It is a „one-to-one” process, in which the client and the therapist work together to establish a therapeutic alliance in a setting that is safe, containing, confidential, fosters hope and inner growth and which allows the client to explore significant life experiences and relations, feelings, beliefs, relational patterns, helps the client give alternative meanings to difficult or traumatic experiences and integrate them in their self, fosters curiosity and a better knowledge of oneself, allows the person to bring change to their lives.
Individual clients search for psychotherapy for a variety of reasons:
- whenever one is faced with distressful situations, potentially triggering unintegrated past experiences (of bereavement, loss, separation, relational distress);
- whenever one feels stuck in their lives, unable to complete a life stage and move on to another (and may experience ongoing dissatisfaction, feelings of emptiness and lack of purpose in life, may feel as if they are not on the right path, may find it difficult to identify their needs among expectations coming from others);
- if one experiences anxiety, depression, anger, or emotions that are overwhelming, or hard to manage;
- whenever the ‘’inner coach’’ becomes too critical and their inner voices get stuck in an unproductive dialogue, sending messages as one may not be good enough, one may not deserve a certain person or position in their life, one may be easily hurt, rejected or harshly judged by others;
- when one has experienced trauma and abuse in their lives, experiences which have negatively impacted their self-esteem, the trust in others, their availability to initiate and maintain healthy relations;
- if one lives with a somatic or psychosomatic condition, has a psychiatric diagnostic or is the caretaker of a significant other who is experiencing either of these situations;
- whenever an addictive behavior seems to be the only solution to problems one is facing in their lives;
- for purposes such as personal growth and gaining a better knowledge of oneself;
Individual psychotherapy may have a duration varying from a few sessions to several years, may come as a continual process, or may have different dynamics, according to the client’s availability and desire to more profoundly explore personal themes.