Taryn Thomas, MA, MFT

We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.

--T. S. Eliot

Why do therapy?

Why embark on a relationship with someone you don’t know, to talk about difficulties or challenges in your life?

Sometimes, when we tell family or friends how we are feeling, they react personally or try to explain away our experiences rather than make room for them. I believe that a relationship with a therapist is one in which significant change can take place. The neutral environment of therapy provides space to explore our experiences without worrying about angering, hurting, or upsetting someone else.

Why do so many of us resist psychotherapy?

Perhaps we believe that it is frivolous, that we should be able to take care of ourselves, or that relying on someone else is a sign of weakness. I believe that we do not need to carry our pain by ourselves, to pull ourselves up by the emotional bootstraps. Therapy can be a place to seek assistance and support in both identifying and pursuing our goals, and in acknowledging our successes.

Often, when we start to feel better, to make healthy choices, people close to us need time to adjust. It is as if we have rearranged the furniture and those around us come home to a power outage—things have been rearranged and people are bumping into them. Therapy can be a place to talk safely with someone who won’t judge you for what you’re going through, and who will help you and those close to you navigate the new floorplan with less injury.

Please feel free to call or email me with any questions or for more information.