Talk Therapy & Traditional Counseling
Not everyone wants EMDR.
Sometimes you just want a therapist to sit down with you, talk things through, help you understand what is happening, and figure out what to do next.
That is therapy too.
At Northwest Mental Health Alliance, several of our clinicians offer traditional talk therapy for people who want support without jumping directly into trauma processing.
What is talk therapy?
“Talk therapy” is a broad term for therapy that primarily happens through conversation.
Depending on your needs and your therapist’s approach, sessions might include:
Talking through current stressors, relationships, or life changes
Understanding patterns in the way you think, feel, or respond
Learning practical coping and emotional-regulation skills
Working on anxiety, depression, self-esteem, boundaries, or communication
Exploring identity, relationships, family dynamics, or past experiences
Developing new ways of responding when old patterns are no longer working
Having a consistent place to sort through things with someone who is not personally involved in your life
Some sessions may feel reflective. Others may be practical and solution-focused. Often, they are a combination of both.
You do not have to process trauma
Because NWMHA specializes in trauma treatment and EMDR, people sometimes assume that working with us means they will eventually be expected to do EMDR.
Nope.
EMDR is one option. It is not a requirement.
You can come to therapy because you are overwhelmed, anxious, stuck, going through a transition, dealing with relationship problems, trying to understand yourself better, or simply wanting support.
You also do not have to dig through your entire childhood unless it is actually useful to you.
Your therapy should match your goals, not a therapist’s favorite treatment method.
Talk therapy can be a good fit if you...
Want someone to help you think through what is happening in your life
Want support but are not interested in EMDR or trauma processing
Are dealing with anxiety, depression, stress, grief, relationship concerns, or life transitions
Want to improve boundaries, communication, or coping skills
Are exploring identity or trying to understand yourself better
Want therapy that can be flexible rather than centered around one specific treatment model
Mostly need a place where you can say the things you cannot say everywhere else
You do not need to be in crisis to benefit from therapy.
And you do not have to arrive knowing exactly what you want to work on. Figuring that out can be part of the process.
Our approach
Our therapists are not all identical, and we think that is a good thing.
Different clinicians may draw from approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy, relational therapy, skills-based interventions, trauma-informed therapy, mindfulness, psychoeducation, and other evidence-based approaches.
The common goal is to provide therapy that is collaborative, practical, respectful, and actually useful in your real life.
We also work with many neurodivergent and LGBTQIA+ clients and strive to provide care that does not automatically treat differences as problems that need to be “fixed.”
Who offers talk therapy?
Most NWMHA clinicians offer talk therapy, including our associates and graduate-level interns.
Linda and Kevin primarily focus their practices on specialty services and are not currently providing traditional talk-therapy services.
Working with an intern can also be a great option for clients looking for affordable ongoing therapy. Our interns are graduate students completing advanced clinical training and receive regular supervision from experienced licensed clinicians.
Talk therapy and EMDR can also coexist
Choosing talk therapy now does not mean you can never do EMDR.
Some clients stay with traditional therapy long-term. Some eventually decide they want to address a specific traumatic experience using EMDR. Others may use both approaches at different points in treatment.
There is no required progression.
We can help you determine what makes sense based on what you actually want from therapy.
Looking for someone to talk to?
Tell us a little about what you are looking for through our new-client screening form.
The more information you provide, the easier it is for us to determine which clinician may be the best fit.