What happens in therapy?
A common misconception is that a therapist gives advice. However, any good psychotherapist is not there to impose their values or opinions on to you. The goal of therapy is to help you clarify for yourself what's important, uncover your own mental blocks and to support you in an empowering journey to lead a more fulfilling life. The process is driven by whatever is most meaningful or troublesome to the client. The therapist's role is to ask the right questions and offer observations and information about patterns and dynamics in order to facilitate the client's own exploration.
What's the difference between counseling and psychotherapy?
The difference between counseling and psychotherapy is that counseling is typically sought out for more short-term problems, whereas psychotherapy helps with more longstanding patterns that typically have roots in the past. Since most people have a relatively unexamined subconscious mind, many seemingly superficial problems typically have deeper roots.
How is holistic psychotherapy/counseling different from mainstream psychotherapy?
Traditionally, psychotherapy is based on the medical model in which individuals are categorized into a diagnosis. Holistic psychotherapy believes that people are more than a set of symptoms. Also, many mainstream evidence-based practices (like CBT) work on cognitions, emotions and behavior, isolating these dimensions from the rest of the person. Holistic psychotherapy views the person as a whole - physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, creatively, socially - and also looks at the interaction of all these influences in dealing with an individual. Basically, it accounts for the unique situation of a person without categorizing him/her or trying to fix "thoughts and emotions" outside the context of the 'whole'. The holistic approach also takes a broader perspective of life and the subconscious, wherein we attract certain life circumstances for a reason and if there's a situation or problem knocking on one's door right now, it is vital and meaningful to understand the unique significance of the problem to that person.
What is the transpersonal model of education? How is it different from a regular model?
The transpersonal model of education (which I've been trained in) utilizes a model of education called 'whole person education'. While a regular PhD only informs the intellect, this model adds to the intellectual information with additional training in the physical, social, creative, emotional, mental and spiritual dimensions of life. The idea behind this kind of education is that in order for a mental health professionals to powerfully and effectively help other people and perceive others' problems accurately, it is imperative to first work on themselves in all these areas. Clearing themselves of their own blind spots enhances and sharpens their perspective and efficiency to then affect change in others. I believe that it not only makes therapy more effective but is an ethical responsibility for therapists to clear themselves so that they are truly able to help others without coloring the therapeutic process with our own "stuff".
Who goes to therapy?
I can unequivocally state that therapy can profoundly benefit any and every human being who is open to the process of self-discovery and empowerment.
Should I be embarrassed to get therapy? Is there something wrong with me if I need therapy?
Absolutely not! On the contrary, it is an act of courage and wisdom to be humble enough to ask for help. Everyone struggles at some point in their lives and getting help from a professional who has expertise is a much wiser decision than trying to distract from the problem or taking other people's advice.
Is therapy a painful process? Should I be afraid of what might come up?
The therapy process is designed to make things better - pain is certainly not the goal. However, as part of the healing process, certain painful feelings that were previously repressed may surface but this natural and sometimes necessary in order to move beyond the issue. However, the therapist will instruct you on exactly what to do when those painful emotions arise and so even though the feelings may come up, you're given the toolkit to deal with them in a way that takes you out of the previous mode of "suffering".