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Therapists answer…

For people that are hesitant to try therapy, what do you wish you could tell them?

Caroline BrownC

Caroline Brown

MSN, PMHNP-BC
Online Therapy
For people that are hesitant to try therapy, what do you wish you could tell them?
Reaching out for help is frightening, especially in our culture that stigmatizes mental health. Many people feel concerned that they may be judged for starting therapy, or think that going to therapy says something negative about them. On top of this, therapy is a commitment that takes time and money, which can be anxiety-inducing for anyone. However, trying therapy is an incredibly rewarding experience. Through therapy, we give ourselves a safe space to discuss any topic we would like, and learn to support ourselves through our toughest moments. We realize just how strong and resilient we are. Through practice in therapy, we can empower ourselves to make real, tangible changes to our everyday lives.
Welcome! I'm glad you're here. Choosing to start therapy or medication management takes courage, but it is so rewarding! I would be honored to be by your side during your mental health journey. I am a psychiatric nurse practitioner with a private psychotherapy and medication management practice. (In other words, I am both a therapist and a psychiatric medication prescriber.) My areas of specialization include eating disorders, body image concerns, anxiety, depression, perfectionism, and life transitions. I practice using several modalities including psychodynamic psychotherapy, adolescent-focused therapy for eating disorders, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and compassion-focused therapy for eating disorders.
Kathleen O'ConnorK

Kathleen O'Connor

Therapist - LCPC, LMHC, CEDS
Online Therapy
For people that are hesitant to try therapy, what do you wish you could tell them?
Give it a chance! Therapy can be daunting because there's no right or wrong answer, and it can be difficult to define what we can expect. All I ask is to show up as you, as best you can, and we'll figure it out from there.
Like many therapist profiles, this page could list my degrees and credentials, provide a vague description of what clients I work with, and be distant but warm; however, that is not how I work with clients or how I am in the world. I want this page to help you decide if we’ll work well together, not just list the things I’ve done. What you probably want to know is 1) do I know what I’m doing and 2) are we a good fit in working together. I have been working in the mental health field, specifically with eating disorders, since 2014 in a variety of capacities including inpatient, residential, and crisis stabilization programs. I am passionate about eating disorder recovery and collaborating with patients to find balance in their lives. I am body-positive and Health at Every Size (HAES) aligned. I have experience in working with families, couples, and individuals in addition to facilitating group therapy. My primary focus lies in helping to support clients and their loved ones in understanding and moving forward in the path to recovery through individual and family therapy. I have earned the distinction of being a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS) by the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals, and have been an officeholder for the Heartland chapter of iaedp since 2019 and remained committed to pursuing ongoing education within the field. There are so many people who hesitate to come to therapy or to move forward in eating disorder recovery due to having been previously unsuccessful with a “one size fits all” approach. I work with you to figure it out. I’m not a smile-and-nod, sit in silence type of therapist. I'll call you out on your BS, but I can do that in a way where we can both laugh. I'm not afraid to talk about anything you need to talk about. Intrusive thoughts? Feeling like you’re the only person to feel this way? You’d be surprised to find that you’re not alone. Therapy will provide a safe space to be yourself and a supportive environment to help meet you where you’re at and work towards creating lasting change in your life.