How does the therapy process look like?
There is no one way of doing therapy and it depends on many different factors. Every individual comes to therapy because something in their life is not working. This can be due to a wide variety of reasons, such as a lack of purpose, not feeling happy, anxiety, depression, addiction, trauma, stress, loneliness, low self-worth, negative self-image, relationship problems, loss, having a chronic illness, being in debt… the list goes on. Whatever your problem may be, our work together is about improving your life.
I believe that our lives can be made better, as long as we are patient and take small steps. Change takes time and it’s a process, it does not happen overnight. It is important that we are patient with ourselves instead of getting angry and thinking, ‘Why is this not working?’ Just like when you plant a seed and nurture it, change requires consistent time, effort, and care. It’s easy to become frustrated when we don’t see immediate results, but it’s essential to understand that meaningful change is often slow and steady. Rushing the process can lead to burnout and disappointment. Each small step we take, no matter how minor it seems, builds the foundation for lasting change. These steps help to create new habits and mindsets, gradually steering us toward our goals.
In the journey of change, setbacks are inevitable. They are not indicators of failure but rather opportunities to learn and adjust our approach. Each challenge we encounter teaches us something valuable, making us more resilient and better equipped to handle future obstacles. Embracing these setbacks as part of the process can help us maintain motivation and continue moving forward.
In conclusion, making our lives better is entirely possible, but it requires patience, persistence, and small, consistent steps. Change is a gradual process that demands self-compassion and a realistic mindset. By being patient with ourselves and embracing the journey with its inevitable ups and downs, we can achieve lasting and meaningful transformation.
First session
The first session helps me to get to know you better, and it helps us to build a foundation upon which we can build during the following sessions. During this session, I will collect background information, such as information about your educational background, current work status, health behaviour (e.g., sleep and physical activity levels), use of substances, family background, social environment and current problems you are experiencing (among other information). Please know that if there is any information that you don’t feel comfortable sharing, you don’t have to! At the end of the session, we will decide together how to move forward.
Following sessions
We will work on the problems that you are experiencing and your goals. As therapy is not always so straightforward it can also happen that you simply want to catch up on a weekly or monthly basis, and discuss how you have been doing. This is fine as well! The most important thing for me is to provide a safe environment where you feel comfortable enough to explore your problems. How long it takes for someone to open up is different for every individual, and my intention is to provide this space to you. Just like there is no one way of doing therapy, there is also no one way of how often therapy sessions should take place. Sessions could take place every week, two times a month or once a month. Again, this also depends on different things, such as your needs, time and financial situation. You can stop with the sessions at any time!
Online therapy and face-to-face therapy
Research has shown that online therapy can be as effective as face-to-face therapy. This is also something that I have seen from my own experience, and I even have had clients who preferred online sessions over face-to-face sessions, because it was more convenient for them. I see clients face-to-face at the organisations where I work (as a psychologist). Online sessions can take place through Zoom, Skype, WhatsApp or any other platform.
