My Approach to Counseling in Gig Harbor
Navigating unexpected situations or traumas, dealing with anxiety and depression can overwhelm our sense of being present in the moment and we may feel trapped inside our feelings.
Sometimes difficulties have been present since childhood, left unattended or pushed down repeatedly over the years.
Some clients come to counseling seeking ways to deal with a specific trauma, domestic violence, grief, loss, anger, or other distressing emotions, leaving someone feeling isolated, stuck, and without resources.
Taking the next step, asking for help, and engaging in counseling, brings you closer to the destination of wellness and recovery.
There is no one size fits all approach for therapy, therefore I use a therapeutic style which is eclectic in nature, interweaving many different approaches to meet the needs and goals of the client.
I am trained in EMDR and specialize in trauma work to include complex, developmental, and single incident (PTSD), along with anxiety/depression and others.
The challenge is often encountering the part of a client that has built walls and barriers to keep the traumatized parts isolated and separate.
Using IFS (Internal Family Systems) and other therapeutic modalities works to assist the client in finding answer to questions and presentations long needing answers.
Your desire for change and ability to ask for help are the first steps on the journey to reach your goals.
Clients often come to counseling seeking ways to deal with a specific trauma, domestic violence, grief and loss, anger, anxiety, depression, or any other distressing events/emotions that leaves the person feeling isolated, stuck, and without resources.
The first step of asking for help coupled with a desire for change is what starts one along the journey to reach their goals.
These are all areas that I look to come alongside the client, provide psychoeducation and walk with the client to learn and understand themselves through various coping skills, therapeutic techniques, and tools.
The client guides the sessions in the direction they seek healing, working towards goals the client establishes.
What does the initial session look like?
The initial session is an opportunity for the client to assess whether there is a connection with the therapist, a view to the future in building a therapeutic relationship inside of trust and safety.
During the session the client and therapist work towards understanding goals, supports, and the beginning of the narrative the client is ready to reveal.
Goals are client established and sessions are client directed, requiring collaboration between client and therapist.
Based on the initial session, the client is afforded the opportunity to move forward and therein begin working on treatment planning and goals.
