Patrick Santilli

I have been using CBT for the entirety of my career in different settings. Having experience with REBT (Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy), DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy), and MBCT (Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy) has helped me focus on the various ways cognitive therapy can be used in the therapy setting and meet the various needs of my clients.

I have always been an inquisitive person. Throughout my life, I have sought out a lot of answers to the many questions I had. One of my reoccurring ones centered around, "why?" Mainly pertaining to my own behaviors or thoughts. This focus on my own behaviors and thoughts brought me to the world of psychology and human behavior. Coming from a family of helpers (teachers, and nurses) I have always been around people helping people. My motivation to pursue a career in therapy has many layers to it. I love helping others and getting to know myself and others better. In a broad sense, I feel as though the way I look at myself and the world around me is very useful in helping others find their own path to an improved life.

Being hesitant to therapy is extremely natural. I was even hesitant to find my own therapist while being one myself! I think we have a hesitancy towards therapy for several reasons; not knowing what we want (or need) out of it, talking about emotions or life, in general, is weird and uncomfortable, and the lack of connection with a stranger. Coming to therapy with an open mind and willingness to trust the process is all that is needed to get started.

Processing trauma in a safe setting is a vital part of healing. Being able to talk out some of the emotions and impact trauma has helped the person heal and form a newer and healthier relationship with their experience. Instead of it commanding attention and causing disruptions in daily life, processing trauma helps the individual regain control and manage their emotions more effectively.

I like to ask questions. In asking questions, I find out more about how an individual looks at the world around them and processed things. It also helps my clients find the words themselves to explain things, and often come to their own conclusions. I like to mix my inquisitive question asking with my professional experience to help my clients with whatever needs they come to me with.

Everyone comes to sessions with different motivations. Depending on the stage in therapy we are in, I often ask what is on my client's mind and if they have any pressing matters they would like to discuss first. If no certain agenda is present, I like to focus on our treatment goals together and how we can work together to attain them.

I started working remotely before COVID-19 and found it very helpful for myself and my clients. I find it to be much more convenient for certain clients who are busy or do not have the means to travel to a physical location. After the initial rapport building, I have found the therapeutic connection to be strong and very helpful. Technology has improved so much in the years and can still provide a quality human-to-human connection.