What Do We Expect To Achieve?

What you can expect to achieve depends on many things. It may be helpful to ask yourself some questions such as . . .

Am I currently experiencing a crisis?
Is the crisis temporary or is my life one continual crisis after another?
Do I just want to feel better?
Do I believe that my problems and worries are due to someone else's behavior?
Do I expect my mother, my sister, my spouse, my partner, my children, people at work, to change?
Am I at one of those ages or stages in my life where I am beginning to outgrow my old self . . . my old interests; the things I used to do no longer satisfy me? . . . Am I starting to see things differently, and just don't know what to do?
I don't have a family or children and my biological clock is ticking away?
My relationships don't satisfy me the way they used to.
I am finally ready to "come out of the closet" about who I really am and I'm scared to death!
I am wondering if this is all there is to life; what's my purpose? Will I ever be happy or contented?
I am old enough now that I'm noticing some patterns to my behavior and in my relationships that aren't so good, but I don't know how to change them. What do I do?
I am feeling stuck and don't know how to get unstuck.
I'm wondering if someone in my life - or myself may have an addiction problem.
I'm depressed, angry, or having anxiety attacks.
I cry sometimes for no reason at all.

Perhaps what you wish to achieve is more of a religious or spiritual nature . . .

What you can expect to achieve through therapy depends mostly on what brings you to therapy and your willingness and readiness to make some changes. We will take a look at your background and family history. We will take a look at where you currently are in your life and where you want to be. We will develop a map with goals and objectives to assist us in helping you to move forward. We will revisit this map at times to make sure we are on track and to make changes or corrections as needed.

If you are in crisis and your only goal is to get through the crisis and feel better, then we will work on tools and techniques to help you ease your fears and anxiety and help to improve your ability to cope with the situation.

If you are ready to take a deeper look at your life and just how your beliefs and attitudes keep you imprisoned, then your map and goals will take on a deeper- broader perspective. I may ask you to look at your life by breaking it into smaller parts and identifying any areas you might like to see change, such as family, relationships, health, work or career, education, financial, religious and spiritual, legal, drug and alcohol use, recreation and fun.

There are many things that I do – I give homework – I provide you with techniques and tools to move forward; but what I feel is the most important part of my job is very difficult to put in words; what I want to offer my clients is my presence. I meet you where you are . . . I am present with you in your sorrow, your sadness, your confusion, your stuck-ness, your happiness. I walk with you on your journey into the muckiness, into the darkness . . . I am present with you without judgment. I offer you a safe comfortable place to be – a safe place for you to listen to your own deepest longing. We will attempt to shift your emotional energy to a place that feels much better.