Steps of Therapy & What to Expect
Individual Therapy Steps
01 You commit yourself to feeling better and reach out for help. I’ll answer. We have a get-to-know each other call.
02 First session: I learn what you need. You get a feel for my personality and way of helping, you hire me because you think I can help you.
03 Beginning work: We explore therapeutic goals- how will we know you’re feeling better? You’ll get my discoveries about you (you are a treasure waiting to be found).
04 Essence of therapy: Every week you come with new experiences that fit the mold of how you view the world. We dive into your past and you awaken to how the past informs your present but because now you’re aware of that, how it won’t affect your future the same way! We explore how viewpoints determine mood & body feelings and that you have CONTROL of your worldview and emotions.
The length of therapy is determined by your goals and needs. A Traumatic event versus a long history of traumas, depth of pain, resilience level, and commitment all determine the span of our work. We’ll continually revisit your needs and progress together.
Are We A Good Fit?
You’ll know because you’ll want to open up to me, even if it’s hesitant at first. You feel safe, heard, understood, and accepted no matter what you tell me. You like the idea of moving to find yourself, it makes sense. You can see the world a little differently, even after one conversation.
I’ll know because you are motivated and committed to yourself and to working together.
What’s different?
Why does Move & Talk Therapy work?
Imagine this scenario: You and I are hiking (meandering, running) along a path filled with trees and a babbling brook. We talk about what’s happening for you. You pause speaking for a few moments to ponder some brilliant insight we discovered and watch the wind rustle the leaves in the trees. This prompts you to see that thoughts are like wind- when your mind is still, it can feel either peaceful or stuck, depending on where you are right now in body and mind. If your mind is having a windy day, the trees move but come back to center, they don’t keep blowing forever in one direction nor do they abandon the tree (ok, yes, unless it’s fall).
Body and Mind sync, each needs the other. We have physical and emotional feelings and they work together, so let’s take advantage of that superpower.
If we go online: Therapy will continue as we do outside
Possibilities of phone therapy: You move where you are, perhaps a walk outside your house or at a park and we are still connected
Why do Yoga and Therapy work?
The metaphors are endless here, too. Be in Easy Pose- where does your mind go and pay attention to that. Now think about the times your mind leads you far away from your body and out of the present moment into unhelpful thoughts. Be in a challenging pose- do you stay with your body or move away from it? Do you stay on your mat or do you go onto someone else’s?
Therapy is the moving AND our therapeutic journey is aided by moving.
Grief Works Differently
The focus of Grief Work is not change or feeling better, even though those may be side effects. The work of grief and mourning is developing a new relationship with our beloved, creating a new relationship with ourselves in our changed identity, and finding acceptance in the life altering circumstances. This work is gentle and slow, at your pace. I do NOT find meaning in your loss, there usually isn’t any. I DO help you find peace with where life took you. Whether the loss was by choice, circumstance, or absolutely nothing you would wish on your worst enemy, it did happen and your life is forever different. So we work to find acceptance because otherwise, you’re at risk for grief coming out of your mind and body in ways you do not want and you’re looking for help because you intuitively know that.