Psychotherapy with Dr. Menard
Everyone feels stuck at times, and when we’re stuck, stress and distress follows, sometimes accompanied by anxiety or depression. Stuck typically has its roots in transition – necessary or desired change – gone awry. We may be struggling with a change we need to make, want to make, or welcome. Just as often, it’s a change that’s been thrust upon us. All of these circumstances – happy and sad alike – cause stress and can leave us feeling like we’re caught in quicksand.
When these feelings make life unmanageable, therapy can be a powerful and effective way to make a change. For nearly 30 years, I have helped high level professionals and business owners address these issues in the context of their unique work-life circumstances. Whether they arrive at my door with a desire to lose weight, create a healthy lifestyle, improve their mood, manage stress and anxiety, gain self-confidence to take risks, navigate delicate circumstances at work strategically, or have more satisfying relationships, these clients feel stuck when they arrive and free when they finish. All these issues begin with feelings of paralysis and resolve as therapy provides the solvent.
While my approach honors mind, body and spirit, I recognize the urgency you feel and your desire to take immediate action. I can help you make immediate change in the short term and deep and lasting change down the road.
If you have been experiencing challenges with:
- life transitions
- weight and wellness
- stress
- anxiety
- depression
- business or career
- relationships
…I will collaborate with you in developing a plan of action. With honesty, openness, warmth and acceptance, I work hard to understand your unique experience. At the same time, I provide a source of accountability and guidance to ensure that you keep moving – in the right direction. Together we can get you unstuck, and moving forward on a path to well-being and fulfillment that fits for you.
Just by entering therapy you can expect some fairly immediate relief from symptoms that get in your way day-to-day. You will begin to identify and disrupt self-defeating thoughts and behaviors immediately, filling your toolbox with strategies you will use for the rest of your life. As we continue, we will explore new patterns of behavior and thought that you hope to develop, to ensure more lasting change and a lifestyle you love.
Life is full of change and change can be full of challenge. But there is no longer a reason to muddle through alone. Once you have the playbook – once you learn the strategies for change and how to apply them – you can move forward to attain your goals. It is a great honor and tremendous responsibility to be invited along on such a personal journey. I am deeply invested in joining with you to create a therapy experience that offers safety, respect and nurturance while challenging ineffective patterns. You don’t have to do this alone.
About Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is successful when you see movement in the direction you would like your life to take. It is complete when you achieve the goals you have set for yourself. Our collaboration can help you make the changes you haven’t been able to make on your own.
Why Do People Go To Therapy?
There are any number of reasons why you might want to talk with a professional about your problems. People typically seek therapy because they want to discuss their struggles with someone who is unbiased, impartial and who won’t judge them. In addition, psychologists are bound by confidentiality, which means that unless you are a danger to yourself or others, or have knowledge of others being harmed or neglected, everything you talk about in the therapy office, stays in the therapy office. For many people, their therapy session is also the only time when they do not have to take care of anyone or anything and, instead, are the sole recipient of care, guidance, and support.
Going to therapy doesn’t mean you are “crazy”. Quite the opposite, it means you are acknowledging that you have a problem that you would like to deal with head on rather than ignoring it and letting it get worse. It takes a lot of courage to talk to a therapist but the rewards are usually worth the risk of opening up about your life. Rather than “crazy,” it’s really quite savvy to make the decision to consult an expert in change rather than waste time trying to reinvent the wheel and solve stuck alone.
What to Expect
Most people report feeling some relief from their problems after initiating therapy and those who have been in treatment for a significant amount of time tend to report major and lasting changes in their lives. Therapy is not a cure-all or magic bullet, however. At times, therapy can be a difficult and painful process but one that is undertaken with the guidance and support of a professional. Therapy requires that the client look inward and examine issues that may have been buried or avoided for some time. This can be uncomfortable but is necessary in order to gain understanding and bring resolution to issues that may be serving as obstacles in life.
The first two to three sessions will consist of an initial assessment. We are assessing each other! You will explain why you are seeking therapy now and what you hope to achieve when it’s done. I will listen, share my observations about your situation, and explain how I believe I can help. I will also refer you to a trusted colleague if I feel that someone else would be of more help. Simultaneously, you will be evaluating my style, knowledge, and approach to determine if the relationship feels like a comfortable fit. During this time (and throughout our work together), you are free to ask any questions that would help you make this decision or increase your comfort.
Once we have defined the goals to be achieved and decide that we are a good fit personally, the work begins. I want you to speak freely about whatever is on your mind. In response, I will be doing a range of things: asking clarifying questions, suggesting strategies for handling the challenges you face and helping you explore your thoughts, feelings, and actions. My hope is for you to learn to chose your thoughts, feelings, and actions, to think about yourself and your situation more productively, and to leave with a full toolbox of strategies that will help you solve stuck with greater ease in the future.
As a therapy client, the best outcomes can be achieved when you are active in the process – in and outside of sessions. I am the expert in change and you are the expert in you. It is our collaboration that generates healing change. Your input about the pace of therapy, the effectiveness of interventions and your feelings about our interactions are all crucial to a successful experience. You will be asked to practice the techniques you learn between sessions, and the pace of progress toward achieving your goals is dependent on your commitment to this extracurricular work. I strive to be sensitive and responsive to my clients’ needs and welcome open discussion of any concerns.
Psychotherapy is successfully completed when you achieve the goals you have set for yourself. Perhaps you are seeking relief from acute symptoms such as anxiety, depression or compulsive eating. Or maybe you want to break a cycle of unsuccessful relationships or jobs. I can help you make the changes you feel you haven’t been able to make on your own. Together, we can help you bypass self-defeating behavior, change ineffective habits, and start living a more satisfying life.
