When Starting Therapy...
I want to acknowledge the strength, time, and effort it took for you to seek support. No matter where you are in your healing journey, you are taking a step toward caring for yourself.
​
If you are feeling awkward or nervous about therapy, know that you are not alone. Many people feel this way when starting therapy for the first time. As we engage in the therapeutic process, we will openly explore these feelings and work toward building your comfort in our sessions.
EXAMPLE:
Current coping strategies, even those you wish to change, often emerge as protective responses to past stress or trauma. These behaviours, such as avoidance, emotional numbing, or people-pleasing, serve an important purpose—they help you navigate overwhelming situations and maintain a sense of safety. As highlighted in, "The Body Keeps the Score" (Van der Kolk, 2014), these responses are your body’s way of adapting to and surviving difficult experiences. Rather than viewing them as ‘bad,’ it’s important to recognize the role they’ve played in protecting you. In therapy, the goal is not to eliminate these strategies but to understand them and gradually replace them with adaptive approaches that fulfill the same protective function in a way that supports your long-term well-being.
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Many people look to the therapist as the expert on healing. I do not see myself this way. Rather, I see you as the expert as no one knows your needs better than yourself (even if it may not initially seem like it to you).
If that statement felt daunting, trust that I am with you throughout the therapeutic process. I will use my knowledge, skills, and experience to guide you in discovering your expertise and using the insights gained to help address your concerns.
Please also know that I see you as more than the concerns you bring to therapy.
​​
​
​
Throughout the therapeutic process, we will work together collaboratively. We will explore your concerns and as we do, I will offer new perspectives and ideas (supported by research and professional literature) on how to approach and manage the challenges that brought you to therapy.
My heartfelt wish for you is that you learn something about yourself in therapy. I hope you have ‘aha’ moments, recognize your strengths, and develop curiosity and self-compassion along the way. I hope that your concerns are heard and validated. I hope you learn skills to help you attend to and regulate your mind (head), emotions (heart), and body (hands). I hope you leave with a deeper connection to yourself and the confidence to move forward in ways that feel true to you.
​
I feel privileged and honoured to listen to, learn from, and support you on your healing journey.
"Individuals have within themselves a capacity for dramatic and positive growth."
~ Carl Rogers