Our counselors provide therapy in Hoffman Estates, IL

My go-to approach for helping people in individual therapy is to first get to know why they are seeking therapy at this particular time and how the issue(s) may be negatively impacting their life currently. I find the best benefit in therapy is to listen closely and understand what may be getting in the way of the individual experiencing a better quality of life. A problem left unsolved or repressed, I have seen, only gets worse over time or surfaces when one least expects it due to some trigger in people, memory, or the environment.

I teach the following tools in individual therapy:

• How to recognize if you are a glass-half-empty thinker or glass-half-full, and the impact it has on overall well-being
• How to improve self-esteem issues through self-affirmations, developing daily mantras, reframing negative thought patterns
• How to create “me time” when feeling overwhelmed with life's responsibilities by pursuing activities involved in relaxation exercises, mindfulness, being “true to one's own emotions,”and lowering the bar on personal expectations
• How to establish boundaries with others as a way to validate and empower oneself

I know an individual is making meaningful progress in individual therapy when there is followthrough in thought and behavior that meets their established goals for therapy. I believe therapy starts when the door is closed on each session and the individual employs and puts into action what was discussed and what they find useful in creating more quality of life in their daily routines.

Clients can supplement their time in individual therapy by acting on what they find meaningful in therapy suggestions, such as enjoying themselves during spare time to lessen the burden of feeling overwhelmed, or starting to set limits with others by saying no so one doesn't feel spread so thin and feel unappreciated by others. Taking time to journal if they find that is helpful in identifying their own emotions; what went well today and what didn't go well and why it didn't, etc. Begin to understand one's own thoughts and behaviors as one interacts with others and “trust the gut reaction” with certain interactions with others trigger.

To prepare for your first individual therapy session, try to identify what you see as roadblocks in feeling content, happy, or satisfied. Are relationships unsatisfying, are there problems you feel no control over or maybe have too much control over? Come up with the reason or circumstances that you want help with from someone who will not judge you. Find solutions in a collaborative way. Feel supported and understood, treated with respect regardless of what is presented in therapy.