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Why Psychotherapy?
People seek out psychotherapy when there is something in their lives making them unhappy. The unhappiness could be an annoying or troubling thought, feeling or behavior; disappointments or conflicts in a love relationship; a disturbance in mood or self esteem; or a problem with children or a job. Sometimes a particular personality trait makes it hard to make or keep friends, leading to feelings of loneliness or rejection. What is Psychotherapy? Psychotherapy is a process based on a partnership between a patient and a therapist, whereby they work together to try and figure out what is causing the emotional suffering. Since many of the causes of emotional problems may be outside of one’s awareness, it is the task of therapy to make patients more aware of why they think, feel or behave in a particular way. This will ultimately help the patients to better deal with the realities of everyday life and to make better choices. Psychotherapy may be done with an individual, a couple, an entire family or with a group. After an initial evaluation, the patient and the therapist will determine the most beneficial form of psychotherapy. In psychotherapy, unlike in other situations in life, it is important for patients to talk as openly as possible about whatever is on their minds. Even when a thought or feeling seems irrelevant or silly, the patient should feel free to talk about them. In the spirit of psychotherapy, the patient is also free to bring up any thought or feeling pertaining to me, the therapist, or something I have said or done. Anything about the therapeutic relationship deserves careful and respectful consideration. Here are a few things I would like you to know about what to expect from our first session together, as well as some other, general information: 1. We will spend some time describing your presenting symptoms and what brought you in to my office, at this particular time. 2. I will want to know the history of your relationship, any history of previous counseling you have had and the specific goals you expect to accomplish at the end of the treatment. 3. You will be able to ask me any questions that may come up for you as a result of our discussion. 4. I will introduce an Imago process through an experiential exercise. Please take a few moments to read the next couple of pages very carefully so that you will get a clear understanding of what is expected of you and what you can expect from me. Sincerely, Dita Teitelbaum, LCSW |