A CONVERSATION WITH ANNA
How would you describe therapy with you?
Clients have told me that my style is empathetic, caring, and compassionate. Since no two people are alike, I feel it’s important to mold my approach to each client individually. I empathically engage with each client in the moment in order to create resonance and connection.
There are many reasons for people to seek therapy and I am happy to accommodate any needs that are coming up for you. As a part of my approach, I recognize that there is also an unspoken need that draws people to therapy and that’s the need to feel felt, to open up in a vulnerable and connected way. I hope to give clients the space to do so in an experiential way, so they can learn to be with themselves more fully and without shame.
Another thing to mention is that I love to use laughter and humor as a tool. Contrary to popular belief, therapy doesn’t always have to be so serious. In fact, laughter can be extremely healing and grounding, which can be a huge asset in your journey towards growth.
How did you decide to become a therapist?
Through some of my own struggles, I have been fortunate to receive help from therapists who provided me with the compassion and security I needed. Thanks to this experience, I learned to develop self-compassion, patience, resilience, and self awareness. However, it wasn’t a quick or painless process. I spent many years prior pushing down my own difficult memories and emotions until it finally caught up with me in ways that made me feel lost, anxious, and hopeless.
In time and with some new clarity, I learned to be accepting of my anger, my sadness, my grief and my pain. I no longer had the same strong flight response that caused me to react so impulsively on my insecurities. My emotions and thoughts were no longer a burden to me.
This transformation gave me the inspiration to travel down the path of becoming a counselor in order to help others gain that same feeling of compassion, clarity, and connection that I experienced with my self, my therapist, and many others.
What is one thing about you or your work that you would want clients to know?
More important than any approach that I have trained in, or any knowledge that I can bring into the room, is our therapeutic relationship. You are the expert on your life, I am only here to help you navigate through it.