What is therapy?
Psychotherapy facilitates healthier living by working toward mutually agreed upon goals. It is a collaborative approach to making improvements, and it starts with empathy. When you enter therapy, you will not be judged. Instead, you will find an atmosphere of understanding and acceptance. You can also rest assured that the details of what we discuss will be kept in the strictest of confidence.
Therapy begins by simply learning about you. Therapists are trained to listen carefully and ask pertinent questions. This process of information gathering is conducted with great sensitivity and proceeds at a pace that is within your comfort zone. Over time, insight is gained into patterns that are repeated and self-defeating. These patterns are treated as hypotheses and tested. This process occurs within the safety of the therapeutic relationship.
Therapy at Rainier Compassionate Counseling is evidenced-based. Evidence-based treatments have undergone scientific evaluation and research. There are several different methods and approaches to therapy that are recognized as effective. Personally, I utilize a form of therapy called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT challenges destructive forms of thinking about yourself and the world and modifies unwanted behaviors in order to alter how you feel. Treatment can also involve components of mindfulness, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness and emotional regulation. Ultimately, clients develop a deeper awareness of what is happening in their minds and bodies. These combined approaches often achieve long-lasting cognitive, emotional, and behavioral results that transform lives.