The process of change with a psychotherapist

People often make contact when they are in crisis or feel depleted, such as a relationship breakup, or job loss, but most frequently seek psychotherapy when old familiar patterns of thinking, feeling and behavior are not serving/ working anymore, causing unhappiness, hopelessness, disappointment, frustration, irritation, and general dis/ease with life. While going on with basic life activities may be easy, other situations may trigger trauma-related reactive emotional behavior which
is disconcerting and often scary, leaving one feeling stuck and hopeless.

Within our working alliance we can explore together the problems and conflicts that are troubling you. Clients are educated about disowned parts that had been developed to protect the child self and have long term effects on one’s self-esteem and life outlook. Trauma and trauma-related symptoms are explored to help each client gain curiosity and knowing about how the self is seen and experienced. With a compassionate manner that fosters reflection and gentle challenge you can gain a sense of personal agency and emotional regulation as we explore together the internal conflicts that inhibit you, in hopes of freeing you from past fear and adaptive behavior.

New perspectives emerge and clients begin to understand her/himself in different and expanded ways that cultivate change to habitual patterns with self and others and the external world. With renewed confidence and increased self-esteem, old fears are seen as that; in the past.  I work with many individuals who have experienced emotional, sexual, verbal, physical and spiritual abuse. The effects of trauma can permeate one’s entire life, leave one immobilized physically and emotionally, disrupting one’s ability to move forward. One’s capacity for handling emotions and life’s challenge’s is often diminished. Along with problems of trusting others can be feelings of self-blame, criticalness, worthlessness, lack of self-cohesion, helplessness, repressed anger, low self-esteem and patterns of underdoing or overdoing.

The ‘working through process’ occurs over time between therapist and client. This process can eventually free one from restricting, inhibiting, self-critical internal messages that interfere and often block one’s ability to feel hopeful, worthy, deserving, lovable, capable, creative and ‘good enough.’ One leaves therapy with a feeling of joy and the skills to have a more fulfilling life.

Ricki L. Geiger LCSW, CGP