Barbara Grote, Ph.D., Psychologist
(206)330-6175
Therapy
Describing therapy in a few words is challenging. As I see it, the therapy process needs to be as unique as the individuals who come to therapy and the variety of reasons they come. What is common to all good therapy, though, is:
- It's a regular time and space to slow down, to focus on what you're feeling and experiencing, to explore possibilities, and to be deeply heard.
The success of the therapy process depends upon a good fit between you and the therapist. I encourage you to "trust your gut" on this. Aside from having an experienced therapist, the other key factor to therapy success is your active participation/collaboration in therapy.
Therapy is a non-linear process. I have learned to trust, however, that what is most important will emerge as the process progresses. Therapy is also a relational process. As humans, we get to know ourselves by being understood and cared for by others. As such, I have found that therapy is generally most effective when we meet weekly. Occasionally, we'll agree that it makes sense to meet more or less frequently.
Depending on your goals, our work together might include:
- Talk therapy--using humanistic, psychodynamic, and/or cognitive approaches
- Dream work
- Collaborative problem solving
- Journaling
- Somatic therapy--Based on neurobiological and attachment theories, this body-focused therapy can be helpful in working with trauma, anxiety, and challenges in emotional regulation. This approach uses somatic inquiry, somatic empathy, somatic observation, and principles such as oscillation to bring the body into a normal or regulated state.
Regardless of the specific approaches we use together, my work with you will be based on establishing a trusting and collaborative relationship with you. I'll attempt to understand deeply what you are experiencing and share this understanding in a way that is helpful to you, offering feedback and observations. Importantly, your feedback to me of what is helpful and what is not, as well as how you're feeling, is highly valued throughout the process.
