My EthosWe live in a time and society, which has a pill or treatment for almost any medical diagnosis.
Medicine is easy. Exploring and understanding what is going on for you psychologically is a challenge, since the only mode of access is through conversation and observation. Therapy is hard. My first and foremost belief about therapy is that it should be honest. That is why I am not hiding these facts. Although these statements may be difficult to hear, I believe that people seeking therapy are brave, as they are actively choosing the hard way. You are brave. Together, we will find a way to talk about your difficulties and alter your understanding of mental health altogether. |
What to expect 1. Therapy is demanding.
I have already said this, but I cannot stress this point enough: Therapy will not be easy. You will be asked to open up to a stranger and challenge things that you have previously and purposely left untouched. 2. Therapy will be helpful. By talking about yourself and reflecting together, you will not only be able to understand yourself better, but also learn to accept how your experiences may influence you. Difficulties make us grow and it is okay to ask for help, when we do not see all the colors of life anymore. 3. Therapy may take some time. Time to get used to it, time to fully engage, time to accept, time to heal. It may be necessary to start therapy, take a break, then come back to work some more. There is no rule of thumb. It simply takes as long as it does and it depends on what you want to achieve. The therapeutic experience is different for everyone. 4. Therapy does not have the answers – you do! Most clients come to me with questions they seek answers to. But most of the time therapy responds differently than anticipated. The answers might be unexpected, surprising, or even disliked. Most importantly, however, therapy also responds to the unasked questions. This means that therapy may turn a corner and we may need to go away from your issue at hand only to discover that things are more connected or stem from somewhere else than suspected. 5. Therapy is collaborative. Therapy only works if both sides are working together. Therapy is like a boomerang and you will get as much out of it as you are willing to put into it. Therapeutic work does not only happen in the session, but continues outside. This entails reflecting about the session itself or the things that are going on in everyday life, practicing the tools you have learnt in sessions, keeping a journal or log book to track your progress, or talking about your progress with someone you trust. 6. Therapy does not judge. It does not matter what issue(s) you are bringing to the session or how big or small you feel your issues are. It is not important to me where you are from, how old you are, who or what you believe in, what you have lived through, or where you stand in life. 7. Therapy is about you! With your help, I will guide you in helping yourself with your specific issue(s) and aid you in understanding and accepting yourself, the environments around you, and those who are part of your life. |