In individual therapy, our focus is to resolve the issues that bring you to counseling and to help you establish or reestablish your life as a thriving, nurturing process. We work with a wide range of emotional and behavioral issues and we discuss these issues in a comfortable and supportive atmosphere, we offer a personalized approach tailored to each of our client’s individual needs to help achieve the personal growth for which they are striving.
What Happens At An Individual Counseling Session?
Individual therapy sessions usually last around 55 minutes and take place in the therapist’s office or a therapy room. Depending upon the issues presenting sessions are scheduled differently. Sessions are most commonly scheduled weekly but in other cases, it may be more effective to increase the number of sessions per week. Also as progress is made it is often times beneficial to reduce the number of sessions to one or two times per month.
During the session, patients sit facing the therapist, often in a comfortable chair or couch. Depending upon the type of therapy, the discussion may be led by the patient or by the therapist. Everything that is said in the context of a therapy session between therapist and patient is completely confidential except in some very specific situations that will be discussed at your first session.
What Is The Goal Of Individual Counseling?
Depending upon the issues facing the patient, the goals of individual therapy will vary and change. Through discussion with a therapist, the patient can begin to work through issues of underlying current or past trauma, work on key interpersonal relationships, shift perspective to improve quality of life, and develop and work toward mental health and emotional treatment goals.
How Can Patients Get The Most Out Of Individual Counseling?
Patients can improve their experience in individual counseling a number of different ways, including:
- Asking questions
- Speaking up if feeling uncomfortable or unsure
- Choosing a therapist that is easy to talk to
- Opening up as much as possible but being patient with oneself if that doesn’t come easily
- Attending all appointments and arriving on time
- Doing any “homework” agreed upon during the therapy session