Individual Therapy

What can I expect during my first session? Whatever your reason for seeking help, you will be more at ease and get better results if you know what to expect.

Although each therapist is different, there are some basics you’ll likely encounter no matter who you choose to see. Here are some things you would be able to expect from me which would loosely translate with other people who do the work that I do.

Intake and Consent for Treatment: You’ll fill out these forms ahead of session – either download them from my website – or fill them out in the waiting room. They’re standard office procedure for gaining information about you. You will also need you to sign your consent to engage in the therapeutic relationship. Fees and office polices are also explained.

Assessment: If you’re in my office for individual therapy – there’s likely something in your life that’s not working for you and you’ve not been successful at figuring it out. I’ll want to hear about how you define the problem at hand. What are you looking for help with? If there are uncomfortable symptoms associated, I’ll want to assess the level of severity as well as know about your support system, your coping skills, etc. At some point I might talk a little more about how I work as it applies to your issue, give you a chance to ask me questions, etc.

Your Story: I’ll ask you to tell me about your life and how you think it might relate to your current problem. I’ll ask about your family of origin, important relationships, childhood and other questions as I look for potential sources of the problem. I likely won’t get your entire story in one session but we’ll begin to look at it.

Wrap Up: In the last few minutes of the therapy session, I try to wrap things up by summarizing what information has been revealed. I’ll probably ask how you’re feeling after the session and offer you an opportunity to ask questions. If it feels like there is a good therapist-client fit then we’ll continue on together.

The first session is really about information gathering and the very beginning of establishing the therapeutic relationship, which is critical. Research has shown that this is one of the most important elements behind success for people in individual therapy. It is paramount that the highest level of trust and emotional safety is eventually established between the four walls of my office.

Family Therapy

When families have a difficulty and feel stuck and unable to change, Family therapy is often chosen for help and guidance. I typically see families needing help with integrating adopted children into the family dynamic. I utilize the TBRI training and refer to “The connected Child” book by Karen Purvis. Additionally, I employ other therapies where appropriate like cognitive behavior and interpersonal. Some specific techniques in family therapy include: Genogram (A family tree constructed together to look at past relationships and events and the impact these have on the person’s present relating style). Communication Training (Dysfunctional communication patterns within the family are identified and corrected. People are taught how to listen, ask questions and respond non-defensively.) Systemic Interpretation (Views a difficulty as a symptom of a problem in the larger family.)

Couples Counseling

Couples counseling can be very helpful to those wanting to get their relationships back on track. If you and your spouse are struggling together and you’re considering getting some professional assistance, that’s great! The process can and does work when you plan on investing the time and energy needed to make the marriage healthy. Remember, the desire to make your marriage stronger and healthier is a challenging step but one you will be thankful for as you enjoy the benefits that come from working through the difficult parts of your story together.

Pre-marital Counseling

Many couples preparing for marriage believe they are a strong couple and be able to avoid the pitfalls that seem to plague so many marriages today. Although many couples have good intentions and are indeed off to a good start they are often missing several beneficial elements needed for a strong life-long marriage.

Some of the benefits that come with pre-marital counseling include: Clearer understanding of role expectations, a strengthening of communication skills, learn additional conflict resolution skills and identifying family of origin issues that are sure to impact the marriage.

Starting out with a solid foundation is incredibly helpful in creating a healthy and impactful marriage for life. Why not take the time to invest in your marriage before it even begins?

Group Therapy

Group therapy provides treatment in a format where there are typically 1-2 therapists and 6-8 participants with related problems. I am a passionate advocate for group therapy. In the past 15 years, I have found group work to be an extraordinarily effective treatment for abuse recovery. It is essential to be connected to people while you journey into the past and through the present effects of your abuse. It is vital, not just because you will need support along the way, but also because you have so much to give. Group learning, listening and reflection are an asset to recovery and change. One of the most impactful groups I offer is for victims of childhood sexual abuse. I offer several groups throughout the year. Participants in group work frequently experience change, positively impacting lives in a safe and supportive environment with others experiencing similar difficulties. In the abuse recovery groups, we use Dan Allender’s book and workbook titled “The Wounded Heart.”

I have found that people in group therapy improve not only from the interventions of the therapist, but also from observing others in the group and receiving feedback from group members. The group format, while not providing the one-on-one attention of individual formats, has several advantages. A few advantages of group therapy include: Additional feedback from others and gaining a different perspective which is often helpful in promoting growth and change; Modeling by seeing how others deal with similar problems allowing the patient to add new coping methods to her behaviors; Offers a high return on their financial investment since group therapy costs less than an individual therapy session; Improves communication skills as group members learn to communicate with greater clarity and effectiveness with one another; Normalizing occurs when you see others going through what you are, you realize others are going through some of the same things; Bonding occurs when you experience therapy in a group setting, we have the potential to be vulnerable and see others be vulnerable as well. This can be a very safe, warm and connecting experience, especially in the hands of well-trained therapists.

Please Email Dawn to find out when the next group begins.

Anxiety and Depression:

Anxiety is a normal reaction to many of life’s obstacles and struggles. Anxiety encompasses symptoms of fears, tension, obsessive thought, ruminations, restlessness, and nervousness. Although anxiety is a normal part of life, sometimes the symptoms can become distressing. If you are feeling overwhelmed with stress and anxiety, we can work together to identify the triggers of your anxiety to help you cope better and be more effective with your decision making process.

Symptoms of depression can include grief, disappointment, sadness, irritability, hopelessness, crying spells, lack of motivation, loneliness, emptiness, helplessness, low self-esteem and lack of confidence. Depression often interferes with your ability to work, concentrate, and socialize with friends and family. If you have symptoms of depression, I can help you reduce these symptoms and identify the underlying reasons for the depression. My goal would be to work together on helping you feel less overwhelmed, more hopeful, happier and better able to engage with life in a more meaningful and satisfying fashion.

PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)

Symptoms of PTSD may disrupt your life and make it hard to continue with your daily activities. You may find it hard just to get through the day.

There are four types of PTSD symptoms:

1) Reliving the event (also called re-experiencing symptoms). Memories of the traumatic event can come back at any time through nightmares, flashbacks or triggers.

2) Avoiding situations that remind you of the event. You may try to avoid situations or people that trigger memories of the traumatic event.

3) Negative changes in beliefs and feelings. The way you think about yourself and others changes because of the trauma.

4) Feeling keyed up (also called hyperarousal)

Traumatizing experiences shake the foundations of our beliefs about safety and shatter our assumptions of trust.

Because they are so far outside what we would expect, these events provoke reactions that feel strange and “crazy”. Perhaps the most helpful thing I can say here is that even though these reactions are unusual and disturbing, they are typical and expectable. By and large, these are normal responses to abnormal events.

Trauma symptoms are probably adaptive, and originally evolved to help us recognize and avoid other dangerous situations quickly — before it was too late. Sometimes these symptoms resolve within a few days or weeks of a disturbing experience: Not everyone who experiences a traumatic event will develop PTSD. It is when many symptoms persist for weeks or months, or when they are extreme, that professional help may be needed. On the other hand, if symptoms persist for several months without treatment, then avoidance can become the best available method to cope with the trauma — and this strategy interferes with seeking professional help. Postponing needed intervention for a year or more, and allowing avoidance defenses to develop, could make this work much more difficult.

We create meaning out of our life events. If you are struggling with PTSD symptoms and what it means for you, and would like help navigating through the confusion, pain and stress, please contact me for an initial consultation.