Individual therapy

When you need help…

Individual therapy (sometimes called “psychotherapy” or “counseling”) is a process through which clients 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 or influential 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. Psychotherapy is the use of psychological methods, particularly when based on regular personal interaction, to help a person change and overcome problems in desired ways. Psychotherapy aims to increase each individual’s well-being and mental health, to resolve or mitigate troublesome behaviors, beliefs, compulsions, thoughts, or emotions, and to improve relationships and social functioning. Certain psychotherapies are considered evidence-based for treating some diagnosed mental disorders. There are over a thousand different named psychotherapies, some being minor variations while others are based on very different conceptions of psychology, ethics (how to live) or techniques. Most involve one-to-one sessions between client and therapist but some are conducted with groups, including families. Therapists may be mental health professionals or come from a variety of other backgrounds, and depending on the jurisdiction may be legally regulated, voluntarily regulated or unregulated. Young people seek therapy for a wide variety of reasons, from coping with major life challenges or childhood trauma, to dealing with depression or anxiety, to simply desiring personal growth and greater self-knowledge. A client and therapist may work together for as few as five or six sessions or as long as several years, depending on the client’s unique needs and personal goals for therapy.  A trained therapist can help people make lifestyle changes.  They can also help identify underlying causes of symptoms and provide strategies for changing unwanted thoughts and behaviors.  Therapy can equip people with the skills to manage symptoms, reduce stress, and improve their quality of life