Life will always present challenges. This is a given. Often times with experience and grit we can overcome them and move on. Often times the burden of the situation becomes too much. We know the ‘right’ answer, we know what we ‘should’ do, but sometimes that is not enough.
- But how can therapy help me?
Therapy is not a magic wand to wave over your problems and make them go away. What therapy is is a tool and a treatment.
If you were to plan to hang a picture on the wall of your home, it would help to have a hammer. Sure, you can probably, over time and with much effort push a nail into the wall using only your hands but you risk unnecessary pain and time in the process.
If you were break your arm, it would help to go to the hospital to get a cast. Sure, you can probably skip the hospital and let the broken bone set as it is, but you risk additional pain and a long lasting injury that may never fully heal.
Just as a hammer can make a job easy and a cast can heal what is broken, therapy is a tool for the emotional and mental challenges that we face.
- But how can a therapist help me?
Therapists are only human. They have the same problems, fears and vulnerabilites as you do. What is different is the training.
I like to explain it to my clients like this: I went through the schooling, took the tests, wrote the papers, did the research and put in the years of concerted dedication to learning the best techniques and methods to handle life’s challenges – so that you don’t have to.
When I meet with you I can parse out what is relevant vs. what is not for your specific situation. I can give you the cliff-notes, the abbreviated take, the bullet points without you loosing any of the value. I’ve explored the whole ice-burg but you only have to scale the tip. I read the book so you get to watch the movie. We are a living shortcut for you, a work around to get you where you need to be. We are glad to do it. We want to do it. We have the knowledge and power to help, let us.