Kezziah McDaniel

LPC

I think that the demonstration of my personality is important in my approach to therapy. I am a human first and a counselor, second. Allowing my personality to be present in therapy sessions allows for my clients to observe my authenticity. I also believe that it helps me to connect to my clients in a genuine way by being transparent and sometimes disclosing some of my own challenges. I think that this can be beneficial in helping them to recognize that they are not alone in their struggles.

A first session would be an opportunity for us to get to know one another and to assess if we can develop an appropriate fit to develop a therapeutic relationship. My style of therapy may not be what appeals to them so we would need to explore this in the first session. We would also discuss how therapy will proceed with regard to the number and frequency of sessions, goals of therapy, and possibly establish a regular and consistent schedule for sessions. I will also ask a number of questions to determine the specific challenges that the client is experiencing that prompted them to therapy. The first session would also be an excellent time for the client to ask any questions of me that will help them to feel more comfortable about engaging in this process.

I think that there is still a stigma attached to mental health. I think that there is a misunderstanding of the challenges associated with mental and emotional health. When people do not understand something, they tend to be fearful or apprehensive of it and work to avoid it. In addition, people do not want to be seen as weak or vulnerable, especially if they are in prominent positions or feel that they have certain expectations to meet. People need to feel safe to know that their struggles are not a reflection of who they are as a person and recognize that everyone needs help sometimes, whether or not they seek it.