INDIVIDUAL THERAPY
Within every individual pulsates a wonderful life force.
When this life force is nurtured and has plenty of room to
express itself, a sense of joy and fulfillment follow. Inevitable
stresses, crises and obstacles can seriously dampen this life
force. This dampening can occur early or later in life. In
either case, individuals sometimes need help to work through
problems that may have developed because of these life events.
One source of help is individual therapy.
Most common challenges for which people seek individual
therapy include:
- depression
- anxiety ( general or specific, ex: social anxiety)
- loss and grief ( break-up of relationship, loss of job or
health, death of loved one)
- trauma and shock ( diagnosis of a serious illness, assault,
accident, sexual, emotional or physical abuse, natural disaster)
- existential crisis ( lack of purpose, life changes, general
sense of uneasiness or disconnection with self or others)
- stress ( pressures of divorce, workplace, everyday living,
environment)
- unsatisfying interpersonal relationships
- personality issues: impulsivity, lack of self-discipline,
quick temper, perfectionism, procrastination
- poor self-esteem, lack of assertiveness
- addictions
Goal of therapy
The goal of all therapy is to help a client to heal and flourish.
In the context of a supportive relationship, therapist and
client identify key issues, and patterns of thinking and behaving
that get in the way of living life fully. At the same time,
they discover personal strengths and resources that the client
may have forgotten or overlooked. From a resourced place,
the client moves through challenges, feeling empowered and
encouraged. (The word stem “cour” comes from the
French word, “coeur” or “heart.”)
The how of therapy
Although some therapists stick to a favourite approach in
therapy, most will draw on several approaches depending on
the client. For example, one approach is to educate the client.
The therapist can provide information on communication and
assertiveness skills or stress management. Another approach
is the psychodynamic exploration of the past which can bring
insight and appreciation for the way things are. There is
the brief solution approach that highlights what has worked
for the client in the past. Yet another approach is to do
desensitization work. This is a mainstay approach for trauma
work. Working with family systems can be invaluable.
No matter what approach, the therapist’s job is to
listen deeply and appreciatively. The client’s job is
to share thoughts and feelings as openly as his level of trust
will allow. Therapy is a collaboration. Each learns from the
other, in this sacred journey from murkiness to light.
