DK Therapy has grown, and we would like to give you the opportunity to get to know a little more about our therapists, what challenges their clients face, and what it would be like to work with them.
At DK, we focus on your comfort within the therapy office. We hope that knowing a bit about your therapist before your first visit, helps you make a connection even before meeting them.
Without further ado…Let’s learn more about adult therapist Clara Gay, LSW.
What do you hope clients gain when working with you?
Clara Gay: I hope that my clients feel a sense of empowerment and confidence through our work together.
Whether this looks like learning how to prioritize commitments based on your values, creating a self-care plan with tailored coping skills, or making a plan for navigating difficult situations, I always hope that my clients come away with a sense that they are strong enough to face whatever comes their way. Having this confidence is harder at points, during which I let my clients know I am their cheerleader until their self-trust is rebuilt.
What is a therapy session like with you?
Clara Gay: I strive to create a compassionate and non-judgmental space for my clients. In order to do this, I like to tailor my sessions to fit each clients’ needs through trying out different approaches and see what feels best for them.
Reading a good book with Reilly
I see each therapy session as an opportunity to discuss current stressors as well as focus on “big picture work” where we strive to work toward long term goals.
What self-care strategies do you use to manage life stressors?
Clara Gay: Successful self-care for me requires activities at differing levels of effort and time. My “lower level” forms include drinking a cup of coffee outside on a sunny day, petting a furry friend, or FaceTiming my loved ones. If I’ve got more time on my hands, I love to run by the lake (maybe even jump in after) or read a new book.
When I have oodles of time, traveling is one of my favorite forms of self-care, whether it’s to a familiar place or a new destination. Having so many “layers” of self-care helps me make sure that no matter how busy life gets, I always do what I encourage my clients to do: take time for themselves to recharge each day.
