The relationship. Therapy begins and ends with the client-therapist relationship. I know that the relationship is the primary agent of change, so I take great care in nurturing it from the start. If the comfort and trust aren’t there, then the growth won’t follow. I want you to feel present and at ease when we are together. I make it a point to elicit your feedback on our work together (“have conversations about our conversations”)  to ensure I am meeting your needs effectively.

Setting the stage. The first session allows that relationship to begin as we get to know one another. There will be many questions, but you’ll know all the answers because they are about you. “I don’t want to answer that” is also a fine answer! I want you to leave that first appointment feeling excited about the journey ahead. There may be some anxiety in the mix as well, and we’ll harness that to keep moving forward. Over the first few sessions, we will work to establish meaningful goals to guide our work.

Change in the present. People start therapy because they are coping with a problem and seeking change. Our sessions can focus on managing daily stressors and finding effective responses. We can look at how emotions may be impacting your perceptions and decision-making. I can provide you with concrete skills to manage your mood in moments of conflict and acute distress.

Learn from your past. Our self-understanding and patterns of relating to others are established early in life. Childhood experiences inform these often-unconscious dynamics that we repeat and repeat. Perhaps fear and insecurity served you well in the past, but have outlived their usefulness today. Let’s dive in and identify those patterns so you can change them and take control of your life.

The ending. There is no pre-determined length to therapy. If you came in seeking support with a limited and specific problem, therapy may end after a handful of sessions. If you are coping with on-going stress and interested in doing deeper, reflective work, therapy can be more open-ended. We decide together when it is time to end treatment.