My Approach to Helping

My View on the Purpose of Psychotherapy

In my experience, psychotherapy has developed and transformed in direct relation to my own personal growth and experiences. Initially, therapy was a practical conduit for the sole purpose of removing symptoms or problems. In many ways the practical aspect of psychotherapy remains, yet being open to the possibility of long term change requires a recognition of patterns, both healthy and unhealthy, over a life time. As human beings, we encounter our imprinted core issues over and over again often starting at birth. These encounters may be reactions to trauma or compulsive behaviors. When we are mature enough to really examine these patterns which include thoughts, emotions and behaviors, our lives appear to take on the appearance of a script from a movie. Some of these stories more severe than others, but always having the main character end up in the same circumstance, relationship, feeling etc. This can leave a person feeling empty, unfulfilled or stuck. As we mature emotionally or spiritually, the time it takes to recognize and let go of the "trigger" events in the story decreases until finally the "reaction" to the original trauma ceases altogether. Psychotherapy takes on the capacity for a true corrective experience which allows for new stories to take place in whatever genre one could imagine such as relationships, work, money, health, spiritual growth, or joy.