Philosophy of Therapy
Therapy is about change, which can be a very positive fulfilling step but it can also be terrifying to venture into the unknown. It can be particularly intimidating to consider sharing your thoughts and feelings with someone new in order to achieve the changes you want. Because of that, I believe that it takes tremendous courage and motivation to be willing to confront those fears and move forward with your life. I also believe that one of the most important parts of any type of therapy is developing a strong relationship between the therapist and the client. In selecting a therapist, there may be particular factors that you will be looking for - you may feel more comfortable with a male or female therapist, for example. Some factors, such as gender, are easier to determine in advance than others. In my practice, I strive to provide an atmosphere that is caring and supportive but that also challenges you to your full growth and potential. I believe that change takes place in the context of an honest, trusting relationship in which clients feel both accepted and empowered. Overall, I feel that my role as a therapist is not to "fix" your problems for you, but to provide you with some tools and to create a nurturing environment that will support you in your quest to make changes in your life.
My view is that therapy is a partnership and I hope that you will take an active role in the therapy process. In the past, clients have often found "homework" assignments to be helpful - often this is in the form of reading, writing, trying out new behaviors or just reflecting on a topic between sessions. How this differs from traditional homework assignments is that I try to avoid the role of "assigning" a task for clients - instead, I hope for it to be a joint process, and I am always excited when clients come up with their own homework, modify a suggestion of mine or simply take the initiative to come up with and enact their own assignment in the time between sessions.
Hopefully, the balance of challenge and support that I offer in therapy is the right mix for you, but if you have any concerns about our work together, my aim is for the relationship to be open and honest enough that you could express your reservations, even if it is about me or about the therapy process. In return for your honesty, I hope that you will feel that your viewpoint has been heard and respected, and my goal is to be honest and straightforward with you as well throughout our work together.
If you don't feel that I would be a good fit as your therapist, there are numerous options for treatment in the Austin area. Some possible alternatives can be found here: (CAMHC, CAPA referral, YWCA, MHMR, psychology today) or through your insurance provider.
Philosophy of Couples Therapy
Just as with individual therapy, I feel that my role in couples counseling is not as a "referee" or a "fixer." Instead, my aim is to help clients work together to improve their relationship. Sometimes couples find it helpful to have an outside person observe the patterns that operate in their relationship and help them work on the stumbling blocks that are preventing effective communication.
Often, one member of the couple feels that they have been dragged in to counseling or worries that he/she will be blamed or labeled as the "problem" in the relationship. Because I sometimes work with women's issues, men in particular often worry that they will be blamed, judged or criticized. I hope that both members of the couple, regardless of who initiated couples therapy, would feel accepted and heard in therapy. In addition, in my experience, it is extremely rare that the couple's concerns are the fault of one person - usually it is the interaction of each person's style that is leading to conflict and relationship problems. As a result, both partners may need to make changes or participate in "relationship work," but, most importantly, my goal is for partners to be able to express their thoughts and feelings in a caring and supportive manner to their partner. I also hope that couples will learn to see the impact that their own behavior has on their partner and to understand how this impacts their partner's thoughts, feelings and, ultimately, behavior.
Premarital Counseling
Often, people are required by their church or religious organization to complete some type of premarital counseling. I believe that increased understanding of your partner and the patterns in your relationship can be useful for any couple, particularly those who are about to make a significant life commitment. Typically, premarital counseling involves some brief personality testing to help partners get to know different aspects of each other, as well as an overall discussion of their strengths and weaknesses and roles within the relationship. If couples have particular concerns, I would be more than happy to address those as well. Educational information about relationships, communication and effective problem-solving is also available for couples who are interested in continuing to learn about each other and about their relationship outside of the specified counseling sessions.