Interview with Tim Wilkins, LPC

Check out our interview with Ann Arbor counselor and owner of Identity Counseling Psychology, Tim Wilkins. Tim is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) practicing psychotherapy in Ann Arbor, MI.  Click here to schedule an intake with Tim.

What do you specialize in?

Mainly, I specialize in anxiety disorders and issues related to identity.  My passion is to help others learn to listen to their mind and body in a real way. Through cultivating this type of mindful awareness, I believe that we can access what needs to be accessed for real change to occur. People that I commonly see struggle with things like anxiety, panic attacks, life transitions, sexual or gender identity concerns, life crises, and spiritual issues.

What made you want to become a therapist?

Growing up, I always thought that financial security would greatly contribute to my happiness (I know…). However, like many things in life, once I achieved this, it only made me realize that this was mostly an illusion. Many fantasies are this way. We think fulfilling the fantasy will make us satisfied, so we pursue them relentlessly only to be left with disappointment or worse. This experience, along with a powerful experience as a summer camp counselor, ignited in me the desire to help people in a real and direct way. My own internal work around how I wanted to do this ultimately led me to the field of counseling.

What can clients expect when they first come to therapy? What is a typical therapy session like with you?

First and foremost, they can expect a space of non-judgement. The counseling room is different than the rest of life. It is a time and a space set apart from normal life in which clients can engage with themselves in an honest and genuine way. A typical session lasts just under an hour. Therapy is highly individualized based on clients’ needs, however, it generally will consist of a check in, a main topic for the session, a possible intervention (such as a mindful breathing exercise or a guided meditation), and a discussion about the plan going forward. I use evidence-based practices from psychodynamic and existential theoretical frameworks. It is important that therapy be grounded in theory yet have the flexibility to adapt to client needs each session. Clients will hopefully find my style to be warm, inviting, and empathic.

How have you seen therapy be helpful to your clients?

Therapy is often a drastic interruption to one’s habitual patterns. Cultivating a new level of self-awareness can often lead to a trying time. For this reason, many may have the experience of things getting harder at first. This is likely because real work is being done and clients are facing their struggles head on, maybe for the first time. The good news is that there is often light and air on the other side of the mountain. Therapy is about vulnerability on many levels, so engaging with it authentically will often lead to a new way of being in the world. It will hopefully awaken clients to their deeply rooted defense mechanisms, sub-personalities, fears and passions, and ultimately to their inner self. I believe this type of work is helpful and will hopefully lead to the type of change my clients are interested in, but it takes courage and is not easy.

What do you think are the most important considerations when looking for a therapist?

All the research suggests that regardless of the theoretical orientation or therapeutic style, the most important ingredient in the therapeutic process is the real relationship that occurs between the therapist and the client. Though there are professional boundaries, it is a relationship similar to other relationships. Clients may find that the issues they face in their relationships outside of therapy could often pop up in therapy between the client and the therapist through a process called transference. If this happens, it is a sign that we are truly getting somewhere helpful.

What do you hope your clients walk away with?

I hope my clients walk away with a deeper sense of self and self-awareness that they can integrate into their relationships and work in the world. If there is an acute presenting problem such as recurring panic attacks, I want my clients to walk away with tools to cope with their symptoms. However, more importantly, I want my clients to walk away with the ability and willingness to listen to their symptoms and to allow the symptoms to mobilize them toward genuine transformation.

Visit Tim’s profile to learn more about his counseling services or schedule an appointment.