Do you often feel sad, hopeless and isolated? Do worrisome thoughts cloud your mind throughout the day? Have you suffered a recent loss? Perhaps you feel unworthy of happiness or fulfillment. It’s possible that your relationships with loved ones, friends and colleagues suffer because you experience recurring negative emotions and behaviors. Do you struggle with uncertainty and sometimes feel fearful about your place in the world? Maybe not knowing what will happen in the future makes you feel insecure. Have you turned to substances to numb your emotional pain? Do you wish you could feel secure, peaceful and confident and build meaningful, supportive, lasting relationships?
When faced with pain, grief and uncertainty, it can be difficult to regulate emotions and behaviors. You may wake up with a feeling of dread – not wanting to go to work or engage in routine daily activities. Overwhelming feelings of sadness, anger or anxiety may make it difficult to get through the day. At work, you may feel unheard, useless or stuck in a negative environment with poor workplace relationships. If you’re struggling with an addiction or using alcohol or drugs to cope, you may wish time would pass quicker so you can go home and numb your pain. At the end of the day, you may bump up against ongoing upsets and challenges with your partner, resulting in more stress, uncertainty and unease. At night, you may struggle to fall asleep because your mind is cluttered with unresolved issues and worries about the future.
We All Face Challenges In Life
Many of the emotional and behavioral challenges we experience stem from the way our brains are wired. For example, anxiety is helpful when we need to be on alert for immediate danger, and our brain chemistry helps us avoid threatening situations. But, when our emotions are out of balance due to biological factors or negative experiences, we may struggle to find joy, peace, confidence and security.
Modern norms also contribute to feeling that we are lacking something or unsafe. Our need to compare ourselves to our peers and stay connected to the often frightening 24/7 news cycle both harm the way we view the world and ourselves. Humans are very social animals. We have an inherent need to build strong relationships.
The key to doing so is in a healthy way with guidance and support, however, so many adults struggle in their interpersonal and intimate relationships. The good news is that regardless of what you’re struggling with, therapy can help. Individual counseling can help you build confidence, give you the tools to overcome your issues and find peace of mind, knowing you can continue to succeed in the future.
Move In A Positive Direction With Individual Counseling
During safe and compassionate individual counseling sessions, you and I will work together to determine causes of and triggers to your negative emotions and behaviors, set goals and use techniques tailored to your specific needs to help you find relief.
In sessions, we will evaluate your childhood experiences and more recent life-changing events in order to understand what may be triggering current emotional responses. Assessing early attachment experiences – the bonds you built with your parents or guardians – is crucial in determining some of the underlying causes to your current struggles. The familial relationships you created when you were young also often provide insight into how you view yourself and shape relationships.
Individual counseling can also help you identify the negative thinking patterns and reframe your thoughts. I can help you target thoughts that make you feel sad, anxious, angry or self-destructive and show you ways to mitigate and shift out of these thoughts. Once you have eliminated negative thinking patterns, you can feel less stuck and ready to focus on who you want to be.
Some of the strategies we will use include mindfulness, journaling and thought records. Mindfulness practices can help you become more present and let go of worrying about past events or potential future problems. Journaling and keeping thought records can help you better understand where your negative thoughts come from. All of my tips and strategies will be tailor-made to your specific issues and goals.
I have been through many phases of life – 40 years of marriage, tough job transitions and health problems. With help and support, I overcame some of the challenges that you may be facing today. Both personally and professionally, I know how effective therapy can be, and that there is always hope for positive change. You, too, can build strong relationships, feel confident and gain the peace of mind needed to live a fulfilling life.
I think I could benefit from individual counseling sessions, but I still have a few questions and concerns…
I worry that individual counseling may be too overwhelming for me right now.
Making improvements to your life and feeling better is a journey – a journey that begins with a single step: seeking help. While you may feel overwhelmed at first, individual counseling can save you years of struggles. In fact, the sooner you seek counseling, the better your chances are for fast, positive results.
The financial cost of therapy is high for me. Will it be worth it?
During a free 15-minute phone consultation, you will have the opportunity to discuss your needs. I offer a sliding scale fee for those who cannot afford the normal fee.
Often, mental health care is undervalued. If you suffered from a physical condition that required immediate medical care, the cost of treatment would probably not cause you to hesitate. Your mental health should be equally valued. Furthermore, the benefits of individual counseling extend to improving many other areas of your life – such as your career, family and friendships.
I am afraid of revealing my emotions to a stranger.
Successful treatment begins with a safe and comfortable relationship between the therapist and the client. My job is to help you feel safe when you are feeling vulnerable. During individual counseling sessions, you and I will peel away layers of your emotions. And like when you peel layers of an onion, you may shed a few tears. But, after a few sessions, you will have the chance to feel the heavy weight of your emotions lifted off of your shoulders and gain peace of mind.
The Path Toward A More Peaceful, Happy, And Confident Life Starts Here
