Bonnie Gilliom, Psychotherapist in Chapel Hill, 27514

Bonnie Gilliom

Profession(s):
Psychotherapy, Marriage & Family Therapy, Counselling
License Status:
I'm a licensed professional.
Primary License:
LPC - 4705

My Approach to Helping

I help people work through their problems by examining their thought patterns, feeling and understanding their emotions, and accessing their strengths by removing psychological blocks.
When working with couples, I help them see how they are stuck, and, through learning to resolve conflict and communicate effectively, set goals for their relationship.

More Info About My Practice

I am on most insurance panels. My office is in a peaceful setting off of Weaver Dairy Road in Chapel Hill. I can usually get people in for an appointment within a week.

Specific Issue(s) I'm Skilled at Helping With

I feel especially confident in my work with couples. Because my approach is based on a developmental model, we can discover what the couple needs to do to break out of old patterns of interaction and differentiate to become two strong individuals who can communicate and care for each other without hostility or enmeshment. Based on Ellyn Bader's work, this approach moves the couple steadily toward resolving issues and learning skills rather than wandering around in the minefields of old resentments and dysfunctional patterns. I ask people to commit to six sessions in order to be able to reach the point of being able to set goals and gain practice, in session and out, in communicating consciously.

How Psychotherapy Can Help

Psychotherapy is helpful to people because it brings awareness into their lives. In the company of an objective and trained therapist, clients are able to break out of the isolation of their own psyches and share fears, relationship problems, and their conditioning and get in touch with their authentic selves. By examining automatic thoughts, clients are able to able to question their validity. Perhaps they are outdated. Perhaps they are based on inaccurate beliefs. By expressing emotions, they are able to understand their purpose and then learn when to act on them and when to honor but not be controlled by them. By developing an Observer Self, clients gain wisdom and strength. This is hard to do alone. The therapeutic relationship in an environment that is supportive, empathic, and insightful, is a tremendous springboard for growth.