Hello,
I’m glad that your interest in therapy has led you to me. Most people think about calling a therapist for several months before they actually reach out for services. The fact that you are now considering making this commitment puts you in the right place to chat with me about how I can help.
For many years, the field of psychotherapy was considered both a science and an art. We knew it worked but didn’t understand exactly how. Now, emerging neurobiological research shows that psychotherapy, when done right, produces changes not only in emotions and relationships, but also in the brain itself. A big factor in its effectiveness has to do with the relationship between the client and therapist. I work to develop these kinds of trusting relationships with each of my clients and am invested in helping each person I work with to accomplish their goals for treatment and feel better.
As you consider therapy, you may be curious about my approach and whether it is right for you. You're unique, so your therapy will be like no one else’s. I work from various theoretical orientations, including behavioral, cognitive-behavioral, family systems, and psychoanalytic frameworks. No matter the philosophical orientation, I'll use a variety of approaches and tailor them to what works best for you. I ask for feedback about how therapy is going to ensure that we talk about what feels important and that my ideas and interventions are on the right track. Therapy is not a one-size-fits-all treatment; everyone will benefit from something slightly different.
The feedback I hear in my work as a family therapist is that the parents and children learn new and valuable strategies. They comment on my ability to see their children’s difficulties and get them to realize and articulate their challenges to work on dealing with them effectively.
My adult clients in individual therapy say that helpful elements are my ability to explain issues in an understandable way and to break solutions down into easily implemented steps. They also reflect on my overall investment in helping people.
Sometimes it is valuable for prospective clients to learn a bit more detail about how I approach treatment for specific disorders or conditions.
Let’s say you're dealing with an obsessive-compulsive disorder. In this case, I would be a more active therapist. I will provide education and may recommend articles, books, and podcasts about this disorder.
With anxiety or OCD, once per week session is not enough time. You will make much more progress if you practice what you're learning in therapy every day. Homework will be essential, and the amount of homework will be decided together. I also help my clients develop coping skills. For example, I might teach a calming technique for anxiety or how to reduce compulsions for OCD.
Suppose you're interested in deeper work beyond symptom reduction. In that case, I'll take a less active stand and will create a space for you where you develop your own narrative and where you can understand the meaning of your feelings and actions. This will give you a much better sense of control over your life.
Clearly, the best therapy for you will be the one-of-a-kind therapy we create together and adjust and improve as we go. The variables will be your preferences, choices, and decisions, alongside my skills and the many approaches and techniques I have at the ready.
Education and Training
I graduated from Seattle University with an Educational Specialist Degree (EdS). I'm a Licensed Mental Health Counselor.
As a life-long learner, I’m always taking various trainings. I do quite a bit of work outside of our therapy sessions, which helps me serve you better. This work includes doing research, reading, supervision, consultation, professional development and preparing for my client session.
If you're interested in learning more about the approaches I use, please ask during your free consultation call.
Thanks for stopping by.
Olga