Individual therapy is sometimes called “psychotherapy” or “counseling.” It is a process through which our clients will work one-on-one with a trained therapist—in a safe, caring, and confidential environment—to explore their feelings, beliefs, or behaviors, work through challenging memories, identify aspects of their lives that they would like to change, better understand themselves and others, set personal goals, and work toward desired change.
Should I Consider Counseling?
People seek therapy for a wide variety of reasons, from coping with major life challenges and changes, addressing childhood trauma, or dealing with depression or anxiety, to simply desiring personal growth and greater self-knowledge. Clients and therapists may work together for as few as five or six sessions or as long as some years, depending on the client’s unique needs and personal goals for therapy.
What Happens During Individual Therapy?
Every person is different, and our counseling services will be geared toward your unique individual needs and treatment goals. We encourage people who visit us to think of their psychologist as a trusted advisor who has the experience and knowledge to give them advice when it comes to addressing life’s challenges.
The First Visit
During your initial visit, we want to get to know you better, and we want you to get to know us better too. It’s important that you feel safe and relaxed when talking to your clinician, so this initial visit a great opportunity to determine whether or not your psychologist is a good fit. If at any point you feel uncomfortable, say something right away. In many cases, we can make adjustments to improve these interactions and address your discomfort. Let’s face it, opening up to a stranger is going to be a little uncomfortable no matter what, but establishing a professional relationship based on trust and respect during this initial visit is very important.
During the first session, the clinician will ask you a number of open-ended questions to better understand who you are, why you’ve come to see us, and what your treatment goals and expectations are. If you feel comfortable working with the psychologist after this first visit, you’ll start setting goals and planning for ongoing sessions.
Ongoing Sessions
After the first appointment, your sessions will likely involve starting off with a discussion of life events since the last meeting. This may include reviewing “homework” the clinician gave at previous sessions. After discussing any events since your last session, your psychologist may want to talk to you about your progress towards the goals and changes you discussed. Before your session ends, your clinician will likely talk to you about goals outside of the office and assign homework as necessary. If at any time you’re confused, uncomfortable, or just not getting what’s happening, don’t hesitate to say something.
Who Offers Individual Therapy?
Our therapists utilize evidence-based counseling methods in order to help you achieve the change you are seeking. Each of our clinicians is highly trained and experienced, and they each bring a variety of skills to our office. Please review our clinicians’ bios to learn more about them: https://gracepsychological.com/meet-our-team/
How do I get Started?
If you’re ready to learn more about individual counseling with one of our skilled providers, don’t hesitate to call our The Woodlands office. On our contact page, you’ll also find a simple contact request form, if you’d prefer that a member of our team reach out to you.