Individual Therapy
Licensed Therapists Helping Adults Resolve
Mental Health Issues & Relationship Problems
In today's fast-paced and ever-changing world, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Work demands escalate, relationships become strained, and anxieties can creep in, impacting our sleep, focus, and overall well-being. Mental health challenges, such as anxiety and depression, are more common than you might think, and while some people attempt to navigate these issues alone, they can often become more entrenched without professional support.
Seeking help from a licensed therapist isn't a sign of weakness – it's a sign of strength and self-care. Individual therapy provides a safe and confidential space where you can explore your thoughts, feelings, and experiences without judgment.
At Sweetgrass Therapy, you'll gain valuable tools and strategies to manage stress, anxiety, and depression, improve your coping mechanisms, and cultivate healthier relationships with yourself and others. Ultimately, therapy empowers you to take control of your mental health and build a more fulfilling life.
Why Adults Start Counseling
Anxiety Disorders & OCD
Untreated anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and OCD interfere with daily life. These conditions can cause you to suffer from many physical complaints such as rapid heart rate, headaches, stomach issues, teeth grinding and more. You may also have difficulty concentrating, intrusive (unwanted thought) nightmares and problems sleeping.
Depression & Suicidal Thoughts
Depression is more than feeling "down" or melancholy. It's the experience persistent sadness, hopelessness, and negative thought patterns. There are physical symptoms such as sleep problems, appetite changes, inability to feel pleasure, and much more. Suicidal thoughts or a desire to "disappear" often accompanies depression.
Work Stress & Burnout
Problems at work can cause anxiety, burnout, and other mental health issues. And working through the combination of factors that lead up to work-related stress is a delicate process. Most adults can't simply leave their jobs to alleviate stress. Counseling can help adults learn to cope with stress, and solve problems with more new, effective skills.
Major Life Transitions
Negative life changes such as a breakup/divorce or job loss is extremely stressful and can lead to increased anxiety and depression. These events can even make adults question their purpose in life, or damage their self-esteem. Even positive changes such as graduation, career advancement, or pregnancy can lead to increased stress because change is a natural destabilizer. It requires flexibility, attention, time and energy - which can add tension to your daily life.
Identity & Self-Esteem
Low self-esteem can lead to negative self-talk, a lack of confidence, and feelings of inadequacy. A fractured sense of self can originate from childhood neglect/abuse, a toxic relationship or work environment. In addition to problems with self-esteem, some adults may experience confusion about their identity. Due to similar issues, and other events, they might question their role or purpose in life and work.
Trauma & PTSD
Individuals who have experienced traumatic events, such as abuse, violence, or natural disasters, may suffer from symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares, or persistent anxiety. The effects of trauma can develop into a diagnosis of PTSD, but not always. Either way, the consequences of trauma and highly stressful events have a negative impact on daily life.
How Therapy Helps Adults
Improved Emotional Regulation
Counseling can help individuals gain greater awareness and control over their emotions. This can lead to improved mood, greater ability to handle stress, and better relationships with others. Emotional intelligence is an underrated life skill, but is directly related to overall health.
Increased Self-Awareness
Adults in counseling can gain a better understanding of their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. This increased self-awareness can lead to improved decision-making and better relationships with others. Also, coping skills are most effected when a person has awareness of their emotional and behavioral patterns.
Enhanced Communication
Even in solo sessions, adults can benefit from enhancing their communication skills. This includes better listening skills, improved assertiveness, and greater empathy for others. With this improvement, a person can set healthy boundaries that helps their personal relationships thrive.
Our Approach to Individual Therapy
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on the relationship between a person's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It works by helping individuals to identify and challenge negative thought patterns and beliefs that contribute to their distress. Through the use of various techniques, such as cognitive restructuring and behavioral activation, CBT can help individuals develop more positive and adaptive ways of thinking and behaving, ultimately leading to improved mental health and well-being.
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Existential Therapy focuses on exploring the meaning and purpose of life, as well as the unique experiences and choices that shape our individual existence. Through this process, clients can gain a greater sense of self-awareness, develop new perspectives on their problems, and find greater meaning and fulfillment in their lives. Overall, existential therapy can help individuals lead more authentic and meaningful lives. -
Trauma-informed counseling help adults by creating a safe and supportive environment that acknowledges the impact of trauma on their lives. This approach helps individuals gain insight into how trauma has affected them, learn coping strategies to manage the symptoms of trauma, and ultimately develop a sense of control and empowerment in their lives. It also helps them work on communication, boundaries and other aspects of their relationships. Sometimes, adults need help establishing healthy relationships in order to support their trauma-recovery. At other times, the relational work may be focused on forgiveness, reconciliation, or confrontation.
