What to Expect in Therapy With Alison at AK Counseling, Inc.

“Over the course of my life, I have seen 3 other couples therapists and 4 other individual therapists. Alison has been the best therapist I could possibly have asked for. She is intelligent, wise, and adept at working with complicated individual and couples issues. She is an endless resource for materials and practices that have enhanced our marriage and our growth as individuals. In the past year, she has shown boundless compassion, patience, gentle honesty, and humor.” – MM, 53-year-old

It might feel weird opening up to a stranger,

but you can feel so much better and less alone.

When you arrive,

please let yourself into the private, cozy waiting room…

Help yourself to a glass of cold water or a cup of hot tea/coffee and relax in a recliner.

Sink into the soothing sounds of waterfalls and bubbling brooks.

I will call you in when your therapy room is ready.

No check-in required.

Clients who get the most out of their therapy:

*Attend regularly to keep the momentum

*Do the activities assigned in between sessions

*Ask a lot of questions

*Bring a notebook (or ask for paper) to capture the highlights. Very helpful to look back on!

*Bring in real-life examples/anecdotes of challenging dialogue or circumstance they encountered. We discuss ways it could’ve been handled constructively.

The goal of the first session is for us to get acquainted and for me to learn about you, discuss your concerns (i.e. why you are seeking therapy) and what you’re hoping to get out of therapy/coaching.

The number of sessions we have together is dependent on the topic(s) you want to address and your goals. An occupational dilemma may only require three to five sessions, whereas marital counseling may deserve six to twelve months.

While there are many variables that play into your success, the most important is your will and pro-activity. You are in the driver’s seat and my role is to help you get where you want to go. At the end of your first session, we will assess appropriate frequency based on your needs. The average is 2-3 times per month to start, and frequency dissipates as necessary (based on your goals, prescribed homework, etc).

Therapy will improve your self-awareness by helping you discover patterns that keep you stuck or undermine your well-being. The goal is to empower you to manage life issues with more ease, build resiliency and maintain your progress.

Maximize your results:

Be open, forthcoming, and communicative in session.

Speak your truth.

What to expect from effective therapy…

You feel comfortable and connected with your therapist. Research shows that 60% of the efficacy of therapy lies in the relationship between the therapist and client. You should feel heard, understood, and that you can trust your therapist.

Unrealistic expectations are a hindrance. Change and insight do not happen overnight. You have decades worth of ingrained thought and behavior patterns, so allow yourself time to unravel and rewrite these patterns. Be patient with yourself as we explore your path to an enjoyable, rewarding life. As time progresses, we review your goals and redefine them as necessary.

Therapy is not like talking to a friend. Therapy allows you to form an alliance with me (a professional at helping people change) so that you don’t feel alone in your efforts and you have a sounding board when the going gets tough. As an empathetic and skilled professional, I can identify and analyze the ways in which you are stuck so we can break the less desirable patterns and negative feedback loops and replace them with desired patterns and positivity. My clinical objectivity and unbiased frame of reference work in your favor.

You may not feel better after every session. Breakthroughs in therapy are exciting and meaningful while also sometimes upsetting or overwhelming. To maximize your therapeutic experience, be brave. I will help you through these experiences [because we can’t just go around them and expect change or progress in our relationships or efforts]. This means the journey can be uncomfortable or bumpy along the way, and that’s ok. You aren’t in it alone. Therapy/coaching is effective if you crave change and possess a curiosity of your inner world.

Click here to read testimonials from your peers who experienced profound, desired change with their depression, anxiety, relationships, sexuality, marriage, life course, etc. due to their work with AK Counseling, Inc.

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Some changes you will notice…

You feel better! Happier, calmer, at ease more often, and hopeful about the future.
You handle life’s ups and downs more easily and with more control over your thoughts, feelings, and behavior.
You are more forgiving and accepting, even of those who have hurt you.
You are more connected to yourself, your emotions, those around you, and to life in general.
Your perspective on most everything is changing, and you see opportunities and solutions where you may have only seen problems before.
You are setting healthy boundaries with people in your life and building stronger relationships because of it.
You feel stronger and able to express your own needs and desires.
You don’t feel victimized by the words or actions of others.
You are resolving your own issues and not looking to your therapist or anyone else to fix things for you. My role is to guide you to your own best solutions.