Our counselors provide therapy in Philadelphia, PA

Victoria: My go-to approach for helping people in individual therapy is to identify negative or irrational thoughts that perpetuate negative feelings and behavior.

Samantha: My go-to approach for helping people in individual therapy is to try to meet them where they are. I enjoy helping people try to feel out what goals they want to work on and what direction they are aiming to set themselves up for success. I enjoy trying to keep it open until we know really what we are diving into and then heading in that direction.

Victoria: I teach the following tools in therapy: thought challenging, cognitive reframing, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and mindfulness.

Samantha: I teach the following tools in individual therapy: Deep breathing, coping skills, grounding techniques, processing emotions (as needed, meaning being aware of emotions and how they impact self), trying to meet self where at (self-esteem, or just view of what is happening in life currently), being aware of setting boundaries if needed.

Victoria: I know that a client is making meaningful progress in individual therapy when they are able to recognize, label, and challenge irrational or negative thoughts on their own.

Samantha: I know a client is making meaningful progress in individual therapy when they ask certain questions or express changes that they feel happening. Also noticing how they are interacting with themselves or those around them can be helpful as well.

Victoria: Clients can supplement their time in individual therapy by journaling and practicing coping tools taught in therapy daily.

Samantha: Clients can supplement their time in individual therapy by working on coping skills/grounding techniques as needed, finding healthy supports (friends, family, sometimes groups), identifying what a healthy work-life balance looks like, and caring for themselves.

Victoria: To prepare for your first session, you can work on preparing questions you have about therapy and how the process works.

Samantha: To prepare for your first individual therapy session, you can consider what information you want your therapist to know, how have you been feeling, how often those emotions happen, whether you are experiencing nightmares/flashbacks or experiences similar to that, whether you feel you are isolating, and being aware that the first session requires a lot of information gathering (family history, personal history).