Whatever your distress, please know there is a pathway for healthy growth. Let's work together to find the best way forward
Frequently Asked Questions
Check out commonly asked questions about counseling services.
I am used to taking care of myself and being independent. Does going to therapy mean I am weak?
Absolutely not. One sign of wisdom and strength is knowing when and how to ask for help. Research has shown that sometimes an experience is overwhelming, because it taps into a negative belief about ourselves or a past experience we have not yet had the opportunity to process. There are many well researched tools we can utilize in therapy to help us work through experiences and integrate them with a new sense of understanding and insight.
My doctor has prescribed medication. Why do I need therapy?
Medication can certainly help with some of the symptoms but the optimal treatment in most cases is medication and therapy. Therapy allows us to deepen our understanding of our behaviors and emotional responses and develop new skills and strategies that will better help us accomplish our goals and values in life.
How many sessions will it take to feel better?
Each individual responds to therapy in a very unique way. From the very beginning of our work, we will explore your current struggles and develop new tools you can use in your daily experience. Based on your unique goals, we will be discovering what works well for you and helping you integrate these new tools in your life.
If my partner and I are struggling in our relationship, should we get individual counseling or would it be better to come in together?
Oftentimes, it is first helpful to spend time with both partners together in session to discover where the difficulties are. As we explore the couple dynamic, we may want to expand our options to do individual therapy work so as to build a few skills or heal individual trauma and then come back together to work on the relationship. There are many options open to us and together we can decide if it would be most helpful to find individual therapists for each partner or work on individual issues with the most important attachment figure present to provide support and compassion.
What if therapy brings up old memories that are painful or distressing?
We will be working together very gently while developing new skills. If a distressing memory comes up, that is an important sign that therapy is needed, so you can move through the distressing images or emotions and find relief. Your feedback when you check-in at the first of each session will also help us to determine the pacing that is right for you. The beauty of therapy is that we will work in a way that best suits you.
WHY CAN’T I JUST TALK TO A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER ABOUT MY DIFFICULTIES OR STRUGGLES?
There are important distinctions between talking with a family member or friend and working with a therapist. A therapist is trained in many different methods to help create the best path for healing, whether that means listening closely to discover thoughts, beliefs, emotions, or behaviors that may be holding you back, teaching new skills to deal with stressors, helping you learn to regulate your nervous system, or modeling for you a healthy alternate behavior. This work is confidential and will provide you with a safe place to speak authentically about vulnerable areas.
HOW DO I KNOW IF THERAPY IS WORKING?
One of the most exciting aspects of therapy is the process of noticing small differences and changes, perhaps in your level of anxiety, perhaps in your ability to handle difficult situations. As we check in each session, it is helpful to let me know what is working for you and what still needs tweaking, so we can best adapt the work for your benefit.
What can I do to make the time I spend in therapy most effective?
Each session, we will work on identifying the areas that will best help you increase your sense of healthy adaptive response to life stressors. As we build these healthy responses together in session, you may want to continue to practice these skills during the week. We may even identify specific targets for growth for the time between our sessions.
Is Counseling covered by my health insurance?
It is important to check with your insurance provider and ask if they provide out-of-network benefits. Some insurance providers will refund a portion of the cost for psychotherapy services.
Please consider asking these questions to your health insurance provider to determine what your benefits may be:
Does my health insurance plan provide out-of-network benefits for psychotherapy services?
Do I have to meet a deductible in order for benefits to start? If so, what is the amount of the deductible and how much of that deductible have I accrued so far?
Does my plan limit how many sessions I can receive reimbursement for based on frequency (how many sessions per week) or total per year?