Ellison’s Counseling Approach
“My purpose as a therapist is to find out what it means to be human.” —Rollo May
What is a
“counseling approach”?
There are countless ways of looking at therapy. Some therapists view their work as a medical treatment for disease, or as a classroom for learning ways to cope with symptoms. Others see it as an outlet to vent about problems, a place to seek guidance, or an exploration of self.
So how do I approach therapy?
I am first and foremost an existential therapist who integrates a variety of treatment models and techniques into a fundamental belief that both suffering and healing are core parts of a universal human experience.
My work centers around making meaning of and understanding that experience in ways that allow you to expand into your most authentic and empowered self.
At its core, my approach is:
Existential
Suffering, like any emotion, is an inevitable part of the human experience and something all of us have in common.
We can validate our experiences, make meaning of our pain, and also choose how to move forward. We have more power than we realize, even when certain pieces are out of our control, and it is worth tapping into that power. As Holocaust survivor and the father of existential therapy Viktor Frankl said, “When we are no longer able to change a situation - we are challenged to change ourselves.”
Intersectional
While it is great to be able to make meaning of and accept anything life throws at us, the reality is that the world is not designed with the vast majority of us in mind.
People of color, neurodivergent individuals, gender-expansive people, those with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ folks, and other marginalized groups face barriers and hardships that impact mental health and access to care. Good therapy requires recognizing the ways that our environments can harm or empower us, and finding ways to work with the realities of an unjust world.
I can’t know a person without also understanding the multitude of identities they hold and their relationship with the systems around them. I’m not here to gaslight you into believing that the world is perfectly just and fair. I’m also not here to deny the beauty and power inherent in your whole self.
I want to honor the entirety of your lived experiences as complex, multifaceted human.
Affirming
I have a deep admiration for the wide spectrum of humanity and want to celebrate diversity in every sense of the word.
My goal in therapy is not to help people become “better” according to a narrow definition set by a single cultural group (or diagnostic manual). My goal is to first understand what makes you who you are and who you want to be, and then break down the barriers that keep you from fully expressing that self in the world. I hope to support you in adapting to and living in a world that wasn't made for you--and discovering and creating spaces that are
We’re One Big Capy Family
If you are ready to face your hardships and make progress towards your mental health goals, you are right where you belong.
Achieve your mental health goals here at Capybara Counseling.
(Comic created in collaboration with Meg Adams, aka Artbymoga)