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What is Therapy?

What is Therapy?

Therapy, also called psychotherapy or counseling, is a process in which the therapist and client work together to understand problematic behaviors, beliefs, feelings, and/or relationship issues. The goal of Therapy is to help individuals and couples uncover their strengths, and develop tools and healthy coping mechanisms to face life’s challenges.

What can therapy help me with?

Anxiety

Anxiety is a “future-oriented” state of mind. Anxiety can cause physical symptoms such as stomach pain, nausea or digestive trouble, headache, insomnia or other sleep issues, weakness or fatigue, rapid breathing or shortness of breath, pounding heart or increased heart rate, sweating, trembling, or shaking. It can also cause cognitive distortions, which are systematic ways that people twist and distort information from the environment. These biases often reinforce negative thought patterns and can lead to increased difficulty managing everyday stress.

Depression

Depression is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. It can be situational or more clinical in nature. Depression can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease your ability to function at work and at home.

Couples Therapy/Relationships

Relationship counseling, also called couples therapy or couples’ counseling, is a type of psychotherapy. This type of counseling helps couples of all types to explore, recognize, and resolve conflicts in an effort to improve their relationships and interactions. When working with a relationship counselor, you and your partner are able to explore the bigger picture of your relationship and individual interactions. You are given a safe space to explore the patterns of both your individual and couple behavior, as well as find ways to be more conscious of your actions and decisions.

LGBTQ Counseling

LGBTQ counseling embraces a positive view of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) identities and relationships and addresses the negative influences that homophobia, transphobia, and heterosexism have on the lives of LGBTQ clients. Many lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (or questioning) individuals seek counseling for reasons similar to non-LGBTQ individuals ie; depression, anxiety, grief, couples therapy, work stress, etc. However, the stigma and discrimination LGBTQ individuals often face can be a serious impediment to their well-being, which makes it more difficult to navigate challenges effectively.

Confidence/Self-Esteem

Self-esteem is a big contributor to well-being. Low self-esteem is linked to feelings of shame, self-doubt, and inadequacy. It can prevent people from finding fulfilling relationships or following their dreams Therapy can help people recognize and reduce negative self-talk. People can also learn the importance of self-compassion and goal-setting, both of which are linked to improved self-esteem.