I often ask people who come to see me “Why now?” and “What are you
hoping for from counselling?” Asking yourself these questions even before we
meet can help you get clearer about what’s urgent for you and what you want
from counselling. It's not a bad place to start, but it's okay too if all you
know is that it feels like the right time.
In my experience, no
one is suffering who wasn't hurt. You've been doing your best to cope up until
now but maybe your usual strategies aren't working well anymore. So you might
be feeling depressed or anxious, more irritable, having trouble sleeping－and then there's all
the ruminating and spiralling! It takes courage to reach out beyond your
family and friends and find a therapist to address these problems with.
My approach to
counselling combines insight-oriented therapy with practical strategies to
support your realizations and discoveries. We shine a light into the dark
corners and bring painful experiences out into the open where we can see and
address them together. Whether it’s a situational problem in the present, or
something longstanding from the past, my approach is similar.
The process of counselling involves getting curious about the thoughts,
beliefs, and habits that are keeping you stuck. I offer you clarity,
compassion, and encouragement. We’ll ask what’s holding you back, what’s
confusing that you need to name, turn around and see from different angles and
to make sense of? Being heard and accepted, and breaking out of automatic
habits can lead to a shift, and then another shift, and another. You find that you can
move towards greater freedom, and feel more present and alive.
Benefits of facing
your problems include freeing up the energy you're currently using to cope with
and control your distress. Energy you can use instead for creativity,
productivity, increased self-esteem, and improved relationships with others.
Along the way you discover inner resources you might not realize (or believe)
that you have.
I provide therapy for:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Trauma
- Self-esteem
- Relationships
To schedule a free
15-minute telephone consultation send me a message.
Ellen Abrams Reaches
Vancouver BC