Individual Counseling

Individual counseling is a unique and intentional relationship designed to help a person heal, grow and develop. Sometimes it is sought for personal development and at times to treat a specific symptom (such as depression, or anxiety) or generally to work through problems in relationship. But regardless of the concerns that initiated the therapy, the individual counseling setting aims to address the whole person over any one presenting problem.

When initiating individual therapy we will find a specific day and time that works for you weekly. That then becomes your hour each week until your schedule changes and you need to find a different time. With that in mind we do not have a scheduler as there is very little rescheduling of your appointments (like other medical providers). So therapy, in that sense, becomes more of a rhythm in which you begin to develop more self awareness of your own reflections and emotions within the relationship to your counselor. This type of therapy is often referred to as “depth psychology” or “relational psychotherapy” as it is more explorative and experiential in nature. The duration of therapy is determined by the client and we let you tell us when you feel ready to end or wind down therapy. This approach is in contrast to a cognitive behavioral style of therapies which tends to be shorter in duration, more directive by the therapist. less experiencial and often involves homework for the client to take home.

– FAQs on Individual Counseling –

What is our Modality & Approach?

Folktown Counseling is a psychodynamic practice. We utilize a contemporary relational approach of psychotherapy that is informed by the psychoanalytic tradition. So what does that mean?

A Tradition more than a Technique…

Different types of therapists and counseling services all within the same tradition

Psychodynamic therapy is more of a tradition than a specific technique. Examples of a technique might be EMDR, Mindfulness or Lifespan Integration, however these type of interventions are all based on themes that originate from a larger psychological tradition. A psychodynamic therapist can utilize any variety of these techniques but do so from a contextual understanding of a larger tradition.

What is the Psychoanalytic Tradition?

The Psychoanalytic tradition dates back to Sigmund Freud in late 1800s, and evolves through the mid century with theorists like Melanie Klein and Donald Winnicott to the contemporary work of writers like Karen Maroda and Nancy McWilliams. The many theorists that span this roughly 100 year tradition have all contributed to the field of psychology, providing perspectives that range from Ego Psychology, Object Relations Theory, Attachment Theory, Person Centered Therapy and Relational Psychotherapy. It is worth noting that most counseling today stems from this tradition (an example being Cognitive Behavioral Therapy founded by Aaron Beck who, himself, was an analyst).

What is Relational Therapy?

Initially analysis was purely an individual process of the client, so much so that the therapist would sit “behind their client” to avoid influencing the client’s own thoughts. But by the mid 1900’s therapy evolved to more a didactic (two person) process where the therapeutic relationship became a valuable part of the treatment.

The emergence of a relational focus started as early as 1935 when Melanie Klein began to study the formative parental relationships in infants and Rene Spritz (a Freudian analyst) began to observe the effects of orphaned children. By the 1950’s British Object Relations theorists would further this work and in the 1970’s  John Bowlby and Mary Answorth developed their concept of attachment theory. Shortly thereafter terms such as Relational Psychotherapy, Person Centered Therapy or Contemporary Relational Therapy, began to emerge from within the tradition.

What is Person Centered Therapy?

Relational perspectives in psychotherapy continued to emerge in the mid century. One of the more familiar relational perspectives was Rogerian Therapy or Person-Centered Therapy.  Carl Rodgers (1940s-80s) shifted the therapeutic focus more towards encouraging growth and development of a client than just treating symptoms. Rogers was also responsible for the term “counseling” for which Folktown Counseling takes its name. Hallmarks of Rogers’s person-centered therapy include: living in the present rather than the past or future and a view toward participating fully in our world and contributing to other peoples’ lives. This mid century emphasis in psychology helped establish therapy as a useful process for everyone – not just those with an debilitating illness.

Psychodynamic vs Psychoanalytic Therapist… what’s the difference?

While the two terms were at one time synonymous, a modern definition of psychodynamic is one that is informed by the analytic tradition, but with more flexibility. One example might be that a psychodynamic therapist holds to a weekly frequency of therapy, but not the 2-3 times a week that was required by analysis. And while a psychodynamic therapist is not required to be in analysis, they are encouraged to be in their own personal therapy (and/or consultation) while in practice. This allows therapists to experience being a patient while also providing therapy to others. Similar to analysis, a psychodynamic approach pays close attention to the unconscious patterns that emerge in clients to help them gain a better understanding of themselves. The emergence of transference and counter-transference in therapy (what the client or therapist feels toward the other) is often utilized in psychodynamic work to shed meaningful light on how a client interacts with others.

What conditions does a psychodynamic therapist treat?

Psychodynamic therapy is useful in treating most mental health disorders. It is often used in the treatment of depression, anxiety, panic disorder, relationship conflicts, disordered eating, sexual dysfunction, PTSD, addiction and adjustment disorders.