Approach to therapy
A brief preface: The following page seeks to explain the fundamental tenets of a complex psychotherapy theory and practice. It will inevitably fall short. My aim in this text is to inform you, de-mystify certain topics, and give you a sense of what to expect when you meet with me.
There are many schools of psychotherapy and all have their merits. I draw from myriad modalities to achieve what is unequivocally my own style. I am trained in several evidence-based psychotherapies including Motivational Interviewing, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and Time Limited Dynamic Psychotherapy (TLDP). However, the root of my therapeutic approach, from which these other modalities sprout, is in Existential Psychotherapy (EP).
Existential psychotherapy focuses on you, your existence, in and apart from the world at large. The aim is to know yourself more deeply so that you may authentically create what you want during this one brief and beautiful life. The overarching theory of EP posits that confrontation with, or avoidance of, existential concerns can cause unnecessary and misattributed suffering and detract from quality of life. For example, a common response to thoughts of death is to ignore them, push them to the periphery, tell ourselves “I have plenty of time,” etc…. While this can be adaptive in day-to-day life, avoiding death-awareness has several common consequences such as delaying important decisions, not fulfilling a dream, wish, or want, or staying stuck in unhealthy, painful situations. Choosing to confront mortality more directly can be liberating and often leads to change that ameliorates suffering and improves quality of life. In addition to death awareness, there are several other important existential concerns (e.g. freedom, meaning), and each of us has chosen unique ways to deal with them. A part of EP is to explore the way you deal with these concerns and determine if your patterns are contributing to suffering and/or inhibiting quality of life.
EP is not solely an intellectual exercise, or a logical understanding that generates an epiphany; if that were the case, you could take a philosophy course and be free of what ails you. EP is experiential, dynamic, alive, and deeply felt. In the therapy room this translates to an interactive process where I listen closely, care deeply, empathize with you, problem solve with you, laugh and cry together, tread old pathways in your story, become immersed in the present moment, and explore new futures you want to create.
This is the living process of building a therapeutic relationship.
There is tremendous transformative power within the shared space of the therapeutic relationship. If the relationship is sufficiently trusting a unique bond is formed where you get to explore and be authentically you in the presence of another person who accepts, cares for, appreciates, is curious of, and has no agenda for you. This can be profoundly liberating! The discourse that occurs in this context is a springboard for change; it is a place where shame and fear are met with courage and acceptance, it is a place where discovery and wonder overtake avoidance and hesitation, it is a place of freedom and healing.