You’re stressed out by your kids, your job, your finances, your partner (or your inability to find a partner). You can’t seem to create a balance between your work and the rest of your life. Your HMO doesn’t think your problems are serious enough for therapy. Or they think you really need an anti-depressant, but you don’t see how that’s going to solve anything. Where can you turn for help?

Karen (not her real name) had a similar experience, but one of her friends mentioned getting help at the Women’s Therapy Center (WTC). Karen decided to try the Center, so she called one evening and left a voicemail message. The next day, she got a friendly call back from an intake counselor who took the time to find out what was going on with Karen, explain the Center’s services, and determine a reasonable fee given Karen’s circumstances. She gave Karen an appointment within a week for an in-person Intake Interview, where she would discuss her problems and history in more depth. “Over a dozen therapists work at WTC, each with different areas of expertise,” the counselor explained, “and the information you provide during the Intake Interview helps us figure out the best therapist for you.” Within weeks, Karen was meeting regularly with her new therapist, who helped her work through her issues and develop goals for change they could work toward together. The therapist seemed competent and attuned to Karen’s needs – but the best part, Karen thought, was she could get good therapy without going broke!

Research indicates that when women who are struggling seek therapy, they lead more productive, satisfying lives and make healthier choices. WTC serves over 300 women a year through individual, couples, and group psychotherapy. Approximately one-third of these women have a history of sexual abuse, and unresolved trauma like this often leads to depression, anxiety, relationship problems, and substance abuse. For these women, WTC offers group therapy, in addition to individual therapy, to help them integrate their traumatic experiences and lead healthier, more prosperous lives. Other problems explored by clients at WTC include career development and concerns, issues with intimacy, financial stress, addictions, and family conflict. WTC is unique in that clients stay in treatment as long as they feel they need to and can access a wide range of approaches to therapy. For example, WTC has staff trained in psychodynamic/object relations, Gestalt, cognitive-behavioral, mindfulness meditation, and family systems orientations to therapy.

WTC could not provide such important services without its donors’ support. Alison Gerig, Executive Director of Women’s Therapy Center, recently reflected on granting trends affecting the Center. “The biggest challenge we face today is the decrease in grant funding for women’s mental health care. Funding priorities have shifted away from mental health and towards concrete services like housing, access to food, and childcare. While those needs are important, women still need somewhere to heal emotionally in order to build healthy lives and relationships.” Gerig went on to say that because of these funding trends, individual support is needed now more than ever to help WTC stay true to its mission to provide affordable, quality psychotherapy for women. “We get calls everyday from women who are motivated to improve their lives. We want to continue to complement more concrete services by meeting our clients’ needs for support through their process of growth.”

Whether you are interested in getting support for yourself or if you want to support the Center in other ways, please visit our website at www.womenstherapycenter.org