It's called "brief" because it's narrowly focused and best suited to certain circumstances:
A Recent Upsetting Event: Brief
therapy can be very helpful for recent upsetting events, such as the death of a loved one or a recent relationship break-up.
When your life is in upheaval, talking things over with a "neutral" person can give you new perspective, assist with difficult feelings,
and help you "get back on your feet."
Anxiety and Depression: Many symptoms of anxiety and depression can be alleviated
in brief therapy. If you have acute symptoms (recent or more instense than usual) there are many techniques, strategies
and "tools" you can learn, within a relatively brief period of time, to help you cope and manage your symptoms.
Brief Therapy & Counseling
Depth therapy is available for more profound change. It goes beyond help coping with symptoms, and aims for longer lasting and
wider ranging benefits. The focus is on difficulties that have existed for a long time, such as patterns of emotional response
and behavior that repeatedly cause problems in your personal or work relationships and affect the quality of your life.
Among other things, depth therapy addresses difficulties arising from trauma or difficult childhood experiences and relationships
that have had a lasting impact on the person you have become. Depth therapy can occur in either individual or group therapy
Which
is for you?
It is often difficult to know until therapy gets underway, and you have had a chance to learn what therapy
is like, how it works and what is possible to accomplish in your case. I use aspects of both ways of working from the beginning.
As time passes, the work we will do all depends on you, your needs, goals and preferences, and what you choose to do about them.
Barbara Elbl, MFT, CGP
(Ca. Lic. MFT #33788)
DOT Substance Abuse Professional
Certified Group Psychotherapist
4333 California Street
(at 5th Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94118
415-681-1757