How do you envision your therapy session? Have you tried psychotherapy in the past or are you considering it for the first time? Do you feel uncertain of whether or not you need it or whether or not it can help you solve your struggles? Do you doubt your (or your therapist’s) ability to help you, understand you fully, look deep inside your soul and see the root of the problem? If you experience some or all of the above you are ALREADY on the right path to helping yourself succeed.
You are NOT indifferent to your past, present and future, you are gaining courage to battle the demons, to solve the mystery in your life, to mend relationships, to help yourself rise from the dark side into the light and see your new self, revitalized, refreshed, re-balanced and in full harmony with your mind and your heart.
In my sessions with clients I always speak about the connection between our thoughts-feelings-actions. They are all inseparable and all fully connected. One doesn’t usually go without affecting the other. When one link in this chain is affected, when it’s damaged- the other, inevitably, reflects some degree of pain. It suffers, it bleeds and the person struggles with understanding why his self (psyche) is imbalanced, why doesn’t he feel happy, why all thoughts are negative or dark in nature, why everything (or most things) and everyone bothers that person. The things or actions/reactions that bother us in other people reflect our own struggle, our own complexes and unresolved material. If something about another person triggers a negative (angry, frustrated, jealous, painful) reaction in our own selves this usually points to our own complexes or things that we are dealing with but fail to understand and resolve. It is SO IMPORTANT to understand ourselves so that we can better understand the world around us, our spouses, our parents, our children, and our friends.
The first and foremost task at the onset of therapy is building a rapport between the client and the psychotherapist. This is the main foundation and the focus of a successful professional relationship. If the client feels comfortable and open with the therapist, free to discuss and vent- this signifies a great percentage of success in therapy. This is how we are going to start: learning about YOU, your past, present, your aspirations/goals for the future, your needs, desires and wishes. What brings you to my virtual room, what your struggles and doubts are, who your support network is, what troubles you the most (from your past) or in your present, what are your innermost fears, what makes you happy, what are those little nuances that evoke joy or the butterfly sensation in your body and in your heart? We will determine the goals of therapy, together build a treatment plan (or we will drop all of the above criteria as per your wishes) and just discuss, explore, gain insight and learn. We will reach a place, YOUR QUIET PLACE, where you feel happier, more content with your life, freer from the shackles of everyday responsibilities, demands and ‘to-do lists’, where your heart can sing and your mind can rest………..
I utilize an eclectic approach in therapy (combination of a person centered, existential, cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic and mindfulness therapies). It all depends on your personality, your needs, the time frame, your goals and your unique situation in life.
Until we meet again I want to conclude with this: Do NOT Despair, Have Courage, Step into the Unknown to learn the Truth, just Let Yourself Feel, Think/Rethink Less, Dive into the Mystery of your World.
As one of the most prominent spiritual teachers of our time- OSHO– once said: Commit as many mistakes as possible, remembering only 1 thing- DO NOT commit the same mistake again. And you will always be growing!