Common Questions

 

Why seek help from a therapist?

 

When a person is seeking to improve their lives they seek out an expert. If you wanted to improve your diet, you would consult a nutritionist. If you wanted to change your hairstyle you would consult a stylist. A therapist specializes in helping you find ways to improve your life based on what your current concerns are. There are many reasons people seek therapy. Some of the more common reasons are depression, work related issues, relationship issues, childhood trauma, PTSD, grief and loss, gender identify issues, substance use.

For some people talking to a stranger about their problems feels unnatural or awkward. As the therapeutic relationship between you and your therapist progresses trust builds and your level of comfort will grow allowing you to feel safe to share and explore at a deeper level. The therapist is meant to be a guide, a teacher and sounding board but ultimately you control what you want to focus on in therapy.

The goal of therapy is two-fold. For you to be able to process your thoughts and feelings about what is happening in your life in a non-bias, non-judgmental environment and to gain skills to help you manage the events that are causing distress in your life. Once you learn these new skills they can be applied to all areas of your life and you will find that all areas of your life will be positively impacted not just the reason you sought treatment for.   

 

 

What is therapy like?

 

The initial meeting between you and your therapist will be an intake. You can expect this to last about 90 minutes. This is a time when you and your therapist will discuss many areas of your life including the reason why you are currently seeking treatment and what your goals are in seeking treatment. This is a time for you to identify concerns or needs. The therapist will review confidentiality agreements, attendance policies, etc.

 

Individual Therapy-There is no real structure to these sessions as the focus is on you. The therapist will discuss with you the progress you have made toward your therapy goals since last session and if any new concerns have arisen. If there are no new issues, then the session will typically pick-up where the last one left off.  Individual sessions can be scheduled with your therapist as much or as little as you both deem necessary. Please keep in mind that if you are using insurance, they typically will only pay for a certain number of sessions and after that you will need to pay for the sessions at the full rate.

 

Couples Therapy-Each person is expected to remain respectful while in the session. The therapist will ask each person to share their concerns and reasons for seeking therapy. Couples will be asked to engage in a variety of tasks in the session and in between the session depending on the issue that brought them into therapy. This could be a communication exercise, going to an event together, doing a project together or engaging in intimacy. The couple will be expected to engage in homework between each session designed to strengthen their relationship. ***People who have an open domestic violence case will be reviewed individually to determine if services are appropriate***

 

Group Therapy-Group therapy can range anywhere from 1 hour to the entire day depending on the type of group you are interested in. Many groups are designed to meet at least one time a week for 8-12 weeks. Most groups are open enrollment which means you can start at anytime. Group therapy is designed to focus more on education and skill building. Each session is focused on a different skill such as setting boundaries or cognitive distortions.

 

 

What about medication vs. therapy?  

 

Medication manages the symptom but it doesn’t fix the underlying issue. In our fast paced society we want a quick fix so we can move on. We take a pill but still things are exactly how we want them to be. The role of therapy is to address the underlying cause of depression, anxiety, etc.  The combination of medication to address the low levels of Neuro-chemicals such as serotonin and or norepinephrine in our brain combined with managing the negative events and everyday stressors in our lives goes a long way toward achieving the balance we need to move forward in our lives.

 

 

Does what we talk about in therapy remain confidential?

 

Confidentiality is one of the most important components between you and your therapist. Successful therapy requires a high degree of trust with highly sensitive subject matter that may not be discussed anywhere but the therapist's office.   If you would like your therapist to consult with another provider or a person you have designated it can be done through the completion of written consent. This is done through a document called a “Release of Information”.

 

Please note that there are times when confidentiality laws do not apply. Please read the following situations carefully:

 

 

 

* Suspected or reported abuse or neglect of children or vulnerable adults, based on information provided by a client or collateral sources.

 

* If there is reason to suspect a client is seriously in danger of harming him/herself or has threaten to harm another person.