Individual Counseling
Individual Counseling
Individual counseling also known as therapy or psychotherapy is a professional relationship that is solely focused on an individual’s immediate need or future concern. People may pursue counseling services when they experience a life difficulty, problem, or transition that is beyond their normal ability to cope or is causing them some level of distress.
Individual Therapy may address concerns about:
- Mood and behavior (i.e. anxiety, depression, anger, isolation)
- Grief and loss
- Challenging and traumatic memories
- Abuse and safety
- Identity (i.e. self esteem, sexuality, family of origin, career)
- Transitions (i.e. school, parenting, job loss or retirement)
- Addictions
- Life problems (i.e. employment, school)
- Communication and relationships
Individual therapy is offered for children ages 4 and up, adolescents and adults.
Getting Started
A therapeutic relationship is created between you and I. This offers space, safety, and trust to achieve growth. With this trusting relationship in place, you are encouraged to talk about and process through the problem or difficulty. We will create goals and a plan for counseling (i.e. a treatment plan).
Working Together
I assist you in processing experiences that are keeping you stuck, providing education and skills training, giving an outside perspective, empowering you, asking thoughtful questions, collaborating to solve problems, and using many other therapy skills and strategies.
You practice these skills with me and on your own. As you experiment with the strategies and skills you are learning in counseling, you gather valuable feedback through successes, failures and relapses. Feedback is used as a way to re-focus and align you toward your healing. Finding the courage to experiment with new strategies can lead to growth, progress, and change.
What to Expect from Counseling
The length of counseling depends on your concerns and goals. Counseling can be short-term (about 2-6 weeks) to address a specific problem or counseling can be long-term (about 2 months to 2+ years) to address larger and more complex issues.
Counseling appointments are typically scheduled weekly for 45 minutes, though more or less frequently scheduled appointments can be arranged depending on the severity and intensity of the problems. 55 minute sessions are also available when needed.
Completing Therapy
Eventually, as you reach and maintain progress toward goals and you are satisfied with your progress and no new goals are identified, then counseling is completed.
Often I have clients return who decide to meet with me on an infrequent basis (in several months or years) to “check-in” about the problems addressed in session or new problems, life difficulties, or transitions.
Faith-based counseling and coaching
I work with people from all different religious and spiritual backgrounds. It is always an amazing experience. People from all different backgrounds use their spiritual beliefs to help themselves make decisions, heal and grow.
At times, I have people who want counseling or coaching specifically from a Christian perspective. As a graduate from Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon my training included Bible and Theology education, clinical counseling and coaching skills as well as how to integrate all of those components. This is more than being a counselor/coach who is a Christian. It is a pleasure to walk through issues and goals with people who desire Christian perspective; I’d love to do that with you.