Common Questions about Therapy?

No! People most often seek therapy because they are interested in their own personal growth and would like to help making adjustments to the world around them.

Therapy is best experienced in an atmosphere of trust. Thus, all therapy services are strictly confidential and may not be revealed to anyone without your written permission. (Exceptions to confidential are risk of harm to self, others or abuse of children)

Therapy is a partnership between an individual/couple and therapist. The therapist role is to help the individual understand their feelings and assist them with changing their behaviors. People often consider therapy under the following circumstances:

• Their actions are harmful to themselves and others. For example, excessive drug or alcohol use, extreme irritability or quickness to anger/rage.
• Their emotional difficulties make it hard for them to function day to day. For example, inability to concentrate on daily tasks.
• They are troubled by the emotional difficulties facing family members or close friends.
• Change to Struggles in their important primary and/or romantic relationships.
• They feel an overwhelming and prolonged sense of sadness and helplessness in their future.
• They just need someone with whom to talk to.

You will be asked to read several forms that require signatures, as well as, complete a client intake form. These can all be done in the comfort of your home and brought with you to the initial session. Your initial session will be 70 minutes. The first 20 minutes of this session will be for us to review the office policies and expectations together and to give you a chance to ask any questions. Then, the next 50 minutes of this session will be me asking questions to clarify your current situation and past history. You will have a chance to share what brought you to therapy and where, if any place in your life, you would like to make change. Prior to the end of the session, we will then review potential treatment goals.

As a CBT oriented therapist, as well as with most researched based treatment – homework is an important part of the therapeutic process. Homework provides an opportunity to rehearse new skills, practice coping strategies, and restructure destructive beliefs. Homework assignments are developed collaboratively during therapy sessions, and ultimately you will make the choice to complete it. Homework would not be mandatory; however, research has found that people who practice skills learned, tend to find more relief in presenting symptoms.

Therapy is a process that is unique to each client and the challenges they are presenting with. Some presenting issues can be worked on very effectively in a fairly short period of time (10-20 sessions). Other challenges may take much longer. It can be difficult to predict exactly how long therapy will last and this is best discussed in your first session. I will put together a treatment plan and goals that you will be working toward. A guideline to remember is if you attend forty 50-minute therapy sessions that is less than an average work week.