Sharon Butler

People come to therapy because of depression, anxiety, conflict, or trauma. Because of a broken relationship. Because life is devoid of joy, or stressful and overwhelming. Or because something has happened — a death, loss of a job, a harrowing experience — upsetting the way they see themselves, their relationships, even the world around them. To paraphrase Lao Tzu, people come to therapy because they recognize that if they don’t change direction, they will end up where they are going. My job is to help them change their direction. I don’t use set protocols and manuals, but instead listen closely to understand my clients at their deepest level — their patterns of thought, behavior, and emotions, their ways of being, their individual temperaments. That understanding, coupled with my clients’ concerns and goals, informs treatment. As appropriate, I draw on elements from a range of therapeutic techniques. The aim always is to help my clients find a better place, to help them understand