Michele Frances Purvin, LCSW-S, LCDC, LLC & Associates

How Does this Therapy Thing Work?

We will work together to become aware of your thoughts and feelings about a problem, and how to look at those problems in different, more manageable ways. Sometimes we will laugh together and sometimes cry together. Sometimes therapy will be hard, and you’ll want to quit. Don’t quit. Let’s talk about it instead. You won’t be alone with those tough feelings. You’ll take notes in session to remember some of the insights you had during session or to write down a resource. Sometimes I may gently challenge a thought or notice how the story you tell yourself is no longer helping you and we’ll figure out how to write an updated version of your story.

In between sessions, you might read a book, listen to a podcast, or do a worksheet to get even more out of your therapy. You’ll learn new activities or ideas to build the skills you need to get unstuck. Gradually, you will start to feel lighter, more balanced. You’ll have better tools for handling new challenges, and an increased sense of self-worth.

There’s no better feeling than a sense of accomplishment a good therapy session can bring — except for the first morning you wake up anxiety-free. Unpacking all the junk built up in your subconscious takes hard work, and it’s often not fun.

But it is very worthwhile.

Therapy and Counseling is very worthwhile. We will work together to become aware of your thoughts and feelings about a problem, and how to look at those problems in different, more manageable ways.

OUr Pledge to you

Oppression and discrimination in all its forms undermines mental health and our community. We are committed to anti-oppression and anti-discrimination in all that we do. That means that we pledge to work against individual and institutional racism, sexism, heterosexism (homophobia), ageism, ableism, classism, xenophobia religious prejudice and other forms of oppression that have damaged us all.

Our professional social work ethics and personal experiences have taught us to deeply respect and appreciate the diversity of the human experience and value the importance of this diversity in contributing to creating a compassionate, productive, non-discriminatory society.

"Counseling is an important part of life for many people. It helps us understand our feelings, learn new skills, and cope with difficult situations."

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"What Are Some Common Types of Therapy"?

There are many different types of therapy available today. Find out what they are and why they're so popular!

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one type of counseling that focuses on how we think and act. CBT teaches us to recognize negative thoughts and behaviors, and then replace them with more balanced thoughts.

Solution Focused Brief Psychotherapy (SFBT)

SFBT is another form of psychotherapy that helps people learn new ways of thinking and behaving. It's based on the idea that our emotions influence our behavior, and that by changing our emotional responses, we can change our behavior.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

DBT is an evidence-based treatment for borderline personality disorder (BPD), which is characterized by impulsive behaviors, unstable relationships, and self-injurious thoughts and actions.

Internal family systems (IFS)

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is an approach to psychotherapy that identifies and addresses multiple sub-personalities or families within each person’s mental system. These sub-personalities consist of wounded parts and painful emotions such as anger and shame, and parts that try to control and protect the person from the pain of the wounded parts.

Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)

IPT is one of the first forms of psychotherapy developed specifically for BPD. It focuses on helping patients develop healthy interpersonal relationships and learn how to manage emotions more effectively.

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)

REBT was developed by Albert Ellis, who believed that people's thoughts and beliefs were responsible for much of their emotional distress. He also believed that people had the power to control their own behavior and thought patterns. This approach emphasizes the importance of changing negative thinking patterns and replacing them with positive ones.