When should I consider therapy?
Some people seek therapy to get through a difficult time, such as the death of a loved one or separation from your life partner. Other people participate in therapy to treat mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Many others come to and stay in therapy because it offers a place and time to contemplate your life, to be heard by someone who has no investment other than your well-being, and who is specifically trained in helping you hear not only your conscious thoughts, but your unconscious ones as well, that provide clues to what ails you.
You may have a history of failed relationships, a current crisis, or a specific presenting issue such as a struggle with an eating disorder. Maybe you generally feel overwhelmed or dissatisfied with life. Any type of emotional or behavioral problem that stops you from living a full and satisfying life can be improved with therapy.
What types of therapy are available?
All of the therapists at Full Living share in common a commitment to relational psychodynamic psychotherapy. They prioritize building a strong and safe working alliance with you so together we can explore what ails you, and ways to explore new approaches to life.
Among the team, different therapists bring additional tools to their work, such as training in dialectical-behavior technique (DBT), cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), art and movement therapies, eye movement desensitization reprocessing (EMDR), and mindfulness meditation. Each therapist has collected approaches, skills, and techniques over their years of study and practice to aid them in helping their clients find freedom.
Unlike most therapy practices that place you with the next available therapist in the queue, Full Living will connect you with a therapist based on your free initial consultation with the director, a clinician with 30 years in the field, who uses that free intake to assess which of her therapists would make the best match for you. And unlike most therapy practices, our clinicians are not new to the field, or right out of college. All of our psychotherapists are experienced, seasoned clinicians.
What should I expect from therapy services?
The team at Full Living prioritizes above all things to making good matches between you and your therapist.
Rather than having to try your luck at picking out a random therapist, or going to a group practice that has the least skilled clinician in the group place you with the next therapist in the queue based on a brief phone conversation, director Karen L. Smith MSS, LCSW, does a full intake herself so she may help you find the therapist whose style and expertise match your personality and needs.
After meeting with you and learning why you’re seeking therapy, she recommends the best match for you, whether it’s her or one of the Full Living therapists located throughout the Philadelphia region.
Prioritizing cultural competence
The therapists at Full Living serve clients from different backgrounds, with varying belief systems and life experiences. All therapists at Full Living offer culturally competent services, including aiding those who are transgender, non-binary, kink, and polyamorous.
Offering a full range of approaches
Full Living offers individual, couples, family, and group therapies for adults, teens, and children. Your therapist also helps coordinate psychiatric services, psychological testing, nutritional counseling, and other services you may need.
If you have questions about therapy or you’d like to schedule a free initial appointment,please fill out the contact form, email or call Full Living: A Psychotherapy Practice. We look forward to connecting with you.
If you would like to read more about issues related to this topic, please check out some of these blog posts.
Psychotherapist as a Dance Archeologist
Attending to the Unconscious in a Psychotherapy Session
In Defense of Long Term Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy Myths
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