Depth Psychotherapy & Self-Exploration
Understanding yourself is one thing. Living differently is another.
You might have a pretty good understanding of yourself.
You recognize your patterns. You can connect some of your present-day difficulties to past experiences. You may have spent years reflecting on your relationships, emotions, and the reasons you respond the way you do.
And yet, certain things haven't changed.
You still find yourself withdrawing when you want connection, questioning your needs, or reacting in ways that don't quite reflect the person you want to be.
Sometimes insight gives us an explanation without necessarily giving us more freedom.
Depth-oriented psychotherapy allows us to spend time exploring those patterns, not simply to understand where they came from, but to consider how they continue to shape our lives.
I offer ongoing depth-oriented psychotherapy online for adults in Florida and Indiana.
Looking beneath the immediate problem
People usually come to therapy because something is difficult.
It might be anxiety, a relationship that's no longer working, a painful transition, or a feeling of disconnection they can't quite explain.
We'll begin with whatever brings you in.
But I'm also interested in the larger context of your experiences.
How did you learn to navigate relationships? What have you come to believe about yourself? How do you respond when you feel vulnerable, disappointed, angry, or uncertain?
What have you learned to protect yourself from, and what have those protections made possible or more difficult?
These aren't questions we need to answer all at once.
They're questions we can become curious about together.
More than intellectual understanding
Much of our emotional and relational lives happens outside our immediate awareness.
We may understand why something is upsetting and still feel overwhelmed by it. We may know we want a different kind of relationship but struggle to tolerate the vulnerability it requires.
In therapy, we'll pay attention to both what you understand and what you experience.
Sometimes that means exploring your history or recognizing a familiar relational pattern. Other times, it means slowing down and noticing an emotion, physical response, or feeling that's difficult to put into words.
I'm not interested in forcing change or treating every defense as something to dismantle.
Often, our familiar ways of responding have served important purposes. Understanding those purposes helps us become more thoughtful about when they still serve us and when we might want something different.
What does longer-term psychotherapy look like?
My approach is exploratory and often longer-term.
Unlike a treatment organized around a predetermined number of sessions, our work develops collaboratively around your needs, interests, and goals.
We may begin with something relatively specific and discover that it connects to larger questions about identity, relationships, or how you want to live.
Or we may stay focused on a particular concern.
There's no requirement to explore every part of your history, and there's no expectation that you remain in therapy indefinitely.
We'll regularly discuss how the work is progressing and whether it continues to be useful.
What we're working toward
I don't think psychological health means never experiencing anxiety, grief, conflict, or uncertainty.
Those things are part of life.
What matters is developing greater freedom in how we respond to them.
Being able to recognize our feelings without immediately avoiding or acting on them. Developing relationships where we can be both connected and honest about our needs. Making choices that reflect what matters to us rather than relying entirely on familiar patterns.
And perhaps most importantly, bringing what we discover about ourselves into the lives we're actually living.
FAQs
Is depth psychotherapy the same as psychodynamic therapy?My work is informed by psychodynamic and relational perspectives. These approaches pay attention to how personal history, emotional experiences, and relationships influence our present lives. I also draw from other clinical approaches according to your needs.
Do I need to know what I want to explore before starting?No. Many people come to therapy knowing that something isn't working, without fully understanding why. We can begin there.
Is this appropriate if I have anxiety, depression, or trauma?Yes, depending on your individual needs. We can address symptoms and immediate concerns while also exploring their broader psychological context. If a different level or type of treatment would better serve you, we'll discuss that.
Interested in exploring whether this approach is right for you?
I offer a free 15-minute consultation so we can talk about what you're looking for and whether working together makes sense.
What Others Have to Say
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Patricia is a compassionate, intelligent, authentic therapist. Creative and driven, she stays current with evidence-based practices and is dedicated to her clients' well-being. A truly caring and knowledgable professional that helps clients grow.
Gertie Mallard-Teal, Counselor, MS, LMHC, C-DBT
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Patricia embodies deep wisdom and takes a holistic, integrative approach to therapy. She fosters radical self-compassion and creates a healing space rooted in understanding rather than pathologizing.
Shaundra McGuire, Counselor, MA, LMHC
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Patricia is a trustworthy colleague and clinician. She is warm, friendly, compassionate, and educated which shows in her work with her clients.
Julia Monte, Counselor, MA, LMHC