Individuals who seek my help are hurting emotionally. They feel very badly about what’s going on in their lives and want things to be better. Often they feel helpless—helpless and frustrated as they’ve tried doing things differently but nothing seems to work.

The adults whom I serve have a wide variety of difficulties from eating and sleeping troubles to being fearful and worrying constantly about all sorts of things. Many have experienced loss—loss of a loved one; loss of their health; job; or the letting go of a long held dream. Some are in an unfulfilling or even an abusive relationship; others feel dissatisfied with their work or career.  Some lose their tempers and get into mean-spirited confrontations with others. Many don’t have friends and are lonely. Feelings of anxiety—even panic attacks—as well as anger, sadness, guilt, frustration and low self esteem are common. Some individuals seek my help because they engage in self defeating behaviors they don’t understand and can’t stop. Others are depressed, showing little interest in anything. They may even be harmful to themselves or others.

Stresses may come from inside or outside. Bodily changes and medical problems may cause considerable anxiety. Major life changes such as death and divorce may affect their ability to cope with daily life. Past physical, sexual and emotional traumas may never have been resolved, leaving worries that interfere with current functioning, to name just a few.

It’s sometimes very difficult for individuals to make that initial call for help, but once I’m contacted, they often feel greatly relieved to meet with me and discuss their situation—what’s happening and what might be helpful.

How Change is Achieved

I believe that understanding and helping individuals with their feelings is the key to making substantive, lasting behavioral changes. During psychotherapy, my goal will be to understand what you are going through. I will gently make you aware of self-defeating behaviors, then explore the feelings underneath. Very sensitive to people’s feelings, I approach the work in “bearable bits,” with the length of the therapeutic process dependent upon the needs of each individual.

After a few exploratory sessions, I have a pretty good idea of what’s going on. Then we can discuss how best to proceed. Might psychotherapy be helpful? If so, how often? Psychotherapy ranges from one session per week to several, depending on the nature of your problem(s).

When should you contact me and how? 

You should contact me if your problems are interfering with your daily activities or if others are being negatively affected by your behavior.

Call Victoria Todd at (440) 835-5770 or fill out my online form.

Fee Agreement

Fees and health insurance coverage will be discussed during our initial appointment.