Most of the clients I work with are very successful and intelligent people. Or they are going through a rough patch, but they are typically what society considers “doing well”. They might have a good job, or be doing well in college, or have friends and family who are supportive of them. So why do they (or you) need my help?
You are hurting. You’ve tried things like staying busy, exercising more, and spending more time with friends. You’ve tried thinking more positive- you might have even read a book or listened to ted talks about how to overcome depression with positive thinking. You might have tried medication (or want to try counseling before going the medication route). But you are still overwhelmed by your emotions and honestly- just plain tired of feeling sad and anxious.
How can counseling help?
Counseling provides a safe and accepting space where the conversation is focused on you.
When you get support and encouragement from friends it is easy to feel like you also have to listen to their problems in the same conversation, and that might not be something you feel up to at the moment. It is also helpful to have an unbiased person who can listen and not judge based on any mutual connections or concerns.
Making sure you feel comfortable and accepted by your counselor is key before diving in to your deeper concerns.
Once we get started, one of the first goals I like to tackle with people is managing emotions. Your emotions likely feel like they are out of your control and it is important to learn how to “regulate” them. Together we can develop a plan for how you can cope with your emotions at different intensity levels.
I will encourage you to experience your emotions as opposed to avoiding them, and at the same time make sure you are able to identify when it is safe to do so.
We will also develop a plan together and decide what other goals you want to accomplish. This is different for everyone based on what is going on with you. I am very open about what I am doing to help you achieve those goals, and am willing to answer any questions you may have about my approach. I always like to check in on the original goals throughout the counseling process to see if progress is being made, and decide if new goals need to be discussed.
If you are able to relate to being tired of trying to feel better on your own you can visit my services page for more information about what ways I can help.
You can also contact me to schedule a free phone consultation to discuss if counseling is right for you.