Our counselors provide therapy in Salem, MA

My go-to approach for helping people in individual therapy is meeting the individual where they are. I also try to understand what the client's individual goals are, and I aim to assist them in discerning where they would like to be. I find the best benefit in a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness/relaxation techniques because it helps an individual connect thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

I teach the following tools in individual therapy:

• Automatic thought identification/cognitive restructuring: The idea is to identify negative thought patterns and challenge them.
• Behavioral activation: Creating a routine and breaking it down into simple parts to assist with barriers to motivation while also monitoring mood.
• Coping skills identification.
• Relaxation techniques: Guided meditation exercises.
• Action plan in between sessions.

I know a client is making meaningful progress in individual therapy when they are able to implement the tools we have been learning in treatment and also self-report that they are noticing their mood or symptoms have decreased.

Clients can supplement their time in individual therapy by utilizing the coping skills or another action plan in between sessions and creating a routine to assist when the coping skills are needed.

To prepare for your first individual therapy session, you can try to think about what is bringing you into treatment, what goals you want to set for yourself, and in what ways you think therapy can help. Always feel free to ask questions, as well, about the process if it is your first time in therapy.