What is talk therapy?

Therapy is a process, a journey, a vehicle for change. You come to therapy when you want things to be different in your life. You come to therapy because you are sad or anxious. You come because you feel lost or empty. You come because you experience problems in your relationships with family, friends or with people you work with.

You seek out therapy usually when there has been a change or disruption in your life. This change or disruption sometimes highlights things that you are unhappy with. Therapy infuses us with hope, teaches us self-care and fosters resilience.

If you have thought about therapy, then there are things in your life you are probably not happy with. There is no downside to trying it. Everyone is scared in the beginning. This is natural.

How I work

I am an Internal Family Systems (IFS) level 2 trained therapist. The things that happened to you as a child are what formed who you are today. Things you experienced, felt and thought are the foundation of your house/self. As a young child you figure out the best ways to cope and navigate through your life. These ways of coping become patterns that carry over into adulthood. They affect your behavior, thoughts, beliefs and mood. These patterns may or may not work for you as an adult. As you begin to notice your patterns you become self- aware. As your awareness grows you can change the patterns that are not working for you. This awareness helps you to make better life choices. Being aware helps you build on your innate strengths and address parts of your life that you are unhappy with. This results in you’re becoming the person you want to be. As we work together I will help you to articulate things that are bothering you. I will be able to point out patterns. I will help you figure out what you wand and how you can make the change happen that you seek. I work collaboratively with you. I often tell my clients you are driving the bus and I am helping read the map.

Irene Zelterman, LCSW