My starting point is seeing who you are as an individual and honoring your experiences, thoughts, and emotions. I try to convey my warm regard, and to demonstrate compassion and empathy while also being honest and direct. I collaborate with my clients to create a relationship that is both supportive and challenging; supportive enough to promote healing while also being challenging enough to help you grow.
I practice Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which is a framework that integrates cognitive behavioral therapy with Eastern psychological strategies such as mindfulness and meditation. The basic idea is to encourage flexibility and personal growth through mindful contact with your experience, clarifying what really matters in your life, and taking actions based on your values., We’ll focus on you relating to your thoughts and feelings in a way that allows you to live your life more fully just as you are. Paradoxically, it’s often the struggling to block out our thoughts or feelings that creates a lot of the suffering in life.
Individual therapy can focus on specific issues such as depression, anxiety, relationship or family issues, creative block, grief, trauma, or substance use. Therapy can be helpful to address the pressures of oppression in our society. Or it can simply be a space to process your experiences, broaden your perspective, and take steps for personal growth.
Generally, we’ll meet privately for 50 minutes each week to discuss your challenges and build on your strengths. Sessions consist primarily of talking but they might include exercises that involve meditation, visualization, or role playing. Depending on your goals, we might work together for a few weeks or months, though some of my clients build a relationship with me that extends for longer. My goal is to equip you with a variety of tools that remain useful after your time in therapy has ended.
Thomas Sweetland, LCSW 