Holly Altson, Psy.D.

About Dr. Altson

What people seem to most often want to know about a therapist is what it's like working with them. That can mean a lot of different things to different people, but that basic question is what I am going to try to answer here.

I think one of the qualities people most often reference when describing their experience of me as their therapist is "warm." Similarly, they refer to me as "easy to connect with," and "non-judgemental." I make it a priority in my practice to shape my interactions with each person specifically around what that individual is bringing into session. A somewhat cliché way of saying this is that I try to "meet people where they are." Maybe it is cliché, but I think it's probably a good way of putting it.

Most of the time, therapy sessions with me look like conversations. It is important to me not to waste your time, but there can be benefits to what seems like "just chatting," namely that we are building a rapport, creating a safe space to make it possible for you to discuss what can sometime be difficult topics. I also believe that there are times when seemingly random or inconsequential topics and ideas show up in session for a reason. I try to pay attention carefully and listen for connections which might not be so obvious. One of the ways to do this is to allow our interactions to be fluid and organic. Some of the best breakthroughs come out of allowing discussion to meander.

If any of this sounds like it might work for you, please contact me to discuss working together.

About Psychotherapy

First, a bit of a caveat. Psychotherapy is different for each person and often changes over time as circumstances — and the relationship with the therapist — change. It is more accurate to say that the therapeutic experience will be different for each pairing of patient and psychotherapist. Choosing a therapist doesn't have to be incredibly difficult, but it's also very important to recognize that some therapists might not fit well with some patients. Like any relationship, a certain amount of flexibility is realistic to expect to make it work well. And "ruptures" in the relationship can actually create opportunities to make it stronger, though this depends heavily upon the therapist's skills in navigating such situations and much less on the patient.

All that being said, there are many different theories and models for understanding human psychology. This leads to different ways of working with them and different ideas about what the goals of treatment should be. You may encounter terms and acronyms like, "psychodynamic/psychoanalytic," "CBT," "DBT," "ACT," just to name a few. There is often overlap among them, and, in practice, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between therapy sessions done based on one basic foundation versus another. Research supports the idea that what makes the most difference in therapy is actually the therapeutic relationship between psychotherapist and patient. This isn't all there is: clinicians attend school and years of training and are expected to continue learning throughout our careers for a reason. There is such a thing as therapy that isn't working, isn't going anywhere, and might even be doing harm. But if the therapist is skilled enough, as well as attuned enough to the patient, and if the patient is willing to work towards gradually being open to change (please note the careful wording of that phrase), and the rapport between them is good enough, there's a good chance for successful therapy to take place.

You may have noticed that all this is pretty vague. That's because, for reasons I've mentioned above, it's difficult to say for sure what your own experience in therapy will be like with whichever psychotherapist you choose. You are a unique individual, psychotherapists are unique individuals, and there is flexibility in how therapists do their work. If you are open to trusting the process, and if you mostly feel you have a therapist who is a close enough match for you, therapy can be a very rewarding experience. There are risks involved. Even helpful changes can be disruptive. You will be invited to be vulnerable. It may be difficult to trust the therapist. Sometimes your job will be to simply show up, and at other times you will have to dig deeper than that if anything is going to happen. There are some therapists who subscribe to the idea that "resistance" is a factor of patients being unwilling or reluctant to do the work. I do not take this view. As I see it, a large part of my job is to create a safe space and wait patiently for when people are ready to open up. When they don't, it is helpful information to observe and something to be worked through. It does not lead to an automatic conclusion that a person is unsuitable for therapy. I believe this work is worth it, but I also know it is not always easy or comfortable.

If, after reading all this, you feel ready to embark on this exciting path, please reach out and let me know if you think I can help.