My Therapeutic Approach: Values That Guide My Work
When you’re looking for a therapist, I think it’s important to find someone whose values align with your own. It might be hard to know or judge this from a website or even a brief conversation with someone. While I hope you’ve reviewed my website and learned a bit about my values and approaches to therapy, I’m here to give you a little more info! Think of this as a “cheat sheet” about the therapist.
Therapy is a deeply personal journey, and the therapeutic relationship is a very important piece of this. As a therapist, I believe in creating a safe, non-judgmental, and collaborative space where you can explore your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. My approach is guided by the following core values:
1. Justice & Equity
If there’s one thing I know about myself, it’s that justice is something I’ve always felt in my bones. From a young age, this is something I began to understand and be aware of. While the world around me has changed, and my perspective has shifted, I have always had a strong sense of justice and held importance in equity. Of course, I am always learning and will never claim to be an expert in anyone else’s experiences, but I will always make an effort to uplift voices and help create spaces that are equitable.
2. Affirmation & Inclusivity
Another value that’s crucial in my life and my practice is affirmation of others, especially when it comes to aspects of your identity. However you show up and identify, that’s where I’ll meet you. I’m supportive of all gender identities and sexual orientations in my practice (and in my life). Queer affirming spaces are a necessity, so please know that I’m one provider you can count on for that. I will honor this in whatever ways you need, and I’m open to any and all feedback on how I can support you.
3. Authenticity & Passion
I believe that the therapeutic relationship is central to the therapy process. Without showing up authentically, I’d be doing you a disservice. I’m a passionate person, and I won’t hesitate to jump into a conversation with you about a mutual interest. I’ll thoughtfully offer my experience or opinion if you ask for it, but never if you don’t. I’m an imperfect human, and I’m not going to try to convince you otherwise! Just like you, I’m always working on myself and striving to be better.
4. Collabortive & Caring
I view therapy as a collaborative partnership, where we are working together to figure things out! I believe that you are the expert on yourself and your emotions, and I will show up as a support, a sounding board, a motivator, or a director (depending on what you need). Together we’ll determine what path works for you in terms of your goals and methods of treatment. I want this space to be what you need! I will still challenge you when it’s needed, and encourage you to show up better for yourself, because you deserve it.
5. Creativity & Growth
I believe that every individual person has the inherent capacity for growth, change, and healing. I will support you in understanding yourself, your values, and what drives you. We’ll deep dive into the past and the present to better understand what’s going on underneath. I incorporate lots of imagery and metaphor, and for those feeling brave, we can work together to incorporate techniques of art therapy as a way to externalize and express the unspoken. We can also try using EMDR, a technique that allows your brain to do the healing through body-based processing.
I understand that finding the right therapist is a personal and important decision. I hope this blog post provides you with some insight into my values and approach to therapy. If you believe my values resonate with you, I encourage you to schedule a free consultation call to learn more about how I can support your therapeutic journey.
Fill out my contact form here to schedule a call today!
Elizabeth Allen, LCPAT, LGPC, ATR-BC
Creative Pathways Counseling LLC
