Therapy is a bit like borrowing someone else’s brain. Counsellors listen, reflect back and summarise your stories. And when they have an insight which they think might help, they share it. My goal is to help you get to know yourself and crush those unconscious barriers. Because the better you know yourself, the better you can problem-solve.
In some ways, you can think of therapy as a kind of psychological mirror. You talk and talk and talk and as you talk, you begin to see yourself more and more accurately: less how you wish you were and more how you truly are. That’s in part because counsellors never lie to you, never flatter you or try to put you down. And, when appropriate, they will challenge you. Research has shown that this sort of truthful conversation, where someone listens to you with unconditional positive regard, can really benefit you, not just to be more compassionate with yourself, but also to be more objective.
Therapy is much much more, of course. But for now, you can think of it as this special kind of conversation. It's about talking about your experiences with someone who won’t judge, who tells you the truth, and who cares about you as a human being.
Therapy helps you understand yourself better.