What do therapy sessions with you look like?
I'd like to think that I'm a pretty chill person and most everyone seems to really open up around me.
It's hard to describe what a typical session looks like because no session is truly typical. Each patient has their own way of thinking, their own struggles that they bring to the table, and they click with me in different ways.
Their sessions may be with me, but they are ultimately for them.
When I first meet with a patient, I want to get a feel for them in a similar way to how I'd try to get to know a potential new friend. I want my patient to feel as comfortable as possible and to share with me whatever they feel comfortable with sharing during that first meeting. There is absolutely no obligation for a patient to share every single issue they're struggling with during that first session. Instead, I will work with them to try to identify what problems are important to them in that moment and that can serve as our starting point.
After all, we may not always know every issue that we're dealing with. Sometimes we discover that what we thought was our issue is actually the symptom of something else.
This is a journey of discovery for both of us, and each session is a waypoint along the road.
After having served as a counselor while in the military, I later pursued a PhD in Psychology so that I could help meet the growing demand for available and affordable mental healthcare in this area, especially for those who are part of marginalized groups (such as the LGBTQ+ community) and cannot find safe and affirming people to talk to. While I have my particular specialties, I am more than happy to talk to anyone who is in need of psychological counseling, therapy, evaluations, and support. I'm very knowledgeable with the topics of depression, anxiety, gender dysphoria, ADHD, PTSD, autism, sexuality, and more. I try to make patients feel as comfortable and validated as possible.