Paula J Hamm LPC

About

Psychoanalytic psychotherapy is an effective, evidence-based treatment grounded in psychoanalytic principles; it has been shown to be helpful for a wide variety of mental health issues. It is especially beneficial for problems that don't respond to other therapies or medication alone. What to expect--The relationship patient develops with the analyst is key in psychoanalysis. Typically, treatment involves the patient coming several times a week, lying on a couch as openly and freely as possible. Treatment is about developing a relationship. Many patients come to therapy because of pain. The pain of loss, the pain of trauma, inability to cope, insecure or ambivalent or insecure attachments or just downright unhappy with life. Together we work on putting the pieces of emotional history together, at first however fragmented, to create a cohesive narrative. Emotional work is not like academic learning. Academic learning comes quicker than emotional learning. Emotional learning is slower, takes time, musing, associations, dreaming, daydreaming and talking about feelings. Emotions matter in life and are central to all other learning. Emotions are the psychological bedrock on which all of life is lived. When people talk about not being able to cope or are unhappy, or depressed or anxious what people are really talking about is not having language for their emotions. Psychotherapy is a talking cure for a professional who provides a safe, secure and trusting environment for emotions to evolve. Please visit my website for more on the power of psychoanalytic psychotherapy.

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