Individual Therapy

Life can have a way of draining our enthusiasm and energy.

Sometimes, it’s hard to get out of bed in the morning.

Irritable or depressed…

Dreading your neighbor’s cookout because it’s hard to be around others.

Frequently feeling judged or are afraid of saying something “stupid.”

Maybe your thoughts are racing 100 mph all day, and concentrating is difficult.

You used to enjoy long walks or a game of tennis, and now you just want to stay home.

When you’re not feeling like yourself…

… and you have been hoping you will feel better soon, but you don’t, it is time to ask for help.

Have you been behaving in a way that isn’t consistent with yourself?

Maybe you’re overreacting or yelling at your kids and partner over minor issues. Often feeling tense and on-edge.

It is hard to forgive, and resentments are brewing inside of you.

When you don’t like the person you see in the mirror, it is time to ask for help.

Are you drinking more than usual?

It’s difficult to stop once you have had the first drink or two… embarrassing yourself in public or unable to remember part of an evening.

Maybe you’ve been abusing illegal drugs for a while now. It was a monthly indulgence, and now it’s weekly… possibly more.

When you realize that your drug or alcohol use affects your work productivity, relationships, or physical health, it is time to ask for help.

Have you felt like you don’t “fit in” when with a group of people?

There’s an internal struggle with accepting and loving your true self. Maybe family members or past friends have hurt you by being judgmental.

When these and similar issues have lowered your self-esteem and led to anxiety or depression, it is time to ask for help.

Let’s face it: It can be easy to forget what we used to enjoy, what made us happy, and what inspired us.

Hoping for something better?

That’s often why people come to therapy.

Self-esteem reflects the extent that you do or do not feel confident, valued, and worthy of respect.

If you suffer from low self-esteem, you may be feeling shame and self-doubt; and be overly critical of yourself. Low self-esteem can influence your overall well-being, both physically and mentally.

It is exhausting putting on a façade for others. It usually means that your self-esteem is low, and you are trying to be who you think other people want you to be. Loving and accepting your true self will you bring you peace, confidence, and self-compassion.

Therapy helps you step out of your comfort zone. It is scary to take chances and risk failure. Yet, if we do not, we know we will be stuck. Taking appropriate risks can increase your self-confidence, self-assuredness, and expose you to new experiences.

Therapy also helps when we struggle with feeling alone or unloved.

“Why hasn’t she texted me back?”

I’m bored… he spends all day playing games.”

“Why isn’t he more affectionate? We hardly have sex these days.”

“Is something wrong with me? Is that why I’m still not married?

“I can’t do online dating anymore – people are fakes.”

Dating and relationships are hard. However, when you find the right person for you, the payoff suddenly makes it all worth it.

But how do you get there and stay in the game when you feel unlovable and alone. It’s tough.

Feelings can be scary, right? But do they have to be?

Most of us like it when we feel happy, relaxed, or satisfied.

But what about feelings of resentment, frustration, anger, or loneliness?

These feelings mostly stem from conflicts with others. The conflicts usually involved some experiences where we may have felt betrayed, used, rejected, or mistreated. If left unresolved, you can obsess and ruminate about the conflict leading to these negative emotions.

Some feelings are uncomfortable. Yet if pushed away, they can cause other problems such as depression and anxiety.

When we start noticing uncomfortable feelings, we often get anxious and do whatever we can to push the feelings away.

Denial and avoidance are two ways that we do this. However, this can result in physical stress, such as headaches or gastrointestinal issues.

Over time, we experience more anxiety and depression due to the ongoing denial of our feelings.

By experiencing and understanding our feelings, we gain important knowledge and guidance in our daily life.

Individual therapy is your opportunity to believe in yourself again.

We’ll explore the negative thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that are limiting your potential.

Change your thoughts. Change your life.

How you think about your relationships, yourself, conflicts, and many other life events can determine how you feel and how you behave. If you think your partner did not call you back because they are ignoring you, you will have a much stronger negative reaction than if you tell yourself they are busy.

In therapy, I will help you be more aware of thoughts you are having in the moment and teach you how to reframe negative, irrational thoughts into more rational, positive ways of thinking.

We’ll work together to identify the “roadblocks” in your life…

What may be holding you back from a happier and more fulfilling life? The possibilities are numerous: past trauma (such as abuse), grief, mood disorders such as anxiety or depression, or low self-esteem. Together, we will uncover the problems holding you back and help you see yourself more objectively.

We’ll develop goals that will put you on the path toward a more fulfilling life.

Goals are important to stay focused during the therapy process. Are you trying to understand your role in unsuccessful relationships? Is social anxiety hampering your enjoyment of being with family and friends? Do you feel angry a lot of the time?

Once we have identified the roadblocks that are holding you back, I will help you formulate specific goals for therapy. As you progress in therapy, your goals may change, which is a positive sign of success!

You’ll find inner peace and start loving who you are.

The benefits of therapy can last a lifetime. Learning to love yourself, being grateful, improving your overall mood, being more mindful and present in the moment, communicating more effectively with others, listening better and being compassionate, improving your overall physical health, and quieting your mind are just a few of the many benefits we can strive for as we work together.

You’ll learn how to have easier connections with others.

Do you find yourself frequently frustrated and angry with others? Are you often feeling like others don’t care about you or not doing enough in the relationship?

We can explore your communication styles to be sure that you are interacting with others in a way that will get the most positive result you are looking for. Maybe you are having irrational thoughts about others that are creating unnecessary stress for you personally and for your relationship.

I will help you identify irrational thoughts and think about others more positively.

What do you want your life’s song to be?

In the song “Innocent Man” by Billy Joel, he sings about people who are afraid to take chances in life. They are fearful of being hurt, so they play it safe by isolating and “hoping that the world just passes them by.”

You don’t want to be one of these people. There is so much good in this world – you just have to open your eyes and be willing to see and experience it.

I can offer you a safe space where I will help you make that shift to a life you’ve been dreaming about.

Contact me today and schedule your first appointment: (703) 203-4689.

I also offer a free 15-minute phone consultation where I can answer any questions that you may have about working with me.