Why Psychotherapy?

Why spend time each week talking to a therapist?  Why not just call your best friend, or spill your story to your co-worker over the water cooler, or talk to your spouse?  Do people really need therapists? Aren't therapists just for the severely mentally ill?

What good questions.  Let me answer this way:  The lives of the overwhelming majority of my clients--as long as they remain actively involved in the course of treatment--improve not only during treatment, but in the months and years beyond treatment.  There's scientific evidence that supports this on-going change, particularly with psychodynamic psychotherapy, which I practice.*

But what you need to know is that psychotherapy is deeply important work.  It has made a profound difference in my own life as a former client in year's past.  It is life changing.  And, in some cases involving suicidal thoughts or self-harm, therapy is life-saving.

Psychotherapy can help you overcome the negative aspects of early childhood difficulties or outright traumas.  It can help to not only restore but expand your ability to function after a painful break-up, job loss, or health crisis.  Psychotherapy can help you address problems you may have with anger, addictions, depression, anxiety, grief and mourning, parenting, romantic relationships, care giving, and managing change.

Psychotherapy, with a well-trained and compassionate therapist, can improve your life.  If you are facing any problem or situation that is making your life difficult, miserable or outright intolerable, don't give up.  There is hope!  There is so much you can do, and a first step may be to love yourself enough to find a caring therapist.  Why not begin to thrive instead of just survive? 

Be well!


*Shedler, J. (November 01, 2010). Getting to Know Me. Scientific American Mind, 21, 5.