You don’t have to be diagnosed with a mental health problem to benefit from therapy. Many people in therapy seek help for everyday concerns: relationship problems, job stress, or self-doubt, for example. Others turn to therapy during difficult times, such as a divorce or starting college.

There is no limit to things that can be discussed. Topics that are common include: anxiety, stress, academics, self esteem, confidence, time management, cultural or relationship challenges, depression, anger, grief, or simply distractions that affect daily life.

The thought of being able to solve your problems with taking a pill each day can sound appealing. If only it was that easy! Mental and emotional problems have multiple causes, and medication is not a one-stop cure.

Medication may help ease certain symptoms, but it can not change life's side effects. Furthermore, it cannot solve the “big picture” problems. Medication won’t fix your relationships, help you figure out what to do with your life, or give you insight into why you continue to do things you know are bad for you.

Therapy can be time-consuming and challenging, as uncomfortable emotions and thoughts often arise as part of the treatment process. However, therapy provides long-lasting benefits that go beyond symptom relief. Therapy gives you the tools for transforming your life—for relating better to others, building the life you want for yourself, and coping with whatever curveballs come your way.

-Expect a good fit between you and your therapist. Don't settle for a bad fit. You may need to see one or more therapists until you experience feeling understood and accepted.

-Therapy is a partnership. Both you and your therapist contribute to the healing process. You're not expected to do the work of recovery all by yourself, but your therapist can’t do it for you either. Therapy should feel like a collaboration.

-Therapy will not always feel pleasant. Painful memories, frustrations or feelings might surface. This is a normal part of therapy and your therapist will guide you through this process. Be sure to communicate with your therapist about how you are feeling.

-Therapy should be a safe place. While there will be times when you’ll feel challenged or when you’re facing unpleasant feelings, you should always feel safe. If you’re starting to feel overwhelmed or you’re dreading your therapy sessions, talk to your therapist.

I don't need a therapist. I'm smart enough to solve my own problems:
We all have our blind spots. Intelligence has nothing to do with it. A good therapist doesn’t tell you what to do or how to live your life. He or she will give you an experienced outside perspective and help you gain insight into yourself so you can make better choices.

Therapy is for crazy people:
Therapy is for people who have enough self-awareness to realize they need a helping hand, and want to learn tools and techniques to become more self-confident and emotionally balanced.

All therapists want to talk about is my parents:
While exploring family relationships can sometimes clarify thoughts and behaviors later in life, that is not the sole focus of therapy. The primary focus is what you need to change unhealthy patterns and symptoms in your life. Therapy is not about blaming your parents or dwelling on the past.

Therapy is self-indulgent. It’s for whiners and complainers:
Therapy is hard work. Complaining won’t get you very far. Improvement in therapy comes from taking a hard look at yourself and your life, and taking responsibility for your own actions. Your therapist will help you, but ultimately you’re the one who must do the work.

We are creatures of habit. That makes all changes and transitions difficult. Plus, we have an evolutionary fear of the unknown and unfamiliar. I hope my website can answer many of the “unknowns” for you. But if you still have concerns or fears, just use the contact page to write me, and we can keep exploring it together.

Therapy also has gotten a bad rap. Good ol’ Freud has everyone still thinking we lay on the couch talking about our mommy-issues. May I confidently reassure you that therapy has evolved!

It is for everyone and anyone wanting to understand themselves better and get relief from any overwhelming emotion. In my experience, it’s not “screwed up” people that come to see me. Just the opposite really: it is the brave ones who are willing to be human and seek help for the things they don’t know about.

Therapy offers a choice:
We can unconsciously keep playing out the same patterns, stuck in our own habits and prisoner to our upbringings. Or we can step back, use our higher brains, and gain insight and awareness into our actions. That is how we change.

And…yes, sometimes we do wind up talking about mommy issues 😉