Philosophy

Length of Treatment (Number of Sessions)

I view counseling/psychotherapy as falling into two categories: short-term and long-term treatment. In short-term psychotherapy, I utilize an approach which can be described as active and supportive. I work to help you solve current problems and reduce overall stress. Another way of describing this approach is that I help you return to the level of productivity that you had before the episode of stress came along. The length of treatment using this short-term approach is typically 5 to 10 sessions.

In long-term psychotherapy, I utilize an approach which is less active and directive on my part than in short-term psychotherapy. While I do offer feedback, most of the emphasis is placed on the expression of your thoughts and feelings and, therefore, you will do more of the talking in general. The focus is on understanding the interplay between thoughts and feelings and their impact on behavior. Another way of describing this approach is that it is insight and growth-oriented. The length of treatment in this approach is typically six months to several years.

You may be asking yourself the question, how do I know whether I need short-term or long-term treatment? While you may not know which type of treatment you need, you are probably aware of how long you have been dealing with the issue that you want to resolve. And while many factors determine how short or long your treatment will be, one of the best indicators is simply how much time has gone by since you began struggling with the issue. Typically, an issue with a short history (up to only a few years or so) is probably able to be resolved using a short-term treatment approach. An issue with a long history (from several years to perhaps many years) will probably respond best to a long-term treatment approach.

Purpose of Psychotherapy

I believe the purpose of counseling/psychotherapy is to increase your awareness of inner thoughts and feelings so that you can make increasingly healthy, responsible choices that will empower you to live life to the fullest.

What Happens in Psychotherapy

My view of how change occurs in psychotherapy (how you will benefit) is that an increased awareness of the issues that brought you to therapy will usually bring the benefits you desire. Another way of saying this is that a significant shift in your perspective about life (a paradigm shift) will bring about growth and will empower you. This is because an increased awareness usually leads to changed thought patterns, changed emotional reactions, and then changed behaviors. A helpful example here is to think of the alcoholic who admits that they have a problem with alcohol. Awareness is what finally opens the door to them getting help and becoming sober.

Scientific research on psychotherapy shows that most clients benefit from being in psychotherapy. Specific possible benefits include: decreased stress, anxiety, or depression; more satisfying relationships with others; increased hope that you can effectively navigate stressful situations in the future; satisfaction with yourself that you have "finally addressed the problem;" or, relief that your current problem is not going to keep you feeling bad for very long.

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