Our counselors provide therapy in Missouri City, TX

Susannah: Individual therapy is all about helping people see themselves more honestly and objectively. I enjoy helping people identify their strengths and work collaboratively towards their goals.

Jennifer: My go-to approach for helping people in individual therapy integrates cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), emotion-focused therapy (EFT), and psychoeducation. I find the most value and benefit in applying the approach and strategy that best fits the client. Because the approaches provide a thorough exploration of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, they foster a holistic understanding and empower clients to make meaningful changes.

Susannah: I teach:

• Assertive communication - I help people learn to shift from either aggressive or passive communication by identifying their own needs and developing the confidence and compassion to communicate those needs effectively.
• Boundaries - by working to help clients identify their strengths, they are then able to begin setting appropriate boundaries in order to overcome burnout, resentment, and overcommitting.
• Navigating transitions - by learning to identify and process emotions, clients learn to move through life transitions with support and validation.
• Family conflict - members of family units who work with me learn how to express themselves, expand their perspectives, accept responsibility, and repair relationships by learning new communication techniques, expanding their perspective, and increasing empathy.

Jennifer: I teach the following tools in individual therapy:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) tools: These are activities, worksheets, or exercises that are designed to help individuals identify and challenge their negative thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors. They often include exercises such as identifying core beliefs, cognitive distortions, or behavior tracking.
• Mindfulness: Mindfulness tools help individuals focus on the present moment, reduce stress, and enhance self-awareness. These can include guided meditation recordings, mindfulness apps, or activities like deep breathing exercises and body scans.
• Trauma-informed tools: Tools designed for trauma-informed therapy might include grounding techniques like sensory items (stress balls, textured objects), safe space visualization exercises, or trauma timelines to help clients process their experiences.
• Communication skills: These can be used in various forms of therapy, including family therapy, to improve communication skills. They may include sharing emotions and needs or utilizing conversation starters to facilitate expression and understanding.
• Emotion regulation tools: Emotion regulation tools help individuals identify and regulate their emotions effectively.
• Narrative therapy techniques: Narrative therapy tools include storytelling prompts, genograms, and externalization techniques. Clients use these tools to reconstruct their personal narratives, explore alternative perspectives, and separate themselves from their problems.
• Breathing exercises: Breathing tools and techniques, such as square breathing or diaphragmatic breathing, help clients manage anxiety, reduce stress, and increase relaxation.
• Self-compassion tools: Self-compassion tools include exercises designed to help individuals cultivate self-kindness, mindfulness, and common humanity. Clients learn to treat themselves with greater understanding and acceptance.

Susannah: Progress is measured in several ways, but the determining factor is the client's daily experience and interpretation of it.

Jennifer: I know a client is making meaningful progress in individual therapy when they begin to demonstrate increased self-awareness, utilize coping strategies effectively, show improvements in managing the challenges they face, and build confidence in who they are.

Susannah: Clients can spend time reflecting on their thinking patterns, journaling about their experiences, practicing skills learned in sessions, and building a more robust vocabulary to identify and describe their emotions.

Jennifer: Clients can supplement their time in individual therapy with workshops, self-help resources, journaling exercises, mindfulness practices, or support groups to further enhance their mental and emotional well-being.

Susannah: In the first session, clients are asked to describe their symptoms, histories, and goals for therapy. It is helpful for clients to come prepared to discuss these things.

Jennifer: To prepare for your first individual therapy session, you can think through what you would hope to get out of therapy and what you would need from your therapist to feel comfortable and successful moving forward.