Adrian de Zwart, MSW

How I decided to be a therapist

I decided to become a therapist after volunteering with homeless people and witnessing firsthand the emotional struggles and trauma they experience. Through this experience, I saw how mental health issues often intersect with homelessness and how a lack of support and resources can exacerbate emotional distress. This experience fueled my desire to help those who are struggling with mental health issues and provide them with the support they need to overcome their challenges. 

Volunteering also taught me about the power of connection and the importance of empathy and understanding in supporting others. Seeing how even small acts of kindness and support can make a difference, I felt drawn to a career in therapy as a way to create meaningful change in people's lives.

Ultimately, my experience volunteering with homeless people taught me the value of compassion, empathy, and human connection, and how these qualities can make a real difference in people's lives. This experience is what fuels my passion for helping others through therapy and has driven my decision to pursue this career path.

How I would like to help clients as a therapist

I prioritize a compassionate and caring approach to therapy while also challenging clients' negative belief systems. I believe that building a strong therapeutic relationship through empathy and understanding is essential to creating a safe space for clients to explore their emotions and experiences. At the same time, I recognize the importance of identifying and challenging negative thinking patterns that may be contributing to emotional distress. Through the use of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques, amongst others, I work collaboratively with clients to help them identify and change negative beliefs and behaviors, while providing a supportive and non-judgmental environment.

What my theoretical orientation is as a therapist

My theoretical perspective to therapy is rooted in a combination of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Stoic philosophy. I believe that negative thinking patterns and behaviors contribute to emotional distress, and that these can be identified and modified using CBT techniques. I also believe that our internal selves are composed of different parts that may have different motivations and experiences, and that these can be accessed and integrated using IFS techniques. Finally, I believe that developing a more accepting and rational perspective on our experiences can lead to greater emotional resilience, and that Stoic philosophy can provide useful techniques for achieving this. Through the integration of these approaches, I aim to help clients develop a greater understanding of themselves, modify negative patterns, and develop the skills necessary to navigate difficult emotional experiences. I also believe that therapy should be collaborative, empathetic, and non-judgmental, and that the therapeutic relationship is central to achieving positive outcomes.