Individuals

Individual counseling is a collaborative effort between a trained mental health clinician and client speaking one-on-one in a confidential environment to work through upsetting or influential memories, painful emotions, difficulty managing physical and medical conditions, overwhelming and stressful life events, relationship challenges, and more. Counseling allows individuals to explore their feelings, beliefs, and behaviors in a safe and caring space. During counseling sessions, clinicians help individuals to identify areas of their lives that they would like to change, set personal goals, and learn strategies to work toward desired outcomes.  

Counseling is an interactive process that is a unique experience for each individual.  Below is a non-exhaustive list of reasons that a person may seek out counseling.  The client may desire to improve or steady their mood, build confidence, strengthen coping skills, develop a more compassionate understanding of themselves and others, improve communication skills, and promote helpful actions that lead to better mental health, greater life satisfaction, and more fulfilling relationships.  

Individual counseling is tailored to the specific needs of the individual, which means it can be beneficial to almost anyone.  In order to best understand the unique experience of the client, the first several meetings will focus on evaluating current concerns, discussing the context surrounding the issues brought up, and filling out questionnaires that evaluate a variety of symptoms (e.g., thoughts, feelings, physical sensation, and behaviors) that are possibly related to the client’s present circumstances.  An individual’s current and evolving needs will dictate the treatment plan, which is reviewed repeatedly through the course of therapy in order to evaluate which interventions are most helpful in meeting the needs of the client.  

Additionally, when it is necessary and appropriate, the clinician will discuss with the client the benefits and limitations of coordinating care with other professionals and social supports that could potentially assist the client in meeting their needs both during and outside of the individual counseling sessions.  This is particularly important when a client is collaborating with a physician prescribing medications; when the client is being evaluated for medical procedures; or when a client is transitioning between different levels of care (e.g., an intensive outpatient program, hospital or in-home services, etc).

Areas of Focus for Therapy: