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WHAT CAN I EXPECT?

Building a partnership in therapy is the primary goal during the first few sessions.

Your therapist’s responsibility is to provide a comfortable and safe environment. This will open the door for you to tell your story. Your job is to try and be as open and honest as you can be.

The first session is frequently less of a “counseling session”, but an opportunity to share background information, describe current stressors, and help you envision what life would be like if your problems no longer had any power over you. As you build a trusting relationship with your counselor, it is important to identify your core concerns and how they developed. Your counselor will help you identify aspects of your life, which you would like to change.

Typically, your therapist will develop a treatment plan or counseling goals by the second or third session. This plan is made in order to direct weekly discussion toward finding solutions to your identified problems. Once you are clear about what you want, once you can visualize how life will be different, your motivation will direct you toward real success. Keep in mind that you possess the best answers to your problems from within. Our focus will be to reveal workable solutions and make plans to apply them to your life. You can experience personal growth as you make a new path toward your future.

SELF ESTEEM “THE SECRET INGREDIENT”

No one has to tell you that life is difficult! You may have noticed that you learn the most about yourself when you are struggling. This is true for all of us. Naturally, most of us try to hold on to moments of joy while avoiding any and all pain. In truth, we might be better off accepting both joy and pain as a necessary part of life. Many of us suffer because we believe we are not as we “should be” …not as attractive…not as accomplished. As a result, folks assume no one could love them as they are. This makes sense, since many of us have experienced rejection at different times in our life.The desire to be accepted and cared about is universal.

People who feel unlovable often turn to a variety of unhealthy habits, even addictions, to try and ease their sense of emptiness. How many of us struggle with abuse of food, drugs (illegal or prescription), nicotine, sex or shopping? Perhaps you’ve used work or a drive for perfection to fill the missing gap. Often these attempts to make ourselves feel better make us feel even worse in the end. It is the inability to accept ourselves as we are, which prevents us from taking healthy risks in life and discovering real intimacy with others. In therapy we will work on recognizing how negative self-concept, fear and shame keep us from experiencing the best parts of life. You have the ability to deal with difficult and painful events with kindness and compassion toward yourself. Our goal is to help you discover your inner strength and full potential. We are all on life’s journey to find what is meaningful to us. Acceptance, compassion, kindness, and joy can be the guiding forces in your day. Positive relationships with others are within your reach.

SELF-INVESTMENT

Often when folks entertain the idea of coming to therapy, they have arrived at a spot in life where they feel emotionally depleted. The idea of investing time, energy and money in counseling may seem like one more sacrifice.

We would like to present a different perspective regarding self-investment. Rather than viewing therapy as another overwhelming drain, we would encourage that you take a minute to recognize the importance of YOU and the worthiness of spending time, energy and money to develop an emotionally stronger, more relaxed, and powerful YOU! Therapy will help you discover unique and special strengths and greater potential for a more meaningful life. Investing in yourself will ultimately benefit those around you.

For more information about our services or to make an appointment contact us at:

Telephone: 330-877-2093 - Email: mkessler@kesslerpsych.com