Over the next few weeks, our therapists are going to dive deep into their specialities and why they have chosen specific niches or areas to work in. Therapy is a big field with many potential areas to work in. I believe that therapists provide the highest quality of care when they choose to work narrowly, only with clients who they can truly help, and by becoming deeply immersed in developing skills. This week Jennifer Anderson, LMFT-Associate, LPC-Associate is sharing about her love of couples therapy, why she enjoys working with couples, and some of the avenues she has explored with her clients. Check it out and make sure to visit her bio page as well.
Read MoreWhat should you do if you’re scared to go to therapy? You should go anyway! It’s extremely scary to sit with a stranger and tell them all your deepest darkest secrets and then wonder if they can actually help you or if they’re just going to sit in judgment. Even if you currently go to therapy, it may be hard to show up for certain sessions. Going to therapy requires discomfort to change those parts of your life that aren’t working for you. Check out this post for some helpful ideas about what to do if you feel scared to go to therapy.
Read MoreOne of the trickiest parts of coming to see a couples therapist is sitting with the idea that sometimes the therapist will take sides, and it may not always be in your favor. But honestly, that’s what you need-someone who will tell you the truth lovingly and in a way that helps your relationship get better. Having a therapist who is neutral all the time is nice, but also makes it hard to make real progress. Read our latest blog post to learn more about why couples therapists take sides at times, and the benefits you’ll receive as a client.
Read MoreThis is a question many new callers ask us on the phone when they are first in their search for a therapist. There' are so many kinds of therapy and it can be confusing to know what will work best in your situation. While we are always happy to discuss this (and all your) question in more detail, there are some overarching ideas to think about. Couples or individual therapy, what do you really need?
Read MoreThis is a dynamic that plays out constantly in therapy when couples get into the great debate and go to World War 3 over the toilet paper, and then want to know who’s right and who’s wrong. Many couples therapists will steer far away from that, but we’re different. We’ll tell you the truth, but it may not be in the way you think. Check it out to find out my answer from working with couples for a decade.
Read MoreAs we continue on with our Therapy Basics blog series, we are finally able to explore what makes good therapy. Good therapy is hard to find, even if you’ve followed the advice we’ve given in the first several parts of our series. You may find the best specialist in the world, who fits within your ideal budget and can see you after work….and when you get there it’s still not quite right. That doesn’t mean the person is a bad therapist, but fit is essential to this work being successful for you. On the other side of things, there’s A LOT of really bad therapy out there. I know, from personal experience, the shared experiences of my clients, and stories from friends and family that not all therapy is created equal. Here is our therapist Jennifer Anderson’s take on the signs of good therapy.
Read MoreWe’re continuing on with out Therapy Basics series this week by explaining what you can expect from therapy. Most people don’t know anything about therapy or the process other than what they’ve seen in movies and TV, and let’s face it-those are usually horrible depictions of what real therapy is like. Sky Yeater, our Counseling Intern, does an excellent job at laying out exactly what to expect from start to finish. Every therapist is different in their style, but generally this process remains the same across modalities and treatment models. Check it out!
Read MoreWe’re continuing on with our Therapy Basics blog series where we’re exploring all the aspects you need to know in getting starting with therapy. This week Jaimi Douthit is covering an important topic as it will be a consideration for every single person who engages with therapy. She is reviewing the pros and cons of both insurance and private pay options for therapy. Although discussing costs of services and money is uncomfortable for many people, it’s also essential to take a series look at the pros and cons of payment options so that you can make the best decision for you. Check it out!
Read MoreWelcome back to our Therapy Basics blog series! Last week we discussed considerations you need to review before going to therapy, and this week we are going over tips you’ll need to help you find an amazing therapist. In my personal experience (as a therapist looking for a therapist), finding the right therapist, or any therapist, can be overwhelming. Check out this post for some ideas on where to get started and recommendations for what to look for.
Read MoreYou’ve been thinking about going to therapy for a while, but you don’t know where to start, what questions to ask, or even what you’re looking for. Do you look through website, asks friends, blind call offices, or drive around town until you see a therapy office with a sign? And after you find said therapist…then what? There’s a lot that goes into the therapy process, and my decade of experience has lead me to understand the intricacies of figuring out how to start therapy and find the right therapist. For this reason, my team and I are starting a blog series to help break everything down into easily digestible (and informational) pieces that are thoughtful and will save you time and frustration. This week we’re starting with 7 things you need to consider before going to therapy. Doing this groundwork is essential, and you’ll be able to start this process with ease and clarity. Read on to learn more.
Read MoreLast but not least, owner of the Center for Couples Counseling Erika Labuzan-Lopez is sharing her love of being a therapist. It’s so rare therapists get the opportunity to share parts of themselves with their clients and the world, but the process and reasons for becoming a therapist are so intimate and ingrained in who we are. Trust me, you want a therapist who loves being a therapist, because this work can be draining and exhausting. Without that love, the day to day work of therapy can take a toll. But for me, my soul is fed because I truly LOVE being a therapist. Read this post to get to know more about my why’s.
Read MoreClients so rarely get insight into their therapist’s motivations, passions, and why they became a therapist in the first place, but in our opinion it’s vital to becoming an excellent therapist. Skills and techniques are essential to doing good work as a therapist, but the why’s of becoming a therapist is what makes the real changes in the room. Next up in our series is Jaimi Douthit, Licensed Professional Counseling Associate. Jaimi is a wonderful therapist and person to sit with. She is comforting and nonjudgmental, while challenging your unhealthy thought and behavior patterns in a caring way. She shows up fully for her clients, and you can see that in her blog post sharing why she loves being a therapist. Check it out!
Read MoreThis week we are continuing our series of getting to know more about why each of our therapists absolutely LOVES being a therapist. Learning interventions and therapeutic models is important, but over the years since I (Erika) have been a Supervisor and practicing clinician have come to see that to do really good work, you have to love it. Each therapist I work with at my practice has to not only demonstrate excellent skills, but they have to radiate being completely in love with the art and science of therapy. Next you’ll meet Jennifer Anderson, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapy Associate. Jennifer’s clients adore working with her as she engages her clients in meaningful introspection, provides constructive feedback, and is willing to walk alongside the hardest moments of her client’s lives. Check it out and get to know Jennifer!
Read MoreThe Center for Couples Therapy website goes into detail about how we work, our methodology, and expectations for therapy, and with this new blog series we wanted to go deeper in sharing who our therapists are and why they really LOVE being therapists! We are passionate about refining our craft, being constant learners, and growing in our skills-but the most important thing you can know about us is we are truly honored and enjoy doing what we do best-providing quality therapy. This week you’ll meet our counseling intern Sky Yeater. Sky is wise beyond her years, an engaging person to sit in a room with, and open to having organic experiences with her clients. Read this blog post to learn more about her why’s-why she does what she does, why she tends towards certain styles, and why she loves being a therapist.
Read MoreI’m continuing to explore the ideas around how relationship clutter is actually getting in your way at the beginning of marriage counseling. Learn the different between first order change (resolutions in the initial problems you’ve come to therapy with) and second order change (the shift in your relationship that heals underlying problems). By getting everything out on the table, your marriage counselor can help you filter through the mess and start working on building skills and focusing on what' really matters. After all, don’t you want an unapologetically amazing marriage? Yeah, me too!
Read More