Cheryl Sexton, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

*Now accepting new clients* My philosophy about therapy is that everyone struggles with transitions in their life at some point and everyone has the capacity to change. I like to help my clients figure out what they want to be better or different about their lives, and then start to take the steps to achieve success based on what they value. Sometimes we can become stuck in certain patterns or behaviors. Sometimes we have thoughts that are not helpful in getting us through those moments of being stuck. If you struggle with depression or anxiety, there might be specific roadblocks to being as productive and functional as you would like to be in your daily life. If you are having trouble in your marriage or with your partner, your mood and outlook can be impacted negatively. If your children are not following the rules at home or at school, you might become hopeless. If you are struggling with your sexuality, you might feel isolated and misunderstood. These are moments when it can be really useful to seek therapy with a professional who is experienced in looking at the big picture. There are a multitude of influences impacting our behavior. It is often not one cause that is the culprit of the problem. Rather, it is helpful to look at the different areas of our lives in order to understand the problem. That is why I enjoy having the whole family involved in treatment whenever possible. I enjoy working with both partners in the couple, when it is appropriate. Both perspectives can be valuable in moving the relationship forward. Other times, it might make the most sense to do some individual work in order to gain the most momentum.

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First of all, people who are not sure about therapy are completely normal. It is the expectation that there is some discomfort associated with starting therapy. That is what is supposed to happen. My recommendation for someone who is on the fence about starting therapy is to start your initial session by talking about your hesitation. Be honest with your therapist about your concerns. You will not be telling your therapist anything that heshe has not already heard before. In addition, your hesitation about starting therapy might be related to the reason you are seeking treatment in the first place. Therefore, it is important information and can be very useful to you and your therapist as you get started.

People who seek therapy are absolutely not weak or flawed. Amazing people have children or partners die suddenly. Successful people are survivors of trauma or abuse at times. Healthy individuals have accidents that challenge their physicality. Ordinary, normal marriages and partnerships have good and bad moments. Loving parents are not always clear about how to manage every parenting task. Regular people can experience periods of depression or anxiety. People seek therapy for all different reasons. None of those reasons indicate weakness. Challenging those negative beliefs can become part of the therapy process. For example, are there individual, cultural or familial beliefs that keep the individual from working toward achieving success? Asking for help? Admitting that there is a problem or that something could be functioning more effectively? Recognizing an opportunity to grow? If so, therapy can be a place to explore those ideas!