I have never participated in therapy before, shouldn’t I be a able to handle things on my own?
We all need help sometimes. People who ask for help know when they need it and have the ability to reach out. Everyone needs help now and then. You already have some strengths that you’ve used before, that for whatever reason isn’t working right now. Perhaps this problem feels overwhelming and is making it difficult to access your past strengths. In our work together, I’ll help you identify what those strengths are and how to implement them again in what is happening now.
What’s the difference between talking to you or my best friend or family?
The difference is between someone who can do something, and someone who has the training and experience to do that same thing professionally. A mental health professional can help you approach your situation in a new way– teach you new skills, gain different perspectives, listen to you without judgment or expectations, and help you listen to yourself. Furthermore, therapy is completely confidential. You won’t have to worry about others “knowing my business.” Lastly, if your situation provokes a great deal of negative emotion, if you’ve been confiding in a friend or family member, there is the risk that once you are feeling better you could start avoiding that person so you aren’t reminded of this difficult time in your life.
Can’t I just take medication?
Medication can be a valuable tool for some individuals. Medication can work in conjunction with therapy to treat certain systems and allow an individual to effectively learn and implement skills and strategies taught in the context of therapy.
Why shouldn’t I just take medication?
Medication alone cannot solve all issues. What medication does is treat the symptoms. Our work together is designed to explore the root of the issue, dig deep into your behavior and teach strategies that can help you accomplish your personal and/or relational goals.
Medication can be effective and is sometimes needed in conjunction with therapy.
How does it work? What do I have to do in sessions?
Because each person has different issues and goals for therapy, therapy will be different depending on the individual. I tailor my therapeutic approach to your specific needs
How long will it take?
Unfortunately, this is not possible to say in a general FAQs page. Everyone’s circumstances are unique to them and the length of time therapy can take to allow you to accomplish your goals depends on your desire for personal development, your commitment, and the factors that are driving you to seek therapy in the first place.
I want to get the most out of therapy. What can I do to help?
I am so glad you are dedicated to getting the most out of your sessions. Your active participation and dedication is crucial to your success. After all, we only see each other for a session a week. It’s the work you do outside of our sessions that will really help you see your personal growth and development.
My partner and I are having problems. Should we be in individual counseling or come together?
If you are concerned about your relationship, and you would both like to work with me, I would initially work with both of you together. After this work, if one of you would like to continue in individual sessions, I could work with only one of you. It is not helpful to move from individual into couple’s work with the same therapist because of potential trust issues.
Does therapy actually work?
The brief answer is yes, therapy works. Research continually demonstrates the effectiveness of therapy. The term “evidence based practice” in psychology refers to specific types of treatment that have been empirically supported by research to be effective. For example, Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is one of the most supported types of evidence based practice for the treatment of various common concerns including depression and anxiety.
Another factor that has long been concluded (through research) to be one of the most important predictors of positive therapy outcome is the therapeutic alliance or in other words, your relationship with your therapist. Factors such as trust, liking your therapist, seeing your therapist as warm and empathic all have significant influence on therapy outcome which is why I believe it is so important to find the right fit and why I offer a free phone consultation and welcome feedback.
I’ve had a bad therapy experience before, how will this be different?
It takes guts to seek out help even though we all need help sometimes. If you have sought help before and had a less than pleasant or beneficial experience, it makes sense that it would be disheartening and make it much more difficult to try therapy again.
I feel extremely lucky that I genuinely love what I do. I leave my workday feeling rewarded and fulfilled. The reason I mention this is because I have found that when people truly love the work they do, they tend to be pretty good at it. I am fully engaged in my therapy sessions, entirely invested in the therapy process, and sincerely love working with people. I go out of my way to ensure my clients meet their therapy goals and feel satisfied with the outcome. I regularly seek out and welcome feedback because I want you to have a beneficial and productive experience. Honestly, one of the most rewarding aspects of my career is getting to see clients come into my office, work hard, get better, feel better, and feel satisfied. Therefore, they don’t need to come to therapy regularly anymore or don’t need to come to therapy at all. I am very fortunate to see this happen regularly in my practice and I want it to happen for you too!
What does therapy cost?
Please see the rates and insurance section for clear answers about specific costs for services however, perhaps a better question is, “how much does your life satisfaction mean to you?” I assure you that you deserve it!
I do not accept insurance; however, I feel this affords me freedom and time to be fully invested in my clients’ care, specific goals and needs. This freedom means a more effective and efficient therapy experience and often translates to less time that you spend in therapy and quicker turnaround time for you to feel better and achieve your goals.