Our counselors provide therapy in Cedar Park, TX

People come to therapy for a variety of reasons, and my go-to approach for helping people in individual therapy is identifying the root cause of whatever their reason is for coming to therapy. While this approach can provide symptom relief, it goes deeper than just giving clients a way to cope with their symptoms. I find this type of deep healing work gives my clients the meaningful and lasting change they truly seek.

The most significant tool I hope to help my clients learn is to take a compassionate, accepting, curious, and loving stance toward themselves. Research shows that it is that stance that ultimately allows for a shift in our thoughts, behaviors, and symptoms.

I know a client is making meaningful progress in individual therapy when they are moving closer to what they want for themselves. Said another way, I know they are making progress when they tell me that they are. While I bring expertise to the table, my clients are the experts on themselves and their experience. They decide what meaningful progress means, and I've found that each of my clients defines it a little differently. Understanding what the client wants for themselves and what progress means to them is the cornerstone of my approach to therapy.

Clients can supplement their time in individual therapy by practicing the skills they are learning in sessions and reflecting on the topics and concepts discussed. Journaling is a great mechanism for reflection. Some folks find it helpful to receive recommendations for books, podcasts, and other resources. If that's of interest to my client, I'm happy to recommend resources.

To prepare for your first individual therapy session, you can think about what you want to get from therapy. Consider these questions: “If therapy went really well, what would I have? What would be different?” You don't have to have an exact answer, and your answer can change throughout our work together. It's also helpful to hear upfront what you're hoping therapy can help you with. This information helps me understand our goals and helps me tailor my approach to your specific needs.