What To Expect In Psychotherapy – with Ellen Chen

With so many people interested in therapy, and learning about it from social media – often from non professionals, we thought it would be useful for our therapists to give you an idea of what therapy is like with them.

Starting from the first session, I will hold a space for you to feel comfortable and safe. I approach sessions with warmth, care, and respect. I entirely accept you for who you are as a person, regardless of your gender, age, religious background, or physical appearance. I am not here to judge you for who they are or what they did, I am here to help. I want you to trust me and feel that I am on your side.

When clients come to see me, they often have a pretty clear reason to seek out therapy (i.e. the loss of a job, break ups, wanting to improve their marriage, etc.), and maybe even a specific set of issues they want to work on.

But even if you don’t, we will work together to find out how therapy can best help you. Our work together is not just about symptom relief; it’s about fostering long-term growth and well-being.

Sometimes what a person brings into the room are symptoms of a deeper issue. These are usually deep-rooted patterns and beliefs contributing to current difficulties. For example, after an argument with your romantic partner, you come in and say you would like to “better manage your emotions and stop fighting”, I think to myself, “What is the root issue of this problem?” Sometimes it could be that you have experienced years of emotional neglect and have learned to silence your voice and abandon your needs, causing frustrations and arguments. In this case, we need to help you believe you deserve to have your wants and needs met, just like any other human being. Nothing is just what it seems. In our work together, I want to help you dive deeper into your psyche, rather than just scratching the surface.  

I always keep in mind that  some issues may make a person feel too vulnerable, or otherwise feel too difficult or uncomfortable to speak about. I will approach this delicately, with care, giving you as much time and space as you need to open up, while gently nudging you in the right direction. 

To do so, I pay close attention to not just what you say, but how you say it, as well as your body language and emotional cues. I will use gentle Socratic questioning to help you get to the root issue. Other methods include CBT and REBT techniques to address negative thought patterns, mindfulness practices to increase self-awareness, psychodynamic exploration to uncover childhood wounds, or philosophical approaches to foster a deeper understanding of yourself. I think that’s enough therapy lingo for now. If any of this resonates with you, please feel free to book an appointment with me.

Remember, you deserve to give yourself the chance to improve your mental health!



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