What to Expect from Therapy
Therapy can be an incredible journey, with twists and turns in ways that may completely surprise you. You will find yourself changing in ways that you never expected, in ways that make you feel more alive. Therapy can help many. Anyone who wants to heal from a past trauma, work on a relationship, or simply wants to grow can benefit.
By its very nature counseling calls for change. If you don’t change, you simply keep creating what you already have. I will offer you the best assistance that I can — not in ways that make you dependent on therapy, but in ways that will empower you to make the changes you want in your life. Counseling helps you to find within, the choices, behaviors, and directions that are right for you. It explores steps and tools to aid in achieving them. Whatever your personal reasons are for seeking counseling, you will get out of it what you put into it.
I work intensively with emotions, and at times may push you to explore your feelings, thoughts, and beliefs. I feel that this deeper therapeutic work brings better results and change. With emotional work, memories from the past may appear, intense emotions may occur, and anxiety may surface. This is normal to the process. However, if you continue to work through these emotions you will eventually experience much relief and change. If you begin to feel overwhelmed or feel that your treatment is not working, please inform me what you are experiencing, and I will make adjustments as needed.
Counseling can have both benefits and risks. Some of the benefits of counseling include: Reduced stress and anxiety, a decrease in negative thoughts and self-sabotaging behaviors, improved interpersonal relationships, increased comfort in social, work, and family settings, increased capacity for intimacy, and improved self-confidence.
Since counseling often involves discussing unpleasant aspects of your life, you may experience uncomfortable feelings like sadness, guilt, anger, frustration, loneliness, and helplessness. Sometimes relationships change as a result of counseling. During the therapeutic process, some clients find that they feel worse before they feel better. Personal growth and change may be easy at times, but may also be slow and frustrating. Through our collaborative work, I will do my best to minimize the risks and maximize the benefits of treatment.
My Notice of Privacy Practices
In the event of a medical emergency or an emergency involving a threat to your safety or the safety of others, please call 911 to request emergency assistance.
Resources that are available in the local community to assist individuals in crisis
Crisis Hotlines: Switchboard Miami 305 358-HELP, 211 (National Crisis Hotlines) 1-800-273-TALK, 1-800-SUICIDE.
Youth Shelter: Miami Bridge Youth and Family Services (children) / Youth Shelter 305-635-8953
AIDS Help: South Florida AIDS Network 305-585-5241
Domestic Violence Hotline: 305-349-5888, Florida Abuse Hotline: 1-800-96-ABUSE
Hospitals: Mt. Sinai (305) 674-2121, Jackson Memorial (305) 575-0017, U of M (305) 325-5287
Homeless Assistance Center: (HAC) North 305-329-3000