When you come to us for a particular issue, be it anxiety, depression, grief, binge eating, low self esteem, or you’re simply looking for a LGBTQ+ affirming therapist, your therapy session will be tailored to you and what your particular challenges and goals are.
Below are some of the issues that can be addressed in individual therapy, and how we approach supporting you in session.
When you come to us for therapy to help with anxiety and/or panic attacks, we start out by educating you about the physical and emotional manifestations of anxiety and panic. You may be surprised to learn, for example, that muscle tension or insomnia can be general symptoms of anxiety. Panic attacks, on the other hand, are acute and include symptoms like shortness of breath, and heart palpitations. Panicking often feels like life or death.
It is important to discuss these differences together in order to come up with a treatment plan. We will ask you details about your specific anxiety symptoms, and the history of anxiety in your family members. Some people mainly worry about specific things, while others worry about everything.
Once we figure out your symptoms and origins of your anxiety, we will better prepare you to cope and worry less about your anxiety or panic.
When you come to us for therapy to help with your depression, we will start by discussing the severity of your symptoms. You may be surprised to know that loss of appetite, insomnia and weight gain or weight loss are all symptoms of depression.
Additionally, depression includes loss of interest in the things you used to enjoy, and excessive guilt or shame. Lastly, hopelessness, helplessness and/ or thoughts of death are significant symptoms of depression. It is common to experience some of these things on occasion, but if you have 5 or more of them together for over 2 weeks time, then it is likely you are suffering from a depressive episode.
In order to begin to help you feel better, it is important for us to discuss the details of your life experiences and relationships, current stressors, your history of depression, and familial experiences with depression. Gaining greater insight to the possible root causes of your depression is often experienced as empowering.
Together, we will talk about ways to make changes and improvements in your life, and identify what may get in your way of making those changes. By working together, you should begin to feel hopeful for a happier future.
When working with people who struggle with binge eating or eating restrictions, our goals are to better understand the causes of your urges to binge eat or restrict your eating, and to figure out ways to better manage your urges. For example, if you imagined yourself having an urge to binge, and were able to stop yourself, what might you be feeling? Alternatively, What might you be avoiding in your life with your over emphasis on food?
Binge eating is sometimes used as a way to deal with unacknowledged feelings or as an attempt to try and suppress your anger and/or anxiety. Alternatively, you may be attempting to soothe yourself with food. Binging can also be about loss of control, or an effort to control your urge to act out in another way.
What feelings might you be aiming to numb, or soothe, with binging? How is food handled in your family? What is your familial contract around food and meals?
Restrictive eating may be an attempt to punish yourself or your loved ones. Depriving yourself of food can make you feel powerful, and as women especially, sometimes admired for a “thin” body size.
In our practice, we set up a non-judgmental, open-minded and accepting space in therapy. This is the best environment to let you explore your relationship with food.
Losing a loved one is inevitable and life changing. Grief comes with many mixed emotions. So many of us are terrified of losing someone close to us that when it happens, we can be very overwhelmed and distraught. It is also common to feel some relief after a loved one’s suffering ends or anger.
Sometimes we live in anticipatory grief, waiting and expecting someone close to us to die. This is also extremely difficult - full of a wide range of emotions.
The grieving process usually includes some shock, sadness, anger, anxiety, and feelings of betrayal. We encourage you to verbalize and process all that you’re going through. In therapy with us, you are encouraged to feel all of your feelings, regardless of how “correct” you might think they are, or are not. Grief is personal, and everyone experiences it differently and on different timelines.
We have an understanding of the judgements, stereotypes, oppressions and dangers that members among the LGBTQ+ community live with.
Even if you’re comfortable with your own identity you may lack authentic relationships with family members or others.
Members of the LGBTQ+ community encounter frequent misunderstanding and judgements from others, sometimes even from healthcare providers. Sometimes this results in members of the LGBTQ+ community not feeling safe enough to be completely forthcoming in therapy sessions.
We will encourage you to say anything as you explore how you’re impacted by these experiences. Being able to express all parts of yourself in therapy is of utmost importance.
Many people find it liberating to speak with someone who doesn’t know you or your family and friends, and who won’t judge you or your actions.
What you share is strictly confidential. Speaking with someone one on one in a confidential setting is the most popular form of therapy for a reason.
.jpg)
Dr. Jen Joseph is a Licensed Psychologist, PsyPact approved provider, and a graduate of the Center for Group Studies in New York City. She offers psychodynamic therapy using mindfulness, CBT and interpersonal techniques. She also works with couples, and runs therapy groups from a modern psychoanalytic orientation.
Dr. Jen considers it her job to be non-judgmental and accepting of you in the most objective way possible. She works with patients, inquiring about their experiences to further her understanding of them, while welcoming any and all of their thoughts and feelings in a session. Including how you feel towards her, and inquiring about the treatment process.
Do you find yourself worried about whether you’ll be comfortable sharing your thoughts and feelings with a therapist? It makes sense that you may have some anxiety or apprehension to divulge the intimate details of your life to a stranger.
Patients who pursue individual therapy tend to find, however, that a space with a supportive third party, that doesn’t make assumptions or judgements about you, provides the foundation for a unique and successful patient-therapist relationship. As an LGBTQ+ affirming therapist, Dr. Jen shows up to a session ready to fully listen, offer insights, and to understand you.
Here are some frequently asked questions about the LGBTQ+ affirming therapy services we offer. We want you to succeed, and know that knowledge will empower you to see how individual therapy can work for you.
Yes! It is not uncommon to have several difficulties worth addressing in therapy. We approach each patient with the initial goal of getting to know you, including what concerns you’d like to address in therapy. We will discuss how you operate in your life, your family history, current stressors, and life experiences. Your therapy experience will be tailored to you and your current needs.
It is also not uncommon to uncover new things that you would like to address as you continue working in therapy. We will work with you to address what you need, and where to go from there, as we develop a therapist-patient relationship with you.
If you have additional questions about who we can best serve with our therapy practice, you can contact us here for a free phone consultation to discuss whether we’d be a good fit for your needs.
The work you’re doing in group therapy or couples counseling is important, useful work. That said, individual therapy can amplify the work you’re doing in group or couples therapy. In individual therapy, you are mainly working on your relationship with yourself. There is an emphasis on how you talk to yourself and how that relates to your feelings and behaviors.
Your understanding of yourself will become clearer with individual therapy, allowing you to focus your attention wherever it’s needed with more in-depth feedback from your therapist. It is beneficial to work through realizations and goals from your group or couples therapy with your individual therapist. Focusing on yourself in individual therapy gives you deeper insights. Plus, there is no place other than in individual therapy where you can say absolutely anything.
If you feel that any of the individual therapy services outlined here would be right for you, contact us today to learn more.
Contact Us For Your Free 15 min Consultation