How Therapy Helps
Reducing anxiety, shame and loneliness. Increasing connection, confidence and meaning.
My clients often believe they are a burden to others.
They think they need to be perfect to be loved and that it would overwhelm others to know how they really feel. These beliefs leave them feeling anxious, lonely, ashamed and unhappy. They often isolate and use pornography, video games or substances to numb themselves. They may seek advice online, but find this information unhelpful. They may beat themselves up in frustration when these solutions don’t work. They may have felt misunderstood by past therapists or may have found past therapeutic approaches unhelpful.
Why do people go to therapy?
My clients are often seeking:
Better relationships with friends, family and partners
The security and trust to express their needs
Active participation in a life that has value and meaning
Greater motivation and energy
Improved sleep
Renewed connection to the things that make them happy
A sense of control over their lives
Confidence to be their authentic selves
What happens in therapy?
Together we will:
Build a safe, trusting and collaborative relationship
Identify triggers, existing coping skills, barriers to use and life goals
Learn about anxiety, grief, trauma and other concepts
Practice mindful attunement to your emotions and needs
Validate your life experiences as well as your challenges and concerns with therapy
Heal deep emotional wounds by turning towards connection and trust
Celebrate the hard work you are doing inside and outside of therapy
My greatest enjoyment as a therapist is seeing people learn they are worthy of love.
Clients learn that they are capable, worthwhile people. They learn that their emotions are valid, normal and do not need to be feared or hidden away. When they understand this truth, they often get unstuck, feel greater control over their life, form secure relationships and make progress towards their goals.
Matt Bouse, LMSW
My name is Matt Bouse. I am a licensed master social worker practicing in Ann Arbor, MI. I have a master’s degree in social work and a bachelor’s degree in theater - both from the University of Michigan. I love my work as a therapist because I get to help people learn they are capable and worthy of love. I get to watch people gain the confidence needed to be their authentic selves. I have been in therapy myself and I have a lot of empathy for clients trying to navigate their mental health with a new therapist.
I was born and raised in Southeastern Michigan but spent several years living outside of Boston, MA. I have a lot of affection for New England and its beautiful mountains, beaches and towns. I am a mixed race person and have the experience of not always being perceived accurately by others and of not always feeling like I fit in with the group. I am a monolingual English speaker and also have the experience of grieving lost cultural and linguistic ties to my ancestors. I recently became a parent and I am navigating the various changes in identity that come with this new stage of my life.
In my spare time I love watching movies - I love horror movies, anime and animated films, romantic films where the couple doesn’t get together in the end and movies about genuine human connection. I love movie stars and directors and enjoy watching how a particular artist’s career evolves through time. I am also very passionate about video games - not just playing them, but reading about, talking about and learning about them as well. I think play, storytelling and fun are essential parts of life and I try to bring this belief to my work as a therapist. While I am not spiritual or religious, I do read tarot cards with my friends and I enjoy telling these collaborative stories through images and art. For me, play can also look like exercise and movement. I love running and lifting weights and came to these passions relatively later in life. I know the pain of struggling through an injury and being forced to take time away from something I love.
