My Approach to Helping
Life is hard at times and can leave us feeling hurt. confused or even hopeless, but I do not believe that any situation is hopeless. Sometimes it simply requires the help of someone else to get us through it. As a therapist, and as a person, I believe in the healing process that can occur through having an unbiased person who is willing to sit and listen to our needs. I feel that therapy is a means of helping us explore our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and identify how to draw on our strengths to make positive changes. My goal is to be that listening ear for you and help you learn how to process through your feelings, learn ways to cope and understand that you have the power to overcome any issue.
I enjoy working with adolescents, adults, families and couples and have over 15 years of experience addressing anything from severe mental health issues to everyday stressors, such as changing jobs, school issues or relationship struggles. I incorporate a variety of therapeutic methods that utilize strength-based approaches in a supportive environment where individuals can feel safe to address any thought, feeling and behavior and learn how they can make the changes they desire.
More Info About My Practice
My office is located in Junction City and houses only three therapists, because we believe in making therapy a comfortable, private experience for you. It has its own private entrance and is handicap accessible. My office hours are flexible, with evenings and weekends being negotiable. During your initial session, I will explain the process of therapy and what you can expect. You will learn a little about me, but since the focus is on you, an initial assessment will be conducted in order to better help me understand who you are as a person and what your needs are.
My Role as a Therapist
Simply put, my role as a therapist is to be there for you. My job is not to tell you what you need to change or even how to change it, but rather to help you explore for yourself what changes you want to make, how you want to cope and what makes sense for you. My role is to help you explore those thoughts, feelings and behaviors that led you to seek therapy and give you the freedom to be vulnerable and open without judgement. I am there to help you see that you have so many strengths and positive attributes that you can draw on and that it is okay to express any emotion or feeling. My role is to help you work through what you want to work through, in the time frame you need, in the environment you need, and in the way you need it. I am there for you.
How My Own Struggles Made Me a Better Therapist
I believe that one of the most common misconceptions about therapists is that we have it all together. I am human just like all of you and have had my own struggles and issues that I needed to work through. I believe that as people we should constantly be evolving and working on ourselves and I continuously strive to do that as a person and as a professional. My childhood was far from perfect and I have had to work through a lot of pain, hurt, confusion and suffering. I've made mistakes in relationships that I have had to go back and address. I've felt worthless and hopeless before and had to learn how to love myself and draw on the strengths in my life. I've learned how to surround myself with good, healthy people that can help me. And I've learned that it is okay to ask for help when I am hurting. I'm not perfect, but I have learned the power of working through struggles and painful emotions and the healing that can come from that. Pain and suffering can bring about tremendous growth and change if we allow it and, as a therapist, I want to help others work through those things to become the best individual they can be. I may not have experienced your exact circumstance, but my own struggles allow me to understand hurt and pain and the beauty of working through those things.
Why Going to Therapy Does Not Mean You are Weak or Flawed
We all have weaknesses, but that does not mean we are weak. We all have flaws, but that does not mean we are flawed. It takes a very strong individual to identify that they are struggling with something and then seek help to work on that issue. We all need someone to help us at some point in our lives. It is much easier to close off and keep things inside, but to be vulnerable and allow change to occur takes a deep inner strength. I admire and respect each individual that I work with, because I understand the courage it took to take those first steps to enter into therapy.
