A Deeper Understanding of Self:
the value of therapy

By Madison Stoler, LPC

Time. 
Fleeting, precious. 
Opportunities. 
Stability and constant change.
Marks growth, allows for reflection, creates space for healing. 

With so little time in our days, weeks, and months, how do we spend it wisely? What pieces of our lives take priority? What defines time well spent? We know that well-being is important, but so is work, play, and connection with others. Based on the roles we play as caregivers, workers, partners, and friends, it’s often easier to give our time to important people in our lives than claim time just for ourselves. And then there’s that fear of being selfish or taking up too much space. But what happens when we don’t carve out time to grow, go inward, and work on ourselves? Exhaustion, overwhelm, self-doubt, running on auto-pilot, feeling unbalanced, stagnation, loss of sight in big-picture dreams and goals, disconnection, lack of meaning and purpose in life. 

For many of my therapy clients, our weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly counseling sessions become the best hour they set aside for themselves. We often end with a moment to reflect on how they’re feeling as they head back into the world, and over and over I hear something like “I feel so much better now,” or “This was exactly what I needed,” or “I’m so much lighter now I’ve let go of some of that anxiety, grief, sadness, hurt.” Some sessions are very difficult as we engage in trauma memory reprocessing, practice new skills for coping or communicating, navigate times of transition and change, or ride the wave of painful emotions that surface with grief or other life challenges. Other sessions focus on celebrating wins, naming improvement, recognizing special moments in life, or cheerleading a client who did something really hard and is in a better place because of it. 

Therapy is for everyone, and based on each client’s needs, we decide together how to use our time. At the heart of my counseling practice, I hold space for deeper understanding of self. When we acknowledge where we’re at with compassion, we can then imagine what comes next. I value my time with clients and appreciate the chance to be part of their transformational work. I believe we are all capable of meaningful growth through a supportive relationship and space like what we co-create in therapy. 

Please reach out if you’d like to explore what working together might look like. I offer both in-person (Wauwatosa office) and telehealth therapy in WI. I’m happy to have a 15-minute phone consultation to learn more about you and discuss if I might be a fit for your therapeutic needs. mstolercounseling@gmail.com or madisen@empathcounselingllc.com