FAQs

What is Psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy is a process of growth, change, and healing. It can be a place to get support, to find new ways through life’s challenges, and to reduce emotional distress. How does this occur? Not because a therapist gives advice, or has a magic pill to set things right. Instead, it occurs because of time spent together exploring emotions and thoughts, speaking candidly without fear of judgment. It is also a place to exchange ideas about how to make things better and, over time, to build trust. With a skilled therapist that you trust, you can express your entire self, even parts that you may have judged or kept hidden. It is often by releasing this self-imposed judgment that clients find ways to explore new perspectives and feelings; learn to let go of the past and build a happier present; and increase self-esteem. It is through this process of trust, open communication, talking through misunderstandings and repairing them, that therapy can produce profound changes in one’s life.

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How does it work ?

Therapy takes place within the context of a unique relationship. Within limits as prescribed by California law, everything that takes place within a therapy relationship is confidential.

In therapy, your interests, needs, and welfare always come first. Part of the therapist’s role is to help focus on you. The therapists own feelings and experiences are introduced only when it serves your goals. In this way and others, therapy is less mutual and more structured than a friendship. The structure usually includes a regular weekly meeting time that is uninterrupted and devoted only to matters concerning your psychological health and well-being.

An adult client usually talks in therapy, but you may also use art, sand work or other media to express yourself. Therapy with children uses their language: play. Whatever the medium, therapy is a combination of art and science. The science draws on the therapist’s training and experience to help the client identify what factors may be contributing to the problem or discomfort they are experiencing, and to help identify possible alternatives or solutions. The art includes the therapist’s compassion and thoroughness, applied to understand and honor the inner world of each client, using both intuitive skills and wisdom appropriately during this process.

Therapy often involves talking about things that are not easy, and therefore is imperative to find a therapist with whom you feel comfortable and whom you trust. Sometimes in the process of healing, it can feel like therapy opens old wounds or removes a scab, exposing something sensitive. By working without judgment and with hope, a therapist can help you create a new and deeper level of peace, healing, and wholeness.

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Is therapy for me ?

Therapy can help almost anyone. Motivation to change and finding a professional with whom you are comfortable are important factors in determining if therapy will help you. Therapy can be helpful when life presents unique challenges, such as loss of a partner, spouse, parent, or job. It can also help when stresses have accumulated over time, and days seem colored by grief, sadness, indecision, isolation, hopelessness, or fear. Many people also use psychotherapy to help deal with problems that may be caused by alcohol or drug use; or by chronic conditions. If you have tried what you know to deal with some issue or situation in your life, and are not achieving the results that you want, or if you are just not happy, then therapy may help you to feel supported, understood, and that change is possible. It can provide a fresh perspective on your situation, and new directions to pursue.

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When is the "right time" for therapy ?

When life presents challenges, therapy can help. For some people, this is when they have lost a job or when a relationship is in a difficult period. For others, this is when the constant low-grade stresses of life have accumulated and reached a “breaking point”. People use therapy for many different reasons: to improve one’s satisfaction in life; to reduce or end emotional suffering; to resolve dilemmas; to break isolation and begin to talk about private matters that have become problematic; and to improve the quality of relationships with others. Simply put, many people realize, at certain moments in life, that something needs to change. In those moments, effective psychotherapy is an excellent tool for making change, and for improving one’s quality of life.

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How do I find a therapist ?

It is important to find a therapist whose background, skills, and style are a match for your needs. For therapy to be effective, you need to feel understood, safe, and comfortable with the therapist you choose. It's important to take the time to find someone you feel you can trust and with whom you are relatively at ease.

Many therapists treat an initial session as an assessment, to determine if your needs are within their scope of competence (areas in which they have the necessary training, experience, and skill); and within their scope of practice (areas in which they are legally licensed to practice). It is important that both you and the therapist be comfortable with the areas for which you are seeking support, in order for the therapy to be effective.

Getting referrals from friends and people you trust is a great place to start searching for a therapist. Referrals from local professional organizations may also be helpful, especially ones that focus on your areas of concern. Web-based research can also be helpful to find resources that are appropriate for you. Nothing can replace a telephone call or an in-person interview to assess your comfort level with the therapists you are considering. It is normal to feel a bit anxious when talking to a stranger about personal matters that are usually private. A first session can give you a sense of how comfortable you feel with each therapist you interview, as well as how each one helps you deal with that anxiety and what ideas they have for how therapy might help you cope with the concerns you describe.

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If I do EMDR, how does that work? Is it different than regular therapy?

EMDR is an eight-phased integrated therapeutic approach. For individuals dealing only with trauma, it may be the only type of work required; for most people, it is a part of the therapy process. The sessions in some of the EMDR phases are similar to standard 50-minute talk therapy sessions. One phase of EMDR involves bilateral stimulation (BLS); the BLS sessions generally last 80 minutes instead of 50, and are more directed than other type sessions. EMDR can be used as a stand-alone treatment to address a particular trauma, or interwoven with ongoing treatment as necessary.

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Is EMDR useful for situations that do not involve trauma?

EMDR was developed specifically to address trauma, but recent search has shown it can be effective to address other issues as well. Mood disorders and performance issues may be impacted by using EMDR. In addition, EMDR is effective whether you remember a specific traumatic event or not. If you suffer the effects of PTSD, or have only a vague sense of things that seemed to indicate a level of neglect, abuse, or harm, then EMDR may be helpful.

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Will EMDR effect my memories?

EMDR directly effects how the brain has stored memories of traumatic events, by stimulating the brain’s natural resolution and integration process (similar to what occurs in REM sleep cycles). Because of this, it may leave you with memories that are less emotionally charged than before, or with some details less clear. For many people this is a relief, but if you have legal action pending or for other reasons need to retain the charge around certain memories, clearly assess your needs before pursuing EMDR.

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Can EMDR help with nightmares?

Nightmares with a recurrent theme are a common symptom of PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). Many people who have undergone EMDR treatment report that they no longer experience such nigtmares.

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The description of EMDR sounds similar to hypnosis; is it the same thing?

EMDR is not hypnosis. It is a focused process which stimulates the brain’s inherent ability to transform the way memories are stored, from a sensory experience to a narrative one. It does this through bilateral stimulation (BLS), which is believed to cause the brain to react in a way similar to the way it processes in REM sleep cycles. This is similar to the processing that occurs when we dream, but in a focused way that is not interrupted by waking up or environmental factors.

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What’s a good book that can give me a sense of how EMDR works?

For anyone considering EMDR, I recommend reading EMDR: The Breakthrough Therapy for Overcoming Anxiety, Stress, and Trauma by Francine Shapiro and Margot Silk Forrest. It provides an excellent overview of the process, and includes several chapters relating stories of specific clients and how EMDR helped address their symptoms. Many clients have indicated they found elements in the story that they could relate to, and that it gave them a clearer understanding of the approach.

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