Therapy can feel like a leap into the unknown, and it’s natural to have questions about how it works.
This page offers a snapshot of what shapes the process—what therapy is, the key factors that contribute to its success, and some tips to help you navigate your own therapeutic journey
Planting the Seeds of Change
📖 Therapy - Origin: Ancient Greek - “Therapeia (θεραπεία)” - Healing
In my practice, I often use the terms "counselling" and "therapy" interchangeably. But as a bit of a word nerd, I lean towards the term therapy because it speaks more to the healing process, resonating with my approach. Ultimately, both processes center on building a meaningful relationship with a professional, discovering new insights, and fostering personal growth and change.
What Is Therapy?
According to the Psychotherapy & Counselling Fedeartion of Australia (PACFA), therapy is the process of meeting with a professional for the purpose of resolving problematic behaviours, beliefs, feelings and related physical symptoms. Therapy uses an interpersonal relationship to help develop the client’s self-understanding and to make changes in his or her life.
Some key points about therapy:
Therapy usually takes place on a one-to-one basis or may be done in group settings.
The client is able to choose a therapist and therapy style which is best suited to their particular situation.
A therapist and client will normally sit with one another for an hour to discuss the issues which are presented by the client.
The therapy process involves a ‘getting to know you’ period just like any new relationship.
The therapist and client play an equal role in the therapy process. There is no ‘expert’ in a therapy relationship.
The therapist’s intention is to make the therapy process both safe and supportive.
Everything that happens in therapy is confidential, except if your own or another person’s safety is at risk.
The Conditions Of Therapy
Therapy is a deeply personal journey, but there are a few key factors that research has continuously shown to prove good outcomes.
You Bring the Magic (40%)
Your unique strengths, interests, motivation and a couple of good people (or pets!) in your life make up the largest part of therapy’s success. These personal factors guide our work together.
The Relationship We Build (30%)
A strong therapeutic alliance—rooted in trust, empathy, and mutual understanding—is at the heart of effective therapy. The very reason why I invest so much into it.
Your Hope and Belief in the Process (15%)
Therapy is more powerful when you trust the process and remain open to change, even when it feels challenging.
What I Can Bring (15%)
Techniques and interventions chosen together help us navigate your feelings and experiences, unlocking new insights and opportunities for growth.
I hope this breakdown helps you see that while interventions and techniques play a role, the heart of therapy lies in the mindset you bring, the strengths within you, and the trust we build together. That’s why I invest so authentically into our relationship—it’s the foundation for healing and growth.
The Best Tips I Can Offer
The truth is, there is no “right” way to do therapy—it's a unique, organic process that unfolds at your pace. Simply come as you are and you’re off to a good start. But if it helps, I can offer a few key tips I encourage all my new clients to keep in mind as they begin their therapy journey with me.
Give It Time
While early improvements are common, lasting change takes time. It’s essential you feel safe in our relationship and that alliance can only happen with a number of sessions. Once our foundation is built, diving deeper to the heart of our work will come naturally. Gifting yourself the time needed to heal is healing in and of itself.
Bringing Yourself
Come exactly as you are—it’s key. The more you can show up authentically, the more we can do together. Therapy is about being yourself, in the moment, whatever that may mean for you.
Talking About Feelings (A Lot!)
Expect to talk about your feelings - a lot! Emotions aren’t something to avoid; they’re actually at the core of understanding yourself. By giving them space, we can tap into your deepest longings, unravel old patterns, and move toward more fulfilling ways of living.
Going Low (To The Heart Of The Matter) and Slow (Taking Our Time There)
Therapy breaks many social norms and will likely feel different to usual conversations. Silences, pauses, reflecting on what comes up for you are all part of the journey. While what you talk about is important, how you feel about it in the present moment is actually what matters most, so you will hear the phrase ‘Can we stay here for a moment?’ quite often. Quick Tip: Halve your pace, double your curiosity.
Productive Discomfort
The work we’ll do together may feel uncomfortable at times, but this discomfort is often an essential part of healing. Allowing ourselves to venture just outside of our comfort zone is usually where change happens. Just know I understand how scary that can be and will always respect your pace.
Be Gentle On Yourself
I believe engaging in therapy to be one of the bravest, most beneficial things anyone can do. The investment of not only hard earned dollars, but emotional and mental vulnerability are huge, but so are the potential rewards. So be kind to yourself on taking such a big step. My hope for you is that we are on the precipice of something new and I’m honoured to walk along your side toward it.
Trust the process.
