Individual Therapy

Helen’s* father was a cruel, abusive man.

He was mean when he was sober and even meaner when he was drinking. Whenever she came home from school, she never knew what awaited her on the other side of the door. She was the oldest of three children, which, in her father’s eyes, made her responsible for anything and everything that didn’t go his way.

He frequently abused her, both verbally and physically. She hated him but didn’t dare say anything. Instead, she went out of her way to ensure that “everything was perfect all the time.” But it was never enough. He told her she was stupid and lazy. He told her how selfish she was and how she only thought of herself.

Helen was starting to believe these things might be true.

Celine’s* marriage to Jack* started out great.

He was kind and considerate. He said such sweet things. He told her she was pretty and gave her nice gifts. But once they were married, it was like a switch flipped. Suddenly, he was critical and demeaning.

He was proud to have won such a beautiful young woman for his own. In his eyes, it showed the world how successful he was. But he didn’t appreciate her.

He was rude to her in front of her friends and coworkers. He told her she was lucky to have him and that no one else would ever want her. Whenever she didn’t do what he wanted, he told her how ungrateful and selfish she was.

The young woman who used to be confident and happy had lost all confidence in herself and her future.

Gary* was starting to think he would never amount to anything.

His father, who also struggled with self-confidence, wasn’t any help. He regularly compared Gary to his older brother, who was “smarter,” “more successful,” and “more athletic.”

Despite earning a degree in software engineering and landing an entry-level job in his field, Gary constantly doubted himself. He had nagging thoughts like, “I am unlikeable,” “I am inadequate,” and “I am unworthy.”

To compensate, Gary did whatever he felt was necessary to have some semblance of what he thought was acceptance. He spent so much time pleasing others that he never tended to his own wants or needs. He was becoming angry and resentful.

Are YOU stuck on the people-pleasing merry-go-round?

If you are, deep down, you’re probably terrified that you’ll upset someone or let them down.

And if that’s where you are, Great Expectations is here to help. Helen, Celine, and Gary represent a composite of the scenarios that can destroy your confidence and well-being.

This is our specialty!

I am happy to say that, in our practice, most of our clients reclaim their confidence and build hopeful, happy futures.

How do we help you turn things around?

I’m so glad you asked!

Asserting and maintaining healthy boundaries…

First, you must realize you aren’t all-powerful and all-knowing. You can’t be everywhere all at once, either. You’re shocked. Okay, probably not, but somehow you STILL have people in your lives that make you feel guilty if you aren’t there to fix THEIR problems.

To fix that, we will teach you how to set up and keep healthy boundaries. You are going to learn the “Ten Laws of Boundaries.” One example is the “Law of Responsibility.” You are responsible for YOUR thoughts, emotions, and actions. You are not responsible for your son’s, daughter’s, mother’s, father’s, or crazy Uncle Joe’s responsibilities.

Sounds basic? Sounds easy? It is… until one of these folks fires up new manipulative tactics.

Challenging your thoughts…

We’ll also teach you how to identify those nagging thoughts that hang around, like cousin Eddie’s French poodle on meatloaf night. They are the thoughts and beliefs that take you from being confident to feeling like you can’t do anything right.

These little ankle-biters will convince you that there is no hope for you. They will nip at your heels until you are convinced you will never be successful or don’t deserve to be liked or valued.

We’ll then teach you to challenge and replace them with true and positive thoughts.

Learning to relax and let your hair down…

But wait … there’s more! If you call today, we will throw in a set of Ginsu knives and an automated onion and potato slayer. Not really.

But we will teach you a dynamic trio of tools to help you relax, lower your pounding heart rate, and get into that Christmas-on-the-beach, best-day-ever mindset. You will identify the red flags that signal you’re edging toward anxiety so that you can head it off at the pass.

You will build a list of places to go, people to see, and things to do to put you in the right head space.

Here’s what therapy did for Helen, Celine, and Gary…

Helen is a confident young woman who just finished her degree in business administration. She has her own apartment and a regular social group. She has solid boundaries, knowing exactly who she is and what she will and will not do. Still, others speak about her with admiration – about the motivated, self-assured woman who helps others in a way that empowers them to help themselves.

Celine moved on from her abusive relationship, enjoying new friends and challenges. The trauma of her past marriage no longer hangs over her like a wet blanket. She uses what she has learned to help other young women in circumstances like those of her past. Instead of isolating herself in her apartment, she enjoys hiking, eating out, and going to the movies.

Gary no longer considers himself unlikable, inadequate, and unworthy. He has a fiancée he plans to marry in the fall. He found a new job, got promoted, and bought a house. He has learned to manage his anxiety through effective boundaries, exercise, good sleep habits, and healthy eating. When you ask how he is doing, he smiles and jokingly says, “I’m living the dream.”

We can do this (and more) for you!

The stories you have just read are a mash-up of several clients who have come to see me. They were people just like you. They finally had enough and decided today was the day they would take matters into their own hands. Today was the day they would get help.

In this moment, you are standing at the door of a new life. Reach up and grasp the door knob. Turn the handle. Push the door open and step through. I am waiting on the other side to help you find relief … new perspective … and a life full of possibilities.

Contact me today: (336) 310-5112.

*Names and stories are composite narratives and do not reflect actual clients.