WHAT CAN I EXPECT IN THE FIRST SESSION?
It takes courage to ask for help and risk being vulnerable. I admire you for taking this step. Following our first phone call or email, we will schedule our first appointment. During that first meeting you will fill out brief paperwork and then we will discuss your goals for therapy in a safe and comfortable space. I will give you my initial impressions and we can decide together if we are a good fit and how we would like to proceed.
DO YOU ACCEPT INSURANCE?
I currently accept Cigna, Optum, Unitied Healthcare, MHN (Health Net), and Caloptima as well as cash, check and major credit cards. If you do not have coverage under one of these plans ask your provider if they cover “out of network” services, I can provide you with an itemized receipt, or superbill, monthly that you may submit for direct reimbursement from your provider.
SHOULD I TAKE MEDICATION OR GO INTO PSYCHOTHERAPY?
It is well established that the long-term solution to mental and emotional problems and the pain they cause cannot be solved solely by medication. Instead of just treating the symptom, therapy addresses the cause of our distress and the behavior patterns that curb our progress. You can best achieve sustainable growth and a greater sense of well-being with an integrative approach to wellness. Working with your medical doctor you can determine what’s best for you, and in many cases a combination of both medication and therapy is optimal.
I’VE NEVER TALKED TO ANYONE. I’M USED TO HANDLING THINGS ON MY OWN. WHAT DOES GOING TO THERAPY SAY ABOUT ME?
It means that you are strong and competent, even if you are not feeling it right now. You know when to ask for help when you need it. Everyone needs help now and then. You already have some strengths and insight that you’ve used before. Perhaps your current situation feels overwhelming and is making it difficult to access your past strengths. Together we will locate new pathways to utilizing those strengths again.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TALKING TO YOU OR MY BEST FRIEND OR FAMILY?
The difference is that someone who has professional training and experience 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. Also, in allowing the time to be strictly focused on you, relational complications present in even the closest of relationships, can be avoided and the focus can be strictly on your solutions. This is time just for you, those relationships are valuable and life-giving in a different way and our work together will help strengthen those bonds.
HOW DOES IT WORK? WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO IN SESSIONS?
Because each person has different issues and goals for therapy, it will be different depending on the individual. I tailor my therapeutic approach to your specific needs. In general, you can expect to discuss the current events happening in your life, your personal history relevant to your issue, and report progress (or any new insights gained) from the previous therapy session.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?
Depending on your specific needs, therapy can be short-term, for a specific issue, or longer-term, to deal with more difficult patterns or your desire for more personal development. Either way, it is most common to schedule regular weekly sessions initially, and then space them out as you see progress.
IF I COMMIT TO THERAPY, WHAT CAN I EXPECT? HOW CAN I GET THE MOST OUT OF THERAPY?
It is important to understand that you will get more results from therapy if you actively participate in the process. The ultimate purpose of therapy is to help you bring what you learn in sessions back into your life. Beyond the work you do in therapy sessions, if you are receptive to “homework,” I can suggest some things you can do outside of therapy to support your progress, such as practicing relaxation skills, journaling on a specific topic, reading a pertinent book, noting particular behaviors or taking action to meet your goals.