To be completely real, you come to therapy when shit is not working out. You don't know what to do, but you know you can't keep doing what you're doing. The days appear to blend together, you seem to keep attracting the same kinds of people into your life, and you're starting to wonder if the problem is you.
You're not the problem, but you still need to start with yourself in order to shift it. This can be confusing and terrifying. Therapy provides you with a safe space to sort through your life with a professional who is trained to guide you gracefully through your thoughts and emotions, to find the creative choices in the midst of the chaos.
My approach is active. I am really going to get into it with you, rolling up my sleeves to get to the core of the matter, so you are not left there alone. I am not one of those therapists who are just going to smile and nod. I will offer experientials, usually of a metaphoric or creative nature, to help us learn more about what is happening internally, and bring it out into the external world so we can sort it out, together. I will gently guide you to your own insights, so you can own all the parts of your life equally.
When working with people with varying needs, I retain this active stance, showing up fully in the room with my patients so they feel seen, met, and heard.