Every therapist is different. A therapist’s style is based on a lot of factors. These include how they were trained, their previous employment, their personal experiences, the therapy modality they use, and their personality.

Main Factor to Success

The main factor to the success of therapy for the client is their relationship to their therapist. When searching for a therapist, you have to think about how you work best and what type of therapeutic relationship you want to have.

It is important to know what type of approach you would like. For example, do you need someone really direct and confrontational because you tend to avoid feelings? Or do you need someone with a softer/warmer approach? Would you want your sessions to be very structured or would you prefer a more relaxed approached? 

How I Work

First Steps

My approach to therapy is to initially see someone weekly for the first few months to establish rapport, identify goals, and kickstart the therapy process. Then, goals are established in the first appointment so we have an idea of what we’re working towards together. Sessions are typically more flexible. We may start with how your week has been and build from there. Sometimes, we are problem solving a specific issue or diving deeper into the past. If you want a more direct approach, let me know. I can ask more specific questions to get the conversation started.

Next Few Sessions

After you have developed some techniques to manage your symptoms and stressors, we can move to every other week appointments. That allows you to implement strategies on your own, identify any other areas that need maintenance, and build your confidence about your progress. We can always go back to weekly if needed! Eventually, after consistent progress and when you feel comfortable enough, we can move down to once a month appointments. These appointments are there for us to check in and to provide you with continued support. 

After Making Progress

I think it’s helpful to have a step down process to therapy. Many clients become fearful that if they are doing too well or don’t have as much stress to talk about, they will be “kicked out” of therapy. But I believe that acknowledging your progress in therapy is just as helpful as working on stressors. Most people aren’t as open about their achievements as they are about their complaints and therapy is a place to change that. Therapy gives you a place to see your growth and acknowledge your strengths!

Fun Part of Therapy

I love using pop culture references in sessions. If you have a show you’ve been watching that you want to reference, let’s discuss it. Got a song that really conveys how you feel? Pull it up on your phone and let’s listen to it and explore why you connect to it. If you’re an artist, feel free to bring in your work so we can discuss why it’s important to you and what inspired it. 

Summary

Now that you know a little more about how I work as a therapist, you can make a better decision about whether or not that fits you as a client. Therapy is personal and I want to make sure you know what to expect as you take this step. An an online anxiety therapist in Charlotte, North Carolina, my goal is to help you feel like your best self. By being able to provide virtual therapy for anxiety across North Carolina and Virginia, we can meet in a place you feel comfortable (your room, dorm, living room, car, etc) and work towards your goals. Schedule a consult today!