in the family, has your role changed now that you are an adult, or are you still the hero or perhaps the scapegoat?
If your family kept secrets, this might be something that you have repeated. If growing up with alcoholic parents, you may have experienced secret-keeping, and it became a family pattern of shame.
This analysis of childhood is where you can connect the dots between your childhood and your adult life. Then what is next?
Sometimes Somatic Experiencing is incorporated into each session, helping with self-regulation and learning to feel sensations.
We may include Art Therapy into sessions as a means of self-discovery; for example, if you don’t know your role in your family system.
Let’s draw a picture of you and your family and talk about what you see. You may see that you’re in the middle of both parents holding their hands, and it feels good on the one hand but anxiety on the other. One parent is much larger than the other, and you’re closer to that parent.
What emerges is part of self-discovery. You may understand this connection immediately, or it may be revealed as you consider the picture further.
You may come into therapy to work on a specific trauma, which you may have started while inpatient. In which case, we would review but begin with the preparation for EMDR with self-regulation using some Somatic Experiencing.
Now that you have someone to talk to give yourself the gift of therapy.
The time is now.
If you are looking, then take the next step and call. See if we are a good fit.
It’s time to start imagining a better future. Call today for your free 20-minute consultation: (480) 431-4994.