-Dr. Débora Spradling
Taking the step to start therapy with someone new is a courageous and transformative decision, but it can also be an overwhelming and confusing one. A question I often hear from those looking to start therapy is: “how can I tell if a therapist is right for me?” Whether you’re looking for support with mental health challenges, personal growth, or relationship issues, finding the right therapist can make all the difference!
But how can we do that? Finding the right counselor for you comes down to finding someone who aligns with your heart for healing and can help you feel safe in the therapeutic space you create together. As you may be looking for a new therapist, it can be helpful to research a bit about who they are and how they do their work. In light of this, I wanted to take this blog post to share a bit more about what our work together could look like!
WORKING WITH ME
As a therapist, I am here to offer a helping hand on your path to healing and self-discovery. Let’s explore what it means to work with me and how our collaborative journey can lead to transformative growth.
Creating a Safe and Supportive Space
One of the cornerstones of therapy is that you can feel confident that the space we are creating is one where you are safe and supported. My heart for my work is that you will always feel seen and heard, without judgment or criticism.
My work includes an element of warmth and comfort, so that our space together feels like a refuge from the rest of the world, somewhere where we can allow ourselves to be vulnerable. I always consider it a deep privilege to be invited into the story of my clients’ life, and that will show up in how our space together feels!
Understanding Your Emotions
Understanding emotions is a fundamental aspect of our human experience. Emotions are the important signals our minds and bodies use to convey our reactions to the world around us. They encompass a wide spectrum, from joy and love to sadness and anger, and provide valuable insights into our needs, values, and experiences. Recognizing and comprehending emotions allows us to navigate our lives more effectively, make informed decisions, and connect with both ourselves and others on a deeper level. Embracing our emotions with curiosity and self-compassion is an essential step toward emotional intelligence and personal growth. In my work, we often slow down to be honest and straightforward with ourselves about how we are feeling, without judgment, so we can recognize what we really need to heal.
Understanding Yourself
Something we would often talk about in our work together is the impact of the different parts of who you are and how they may be showing up. We will be exploring together the internal family of emotions and beliefs that we all hold, fostering healing and self-discovery. In our work, we will focus on trusting your true self to care for your wounded parts and the pieces of you that may be looking for safety and care.
Understanding Your Relationships
Relationships are a cornerstone of the human experience. As a therapist, I encourage my clients to explore their interpersonal dynamics, whether it’s within family, romantic, or friendship relationships. Together, we will delve into communication patterns, attachment styles, and the impact of past relationships on our current well-being. We will work together to gain a deeper understanding of how our connections with others affect our emotions and behaviors. This is also a space to process our doubts and concerns with our relationships, and work collaboratively to develop healthier relationship skills, communication skills, and coping strategies.
Wherever your healing journey takes you, whether we jump into this work together or not, my hope is that you feel empowered to find the best fit for you! Therapy is hard work, and it is also incredibly powerful!
