How do I know if I need therapy?

Therapy is a great place to heal wounds, create growth, explore self-reflection, and in general improve your overall mental and emotional wellness. Folks often come in following a traumatic event, during stressful life events or transitions, when their typical support systems and coping techniques are no longer working, or when they see an increase in depressive or anxious symptoms. A good rule of thumb: if you’re wondering if you need it, there’s a good chance it would be helpful. Besides, we go for regular check ups at our dentist, primary care provider, etc.; why not come in for a check up on your mental health as well? If you’d like to talk more specifically about what therapy might do for you, contact me for a free consultation and we’ll talk it through.

How long will it take?

Each session is approximately 50 minutes in length. In terms of how many sessions it takes to find relief or achieve your goal, that is individualized to you. Some clients come in for just a handful of sessions, and some are in treatment for years. It’s always my goal to eventually get fired by my clients because their symptoms have resolved and they feel capable of managing life’s stressors without me. I always set specific goals for clients so we know what we are working toward, and will know when we’ve achieved it and our time together is complete.

How much will it cost?

Initial sessions are $160 and follow up sessions are $135. All fees are due at the time of service, and can be paid via credit or debit card (including HSA/FSA cards), or cash/check if we are meeting in person.

What about my insurance?

I do not bill insurance directly at this time, but am happy to provide you (upon request) with documentation to submit for reimbursement from your insurance company. It is your responsibility to find out details of your out of network coverage and work directly with your insurance company to be reimbursed according to your plan.

I’ve never done this before, what should I expect?

Our first few sessions are really to get to know each other. We’ll do some paperwork, talk about the treatment process, and gather information. I’ll want to know some about what’s bringing you to therapy, your history, symptoms, relationships, strengths, etc. We’ll go at your pace as we discuss these sometimes difficult topics, I’ll never try to force you to tell me something you’re not ready to talk about. Often in our first sessions we skim the surface of a lot of things, and then go further in depth in future sessions.

How can I get the most out of treatment?

  1. Show up consistently; regular appointments, especially at the beginning of the treatment process, are essential for effective treatment.

  2. Be open; Therapy is hard, hard work. The more open you are emotionally and to trying new perspectives and skills, the quicker you’ll see change.

  3. Follow through; I typically give some kind of homework, even if it’s just to notice something between sessions. Most of the growth takes place outside of session, if you forget everything we talk about each week and we cover things several times, progress is slower.

  4. Complement therapy with other wellness activities; I often recommend other healing, expressive, or reflective processes as a complement to therapy. Yoga, journaling, meditation, exercise, and great overall self-care are at the top of my list!

What if it doesn’t work?

Let me know if it’s not working for you! Giving feedback to your therapist is an incredibly important part of the treatment process. If something isn’t working, let me know; we can change our focus, our approach, or work through some barriers you’re experiencing. My feelings will never be hurt by a client letting me know what’s not working, even if it means we work to find you a different therapist that might be a better fit for you - YOUR wellness and progress is paramount in this process!