“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection”
– Buddha
I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with you and believe the trust between us is contingent on your ability to be vulnerable.
Therefore, you can expect me to provide you with a non-judgmental safe space for you to be who you are. I embody the concept of holding space for you in my practice to be seen, heard and truthful so we can build a strong therapeutic connection. It is through this you can honour your commitment to yourself to transform. It is here that change happens and we evolve through what can sometimes be a painful process in moving forward.
Goals of Psychotherapy
The main goals of psychotherapy are to challenge you to reach your potential for authentic intimacy and connection, deepen self-awareness, and acquire tools to be able to deal confidently with future emotional challenges.
The Process
Psychotherapy is a complex process, which can be both exciting and, at times, emotionally challenging. The following two fundamental interdependent processes are vital to its success in growth and healing:
1. Therapeutic Relationship and Guidance:
The client-therapist frame is central to mediating the impact of pain or trauma by aiding in building emotional safety. Guided by the therapist, you work on developing the ability to be non-judgmental and accepting of your inner world; this lowers the intensity of distress, and reduces feelings of anger, shame and self-doubt.
2. Client emotional intelligence and Insight:
You engage in an exploration of your current situation or challenges - and if applicable, how this relates to your early life experiences; the goal is to gain insight into the ways your sense of self and of relationships has developed. By mapping the expectations of self and others this also highlights early and, perhaps, neglected goals, inclinations, desires, emotions, dreams, as well as any barriers that may have blocked you from reaching your personal and creative potential.
Outcomes
Psychotherapy insights often lead to a lot of new discoveries, such as perspectives, ideas, communication patterns, expectations, assumptions and the desire to test them out resulting in a positive feedback loop and lifelong changes. The process of transformation is inevitable when we have a safe space to be who we are and the opportunity to question our choices, desires and needs.
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection”
– Buddha
Couples'
Psychotherapy
Trauma-Focused Therapy is a specific approach to therapy that recognizes and emphasizes understanding how the traumatic experience impacts a person’s mental, behavioral, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. This type of therapy is rooted in understanding the connection between the trauma experience and the person’s emotional and behavioral responses.
Trauma Psychotherapy & Recovery
Relational work or Couples’ therapy, is a type of psychotherapy that can help people recognize and resolve conflicts and improve their relationships. Relational therapy, sometimes referred to as relational-cultural therapy, is a therapeutic approach based on the idea that mutually satisfying relationships with others are necessary for one's emotional well-being.
Psychosocial Oncology
Care & Health Navigation
A diagnosis of cancer – or any life-threatening illness – can throw your life into upheaval and cause trauma. With years of experience helping patients and caregivers both during treatment and afterwards, I can help you through it. Working with a therapist who understands your diagnosis and the the healthcare system can help mitigate some of stress by providing education, normalizing feeling and building tools for coping.
A note about COVID
If the current pandemic has caused you to feel depressed, anxious or unsafe, you are not alone.
We have yet to see the data on the global emotional impact of social distancing and isolation, but we know it is profound. People have lost their jobs, their relationships and their sense of safety in the world. For those that have diagnosed mental health conditions or vulnerabilities, the impact is devastating. Being able to recognize the warning signs of emotional distress, pivoting to the new ways of being in relationship to others, and learning the tools to cope with emotional dysregulation or detachment is key to building resilience in this climate of uncertainty.
Recognizing that the provision of support for those that are suffering emotionally from COVID or other trauma as a social justice issue, I bring the topics of grief, recovery, vulnerability and resilience into the realm of discussion, education and advocacy. The intersection of the pandemic and civil rights movement has created turmoil for people in the workplace and in their communities. I am here to help individuals, companies and organizations put the mental health needs of their people first, in order to generate trust, facilitate conversation and ultimately a sense of security. It is a fact that people who feel heard and supported during any crisis are able to be more productive in their work and perform at their best.
Please contact me to discuss ways I can help you personally or your business with any concerns related to COVID.
Contact Me.
shawna@shawnarich.com
416.825.2779