My personal philosophy of counseling is that you, the client are the expert in your own life, and it's my goal to create a safe space for you to explore your strengths, values, and goals in life, and address anything that might be getting in the way for you. I consider myself first and foremost to be a trauma therapist, however I feel comfortable working with depression, anxiety, ADHD, PTSD and CPTSD, as well as dissociative disorders. I am also LGBTQ+, polyamorous, and kink affirming. The tools I use to help you are a psychodynamic approach to therapy, mindfulness, self-compassion, and EMDR, as well as other evidence informed practices that may be helpful to what you bring into session on any given day. My work is informed by and grounded in feminist, queer, and critical race theory.
Please reach me at cam@fothcounseling.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.
Therapy or counseling, is a collaborative process between a trained and licensed therapist and yourself that helps you to build a life that is meaningful and connected for you.
The short answer to this question, is if you feel like you want to come to therapy, it can be helpful for you. The long answer to this question is that if you are feeling like your emotions are intense and impacting your relationships, work, or ability to take care of yourself, therapy can be helpful. If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, or engaging in self harm as a way to manage your emotions, therapy can be helpful for you. If you have experienced a traumatic event, or a major loss in your life, therapy can be helpful for you. If you are feeling discontent, or restless in your life, therapy can be helpful for you.
It's a common misconception that therapists give advice. In our culture, "providers" such as doctors are seen as experts who know what's wrong with you and tell you how to fix it. Therapy is a much more collaborative process. You are ultimately the expert in your own life, and I view it as my role to create a safe space to help you identify what you need from therapy and in your life to make the changes you desire to make.
Ultimately that depends on what you need. As part of the process of therapy, we will work together to create a treatment plan customized to your needs, and during that process we will identify how often to schedule sessions. Typically, we will meet weekly at the beginning of working together, but again, that's really dependent on what's most effective for you.
Again, the length of therapy really depends on your individual goals and the severity of your symptoms. Many folks experience a lot of change within 2-4 months, however folks with more severe trauma or symptoms may need longer. Some folks with chronic mental health conditions need longer term support to manage their symptoms. Ultimately, you have the choice to end therapy when. you feel like you are ready to do so.
Oh, the letters. LMHC stands for Licensed Mental Health Counselor, and I hold my license through the state of Washington. MS stands for a Masters of Science, with an emphasis in mental health counseling, which is my college degree. NCC stands for Nationally Certified Counselor, which is my board certification through the National Board for Certified Counselors. To put it simply, I am a masters level counselor that has been trained specifically do to therapy, and I hold a license that allows me to do that therapy in the state of WA. My board certification means that I go above and beyond with my continuing education to ensure that I am up to date on the latest research and am growing my skills each year. What my license means is that I am qualified to do therapy, I AM NOT qualified to prescribe medication.
Much of the research on what makes therapy effective points to what refer to as "common factors." The one factor that seems to account for most of what makes therapy effective is the therapeutic relationship, or the relationship between you, the client and the therapist. The reality is that every therapist is human who brings some of their own personality and strengths into therapy. What's important is that, as the client, you feel like you "click" with your therapist, and feel safe and comfortable. As a therapist, I do my best to adapt to your needs as the client, but sometimes we may not "click." And that's totally ok. If you notice that happening, please let me know and I will be more than happy to provide referrals to other therapists. The most important thing is that you get the support you need.
As a condition of my license to practice therapy, I am bound by state and federal laws (HIPPA) regarding confidentiality. Please see my Notice of Privacy Practices included on the welcome page of this website for additional information. I recognize that engaging in therapy is an incredibly brave and vulnerable process for folks, and I hold your privacy as one of the most important aspects of our relationship.
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