• Introduction to Counseling and Psychotherapy
• Psychotherapy, what do I work on?
A key element in psychotherapy is helping people to bring about change in their lives. These changes may involve any one or more of the following—exploring different belief systems, thinking differently, feeling differently, or making different choices. While these changes are are a key part of psychotherapy, it is important to remember that they happen during a process; therapy is intended to be a process where one moves forward in one's own individual development, enhancing one's relationship with “self” and others. Along this journey, the therapist's role is to help the individual in discovering, examining, and—often for the first time—facing the challenges involved in facilitating change and in making healthy life choices.
The therapeutic process is different for each individual and can be influenced by a variety of factors—for example, the process varies in relationship to the nature and the difficulty of the challenge that the individual is experiencing; the process can also be influenced by one's age or stage of development, particularly with therapy involving children (because therapy with children is much different than therapy with adults); as well, the process can be influenced by needs unique to gender, race, spirituality, or sexuality. It is vital to consider all of these factors when working through the therapeutic process.
Although the process in therapy will be influenced by the unique needs of the individual child, adolescent, or adult, the process and progress of the client must always be managed in a professional manner with someone skillfully using well-accepted principles to guide this process of change, healing, and growth. At the Healing Place, a Systemic Transformational Change Process is utilized. Advanced training and experience help guide the clinician in working with adolescents and adults to address their individual needs and challenges, moving towards an overall sense of balance, peacefulness, and calm.