What can Therapy do for you?

Benefits of Therapy

The benefits of therapy are many! These benefits include:

• increased awareness of one’s own values and beliefs, increased self-efficacy (the ability to manage your own life)
• improved intrapersonal relationships (less conflict and stress in your friendships, between family members, parenting, and romantic relationships)
• reduced stress and anxiety
• reduced symptoms of depression
• stronger emotional regulation (get a handle on anger and sadness, more control over your emotions)
• the formation and achievement of personal goals.

I provide counselling in a collegial power-balanced relationship: this means that I may ask you as my client to assist in your own care, either through the use of workbooks or other methods.  The benefits of counselling may not be met if the individual being counselled does not engage in the therapy provided.

Risks of Therapy

Nothing we do is without risk. Risks of engaging in psychotherapy include:

• strong emotions sometimes arise as part of the therapeutic process (I will check in with you as you indicate strong emotions, and we can initiate grounding work at the end of each session and other strategies to keep you safe)
• Some people may feel quite vulnerable and/or tired during or after a counselling session, and if this is an unfamiliar feeling, it may be initially difficult (I can help manage these feelings. I don’t believe counselling should be very difficult but I do encourage the processing of emotions in sessions. As above, I will keep you safe).
• Counselling can provoke changes in how you relate to other people in your life, and although this is generally viewed as a positive shift, sometimes this can provoke resistance from others (Losing friends or other people in your life can result from positive changes)

Finally, counselling does not always work for everyone.  If you are unsatisfied with your progress in counselling sessions, you may indicate this at any time, and we can change the process we use in session or we can terminate counselling. I can also assist you in finding another counsellor if desired.