Our counselors provide therapy in Somerville, MA

My go-to approach for helping people in individual therapy is foundationally humanistic, with CBT and DBT-informed interventions. I find the best benefit in combining these approaches because they tackle the issue(s) from all sides. Change can be intimidating to begin with; the humanistic approach helps to take some of the intimidation away, while CBT and DBT provide structure and skills.

I teach the following tools in individual therapy: identifying and harnessing one's core values to build meaning, identifying and challenging cognitive distortions (thoughts) that are often at the center of difficult feelings/relationships, and identifying and regulating physiological manifestations of our emotions (feelings) and reconnecting with meaningful activities (behaviors) that foster a healthy mind and body.

I know a client is making meaningful progress in individual therapy when they begin to speak of their challenges in the past tense, express more hope for the future, or find it harder to come up with things to talk about in session. At times, they even describe some discomfort at first because feeling better is new to them.

Clients can supplement their time in individual therapy with workbooks, podcasts, apps, support groups, participating in hobbies, exercise, and connecting with social supports or nature. The options are endless, and what feels helpful will be unique to the person.

To prepare for your first individual therapy session, you can jot down your top concerns and what your goal(s) for our work together will be. Also, think of questions you may want to ask me as well. If you have had therapy in the past, it is helpful to share what you liked or not in that experience. Ultimately, committing to showing up is the best way to prepare for what can be the hardest step.