Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy can be useful in two ways:
1) to address a specific issue or difficulty, and
2) to broaden or deepen one's perspective on life.

The conversation that unfolds between a therapist and a client is different from ordinary interchanges. A therapist has advanced training in understanding psychological conflicts and responds to material based to a large degree on the affect of the conversation. This can create a mental shift in the way a topic is being discussed. Between sessions a client may or may not think further about what is happening but this does not mean that therapy is not effective. Unless a crisis is being addressed, changes as a result of counseling and therapy can feel subtle, but these small changes can build into a whole new way of thinking which often benefits more than just one person in a family or group.

Individuals entering treatment often say they are worried that the therapist "will just sit there and not talk" and this is an important issue especially if this concern is raised from previous treatment. While I listen more than I speak, I encourage patients to ask me about how they are experiencing me so that we can use these thoughts to benefit our discussion.