Frank Manning, M.A., L.M.F.T. (661) 932-8551 [email protected]
Se habla espanol
Offices in Santa Clarita and Frazier Park, California
Serving Individuals, Families, Couples, Adolescents, and Children
Frequently asked questions:
Is therapy really for me?
You may be on the fence about therapy. You are hurting but are not sure if therapy will help. During my 20-plus years as a therapist, I have heard all the reasons people avoid taking that first step. Here are some:
I don't want to think about the past.
Yes, the past often comes up in therapy, just as it does in your every-day life. But a skilled therapist can help you make sense of all those conflicting thoughts and feelings that make you confused and unhappy.
Some clients fear they will be overwhelmed by their feelings. First, I teach you to manage your anxiety, so that you can effectively tolerate any difficult feelings that might surface. I let you set your own pace, so you can explore difficult issues when you feel ready. I won’t let you get in over your head; I am there with you all the way. Many clients are pleasantly surprised to discover that instead of feeling overwhelmed, they feel tremendous relief. "I can't believe this!" a female client said. "I never thought this could be possible. For most of my life I felt like I was suffocating. Now, I feel like I can breathe again!"
Therapy won’t help me; it has never helped before.
Some people have tried therapy but feel it did not help. So, they assume they are not meant to be happy. But there are many possible reasons why therapy did not work for you. Your therapist might not have been a good fit, or maybe you were not ready. I help clients mobilize their will; I inspire them to cast aside their doubts, and to take risks. Nothing ventured, nothing gained!
I will learn something about myself in therapy that I don’t like.
Some view the subconscious, or the unconscious, as it is also known, as a deep, dark unknown, filled with lurking sea monsters. They fear that in therapy, they will uncover some ugly truth about themselves. But many discover there are no monsters within; they are just human beings, flawed, like the rest of us, doing the best they can. Over time, they learn to accept and to love themselves.
Needing therapy means that I am weak and helpless; I should be able to solve my problems on my own.
I tell such clients we are all part of a network of humans who depend on one another. I ask, “Did you make the shoes you are wearing? Did you make the car you drive? How about the house you live in?” We all need others from time to time; as they say, “it takes a village.”
Okay, but I am still not sure…
If you are still not sure, contact me for an initial consultation to help you decide whether therapy is for you.
Is therapy really for me?
You may be on the fence about therapy. You are hurting but are not sure if therapy will help. During my 20-plus years as a therapist, I have heard all the reasons people avoid taking that first step. Here are some:
I don't want to think about the past.
Yes, the past often comes up in therapy, just as it does in your every-day life. But a skilled therapist can help you make sense of all those conflicting thoughts and feelings that make you confused and unhappy.
Some clients fear they will be overwhelmed by their feelings. First, I teach you to manage your anxiety, so that you can effectively tolerate any difficult feelings that might surface. I let you set your own pace, so you can explore difficult issues when you feel ready. I won’t let you get in over your head; I am there with you all the way. Many clients are pleasantly surprised to discover that instead of feeling overwhelmed, they feel tremendous relief. "I can't believe this!" a female client said. "I never thought this could be possible. For most of my life I felt like I was suffocating. Now, I feel like I can breathe again!"
Therapy won’t help me; it has never helped before.
Some people have tried therapy but feel it did not help. So, they assume they are not meant to be happy. But there are many possible reasons why therapy did not work for you. Your therapist might not have been a good fit, or maybe you were not ready. I help clients mobilize their will; I inspire them to cast aside their doubts, and to take risks. Nothing ventured, nothing gained!
I will learn something about myself in therapy that I don’t like.
Some view the subconscious, or the unconscious, as it is also known, as a deep, dark unknown, filled with lurking sea monsters. They fear that in therapy, they will uncover some ugly truth about themselves. But many discover there are no monsters within; they are just human beings, flawed, like the rest of us, doing the best they can. Over time, they learn to accept and to love themselves.
Needing therapy means that I am weak and helpless; I should be able to solve my problems on my own.
I tell such clients we are all part of a network of humans who depend on one another. I ask, “Did you make the shoes you are wearing? Did you make the car you drive? How about the house you live in?” We all need others from time to time; as they say, “it takes a village.”
Okay, but I am still not sure…
If you are still not sure, contact me for an initial consultation to help you decide whether therapy is for you.
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