Starting Counseling is Simple
Fill out the New Client Form
It only takes a minute & starts the new client on-boarding process. We make it easy!
Schedule Your 1st Session
Our team will reach out ASAP to schedule the first session with your counselor.
Celebrate Your Growth
Enjoy lasting change! The Sweetgrass Way is all about your enduring health and happiness.
Blogs for Mental Health Topics
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Counseling for Anxiety: A Guide to Overcoming Your Fears
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Overcoming Depression: 7 Strategies to Help You Heal
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Breaking Free: A Guide to Healing Childhood Trauma
What’s holding you back from getting help for your personal goals?
▲ Time Constraints - “I don’t really have the time”
The responsibilities of modern life are often demanding and time consuming. And it's true that therapy also takes some investment of time. However, committing to a weekly counseling session might not be as burdensome as you think. In fact, most clients experience the time as passing quickly and covering a lot of ground in regard to goals and coping skills.
Additionally, you can also attend therapy via our secure Telehealth platform. It might be more convenient to attend weekly sessions during your lunch break, or comfort of home.
▲ Cost of Services - “I’m not sure my insurance even covers this”
Thankfully, most insurance plans include mental healthcare as a covered service. Depending on your plan, counseling may only cost as much as a regular copay for an office visit. Our office will research your insurance coverage once you onboard as a new client. So, you'll have an accurate estimate for what therapy will cost per visit. If you have questions about insurance, you can visit out Fees & Insurance page here.
▲ Stigma - “Going to counseling means I can’t handle my problems”
Seeking professional help doesn't mean that you are weak or a failure. It's actually a sign of resilience and courage to start therapy. Especially in the years immediately after the pandemic, adults are experiencing increased anxiety, depression and other issues. The acute stress and consequences of this global event is something that every person has been dealing with. It's only natural that you may find yourself needing more support.
▲ Fear of Opening Up - “It’s hard for me to trust...Being vulnerable is difficult”
Being hesitant to share about sensitive emotions, difficult thoughts, and negative experiences is a completely normal response to starting counseling. It takes a bit of time to build trust with a brand-new therapist, and we encourage you to be open about any hesitation, fears, or worries about being open with them. Our counselors are trained to be non-judgmental and will take your lead. They will not prod or cross your boundaries. Additionally, you can do effective work in counseling without sharing what you may consider your "deepest secrets". Take it one step at a time.
FAQs
❋ Can counseling sessions be online?
Yes. You may meet with your counselor via an online video call, instead of coming into the office. The Telehealth service we use is a secure online platform that is easily accessible. You can meet exclusively with your therapist online, or have a mix of in-person and Telehealth sessions. This is totally up to you and your unique needs.
❋ How long do I need to be in therapy?
The length of therapy can vary based on individual needs and goals. Some people may find that a few months of therapy is enough, while others may benefit from ongoing sessions over a longer period of time. Everyone is different, and each person's life has a variety of factors that will influence the course of treatment. We encourage clients to talk to their counselor about the frequency of meetings, how best to use time between sessions, and set time to measure progress. This can all help you get a better sense of how therapy is working for you over time. And it might help you understand when you want to reduce the frequency of sessions, terminate completely, or continue.
❋ Will insurance cover the cost of counseling?
Yes. Health insurance coverage includes mental health services such as outpatient counseling from Sweetgrass Therapy. In some cases, your therapy visits may only be cost of a copay. Our office will research your insurance coverage and get a "quote of benefits" for counseling for you before the first session. In this way, you can understand how to use your health insurance for counseling.
Finally, we're in-network with 3 major insurance companies - Aetna and BlueCross BlueShield.
❋ Will my therapist keep my information private & confidential?
Yes, mental health professionals are bound by confidentiality laws and are ethically obligated to keep your information private. However, there are some exceptions to this rule, such as if you pose a danger to yourself or others.
❋ What are my counselors qualifications and background?
Every therapist in our group has a Master's degree in Marriage & Family Therapy. This degree means that we are all trained in general mental health treatment (anxiety, depression, etc) and relationships (couples, families, groups). In addition to learning theory, our therapists have professional experience (client work) that was obtained during the education progress.
And more importantly, we’ve helped hundreds of clients work through mental health and relationship issues.
Our therapists are all licensed to practice mental health care in the state of Illinois. MFT licenses require continued education on a 2 year renewal cycle.
You may also ask your therapist about other parts of their background and qualifications. You may be interested to learn more about their professional experience in other fields or roles!
