Individual Therapy

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive. And go do it.
Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
– Howard Thurman

Here’s the good news!

If you are reading this, you are coming alive.

Though it may feel that things are getting worse (and momentarily, they may be), what this tells you is that you are ready to step into your full potential!

“But how can this be?” you ask, If you feel worse now than before.

You feel worse because the way you used to cope is not doing it for you anymore.

Every time this happens, it is an opportunity for growth.

You are outgrowing your old self, along with its old dysfunctions.

This desire to change doesn’t happen too often in one’s life.

Listen to what your body is telling you…

 

When Mark started therapy, the feeling like something bad was about to happen had been a normal part of his life. Thinking of the worst-case scenario was normal. He believed that preparing for the worst helped him cope in life.

The feeling that something bad was going to happen came with second-guessing what would happen.

What if people ask a question that he didn’t know the answer to at a work meeting?

The thought would make Mark work extra hard and be very prepared. He viewed being over-prepared as being good.

Unfortunately, there were always what-ifs, and the what-ifs always brought a feeling of dread.

Mark’s mind had an unlimited number of what-ifs, worst-case scenarios. And dread and uneasiness were always there in everything he did.

Having that uneasy feeling left Mark more and more exhausted, even more now than before.

Cindy replayed conversations in her head to check that she hadn’t said anything inappropriate, so afraid that everyone would judge her.

She was always thinking to herself, “Did I say the right thing, or did I say something inappropriate?”

“What did they think of me for what I said?”

Cindy was always wondering if she had come across as funny or if people thought she was ridiculous. She almost always felt that she had said something embarrassing or ridiculous, causing her to fear that everyone would judge her.

Sometimes, Cindy wished she had spoken up in a conversation with colleagues or a meeting at work. People around her seemed so at ease; their conversation seemed to flow.

But she thought so much about what she should say that she often ended up not saying anything. She could swear people saw the sweat on her forehead and her red face.

She suffered from this fear of being judged. She wasted a lot of energy double-checking and evaluating how she conversed and looked.

Procrastinating on important tasks until the very last moment, or better yet, not doing it at all was Michael’s forte. But somehow, things had always worked out for him. He always managed to complete them right before there were real consequences.

When something was important and needed to get done, the initial reaction was to postpone it. Michael avoided other tasks to avoid doing the necessary task. Clean his car? Why not!

Rather than catching up on one episode of the show he was watching, he would watch the whole season!

Sure, he needed to take care of himself, after all. But although watching the show gave him some laughs, and he may have forgotten for the moment about the task he was supposed to do, it all comes back when the distraction is gone.

And then, Michael starts beating himself up for doing whatever, again! He would think, “Why couldn’t I make myself do it? What is wrong with me?”

It was getting harder and harder to complete tasks. It used to be that Michael would struggle only with one or two tasks, but now there were more. Even when he knew that he would face harsh consequences, he still procrastinated. He hated himself for doing this…

Needing to be perfect, pleasant, or accepted was a significant problem for Elizabeth.

When Elizabeth sat across from me for the first time, she was so pleasant. Smart and funny, she paid careful attention to the questions asked and gave thoughtful answers.

She didn’t quite know why she was looking for therapy, except that she felt empty. She felt that her life was hollow and could not explain why. When we dug a little deeper, we discovered that she thought she had to work hard to get people to like her, approve of her, and accept her.

She felt that she had to be pleasing to be good enough – and felt tired of feeling so distant from those with whom she was the closest. Except, she didn’t quite know if they really knew her.

Individual therapy provides a safe space.

Individual therapy is the perfect solution to address what is going on in your life.

This space is a secure and judgment-free environment.

There is no pressure from having other family members or friends around.

There also is no pressure having to say things exactly right. And what is exactly right anyway?

Come as you are…

Individual therapy is effective because…

Your story is safe in the space we will build together. There are a few exceptions, and we will talk about those in the first session or during your complimentary consultation.

Have you heard the phrase, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas”? Well, what happens in individual therapy stays in individual therapy.

Also, ever wonder why talking to your friends or family (however wonderful they may be) still has not helped resolve your troubles? Talking to your therapist differs from talking to a friend or family member.

In individual therapy, it’s all about your story, and we dedicate our time together to you and you alone.

There is no fear of having what you said to come out in an argument or when you attend family events or your friend’s birthday party.

Your therapist is a trained professional.

You don’t need to worry about saying something that will hurt your therapist’s feelings. Your therapist’s goal is to understand you, which means that you must be who you are.

The first important step in individual therapy is building trust between you and your therapist with no pressure applied. Building trust with you is your therapist’s job. Once your therapist understands you, they will help you understand yourself.

Therapy allows you to express yourself openly – your feelings, thoughts, experiences, and fears. Together, we will take your story and separate the pieces to understand it. And then, we will put those pieces back together so that now you see all of you.

Individual therapy uses powerful tools (e.g., EMDR, DBT, CBT, ACT, and more) that help make those pieces look different. Instead of embarrassment, you will feel validation; you will be seen, heard, and understood – no more ridicule or judgment.

If you feel troubled, tired of trying to cope, and want a new experience…

Congratulations! You came to the right place.

Your visiting this site means you are ready for more in your life!

Individual therapy is ideal for starting to work on those issues, allowing you to grow past them.

Because every individual is unique, we take an individualized approach and create a plan that is specific to your needs and goals.

Please call or text 818.945.9075 today to schedule your 20-minute consultation to explore if individual therapy is the answer. Here’s a hint: individual therapy is the answer.

*Names changed to protect client confidentiality.