Psychotherapy
The word “psyche” refers to the forces in an individual that influence thought, behaviour and personality. Borrowed from the ancient Greek, psukhe, it refers to the concept of self, encompassing modern ideas of soul, self, and mind. The word therapy is also borrowed from the ancient Greek therapeuein to attend, assist and hold in attention. So, psychotherapy is a place where both you and your therapist can together attend, assist, and hold in attention your body, mind and soul, through examining your thoughts, behaviour, and personality.
Some people refer to psychotherapy as “talking treatment” because it is generally based on an individual talking to a therapist. However, psychotherapy is much more than talking about your problems. While family or friends can help you feel better or even provide good advice for change, this is not psychotherapy. Psychotherapy is a professional relationship between a therapist and a client. Therapists are trained to understand what you say and how you say it. They pay close attention to body language, voice tone and content to fully understand what you are trying to say. You can tell therapists things without having to worry about your information being told to others or in any way affecting your job, family or relationships. It has been said that Psychotherapy is the most intimate relationship you’ll ever have with another human being.
How it works
The way in which Dr. Shroff will work with you will depend in part on what you seek from psychotherapy, how you understand your difficulties, abilities and available support, and any time-constraints you have. She believes that the relationship between the therapist and the client should be a collaborative one, in which both the therapist and client work together to come to an agreement on the goals and focus of therapy. The underpinning principle is that psychotherapy is no magic cure; rather, the capacity for cure lies within each person. Over time, clients develop a sense of mastery over their situations, feelings, thoughts and behaviours.
How long any treatment lasts depends on a number of factors; it may be as short as a few sessions or continue for a few years. Dr. Shroff generally provides sessions once or twice a week depending on clients need and preference. Sessions take place at the same place and time each week and last 50 minutes.
Dr. Sharmeen Shroff
Having learned and treated people with various conditions before, Dr. Shroff can comprehend an individual’s particular problems. She is familiar with the symptoms of various psychiatric illnesses and the difficulty of daily living. She knows what questions to ask and might pose questions that you have never heard before. There is nothing sophisticated about this; indeed, library shelves overflow with books on the subject of Psychology. What makes it meaningful is that Dr. Shroff did not just glean these principles from a book; she experienced them first hand through her work with clients.
Clinical Studies and experience have found that Psychotherapy can help with a variety of different issues, such as:
Anxiety
Stress
Depression
Sadness
Trauma
Adjustment Difficulties
Immigration and Acculturation Issues
Crisis Management
Relationship Difficulties
Identity Issues
Culturally Specific Issues
Chronic Illnesses
Psychotic Illnesses
Substance Abuse
Eating Disorders
Loss and Grief
