Why a home visit?

Mental health care looks a lot different these days then it did decades ago (though some things are frustratingly the same but that’s a post for a different day). For people my age and younger, it’s pretty acceptable to see a therapist, online or in real life. In fact, over the past two years, more people than ever have sought out mental healthcare. Not only that, they’re vocal about it. Which is wonderful! Mental wellness should be for everyone; there's no shame in caring for yourself that way.

But for the majority of my clients, who are from an older generation, therapy is still something to be whispered about, not shouted. Many of my clients have never spoken to a therapist before. As a result, they’re a little overwhelmed by sitting down with a stranger to spill their deep, dark secrets.

This is where the home visit really shines.

There is a natural power imbalance between a therapist and a client, no matter how we both may want to pretend we’re on equal ground. The client is in a vulnerable position, about to answer some really personal and difficult questions; the therapist holds a lot of power in that situation. But when I enter your home, I am first and foremost your guest. This evens the playing field immensely. In your private, comfortable space, I am a visitor and you get to make the rules.

For many of my clients, meeting at home helps them open up faster. There are literal objects to point at when they begin to feel stuck, for instance: a wedding photo or a trinket from a long ago vacation. There is the comfort of being in your own safe space as we begin the hard work of feeling better.

So while it may seem strange to some that I don’t have a physical office, others are relieved to hear that they don’t have to go anywhere; I’ll come to you in the place you feel most comfortable. The only expectation is that I’ll show up, we’ll sit down, and you get to talk. How easy is that?