SERVICES

 
 

Couples Counseling

Let's face it, couples argue. A certain amount of arguing is even healthy for a relationship. It helps bring relationship issues to the forefront so that they can be confronted and worked on to strengthen your bond. When these arguments carry on for long periods of time, become a frequent occurrence, or lead to violence they become a problem that weakens and endangers the relationship.

The key to any healthy relationship is communication. When communication breaks down it can put distance between the people involved in the relationship and damage it. If you feel that you are not able to effectively communicate with your partner, couples therapy can help. Couples therapy teaches you to communicate in a more effective manner. Skills like listening and compromising are enforced so that disagreements can be settled in a way that leaves both sides feeling better.

Intimacy issues are another reason a couple may consider therapy. It is a difficult issue to bring up for many people and involves many sensitive topics. A therapist can help by asking the right questions and putting the couple at ease when discussing such a personal subject.

Another reason for couples therapy could be for parenting help. You may have a different outlook on parenting than your spouse. The upbringing of a child is one of the most important responsibilities of a couple and it can lead to problems. If you and your spouse are divorced it can introduce more challenges into the process. A couples therapist can help you reach agreements on how to raise your children and instill effective ways to communicate with each other and with your children.

Many people think of couples counseling as a last resort before divorce, but that is absolutely not the case. Couples therapy can help couples with good relationships become even stronger. If you would like to discuss options for couples counseling please call us today.

Co-parenting therapy is a specialization within the field of couples therapy, in which parents who are no longer in an intimate relationship but are seek counseling to improve their ability to work together to raise their children. Co-parenting therapy can help things go smoother and reduce difficulties in child rearing

Individual Therapy

While the overall goal of therapy is the very vague 'to be happier,' you may not have any idea what that means for you yet. That's okay. Your therapist can help you break down your overall goal into smaller, achievable goals. When you start therapy, your therapist can help you clarify what's not working in your life. Specifically, your therapist will help you increase your clarity about:

  • The scope and impact of your presenting problem

  • Your beliefs about the presenting problem

  • The kind of changes you want to make

  • The kind of life you want to build

  • The kind of person you aspire to be in order to build the kind of life you want

  • Your blocks to becoming the kind of person you aspire to be

  • The skills and knowledge necessary to achieve your goals

Your Responsibility

While having a good therapist is important, what you do with the therapist is just as important. Therapy is not passive. It requires your active participation, motivation and commitment. Clients who work hard at helping themselves are more likely to have successful therapy outcomes.

During your sessions, try to:

  • Give your therapist access to the real you. This means being totally honest and vulnerable.

  • Rip down the walls you've built to protect yourself. Only when you stop hiding behind those walls and instead reveal your true thoughts and feelings can you can get honest, useful feedback.

  • Give your therapist feedback. Tell him/her about how you experience the session, what's helpful/unhelpful, and your reactions to both the therapist and the therapy in general.

  • Providing this feedback enables your therapist to better meet your needs.

  • Think critically about your sessions, and feel free to question your therapist's instructions, skills, and motives.

  • Periodically ask your therapist to assess your progress with you (if your treatment is longer-term).

  • You can maximize the benefit you get from your therapy by devoting time to your growth between sessions, as well.


Before every meeting, try to:

  • Reflect on your goals for being in therapy

  • Think about the next step you want to take to get closer to reaching your goals

To create the life you really want, you will have to prioritize your therapy and your growth. This looks different for each person, but may mean spending some of your free time differently, tolerating temporary emotional discomfort in the name of lasting change, and being open to change -- even if it's scary.


Listen to Your Discomfort
Expect emotional discomfort, as it is always part of the growth process. In therapy you will take risks, and try novel ways of thinking and behaving. Your growth depends on your ability to tolerate this discomfort. It's crucial to choose a therapist you trust so that when discomfort strikes, you feel safe enough to let down your walls and examine the cause.

Discomfort is revealing and useful -- often it signals a problem area for you, and exploring it with your therapist can be a catalyst for profound change. There is an exception, however. If your discomfort stems not from your own 'stuff' but from your relationship with your therapist, it could be a red flag telling you that your therapist may not be right for you.Trust yourself on this.

Be Open to Change
You're entering therapy for support and guidance as you make changes in your life. Since how you've been living (thinking, behaving, etc.) is no longer working for you, it's time to take your life off of autopilot and try something new. If you're with a therapist you trust, take the risk&you have nothing to lose.

Trauma

Trauma or adversity can take many forms and can impact our lives very differently. Trauma can cause overwhelming feelings of anxiety, depression, or even physical illness.

PTSD is a disorder that affects people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event. It is normal for people who have undergone trauma to have anxiety, trouble sleeping, fear, and other symptoms for up to a month after the event. If these symptoms persist, it could be a case of PTSD.

Personal experiences such as going to war, being in prison, rape, assault, witnessing a murder or natural disaster, or other severe experiences can all be classified as traumatic. Adjusting to life after a traumatic event can take time, but many people are able to successfully make the transition. Other people are not able to deal with the traumatic event as easily. Some signs of PTSD are:

  • Constantly reliving the event

  • Thinking the event will happen again

  • Trouble sleeping or nightmares about the event

  • Reactions to impulses that remind you of the event

  • Paranoia


While the thoughts of the event might affect some people, others may be consumed by trying to block out the event completely. They will avoid people, places, images, sounds, and other stimuli that remind them of the traumatic event.

Therapy can help those suffering from trauma and adversity. Through talk therapy we can slowly revisit the event so that it can be understood, dealt with, and eventually accepted on a personal level. Therapy can also help you manage your reactions to stimuli that remind you of the event. You can live a normal life after going through a traumatic event, call us today.