Having questions at the start of your journey is normal, so here’s a starting point:
What is a therapy like?
Therapy is a starting point to move your life in a different direction and to create the life you want to live. This can be overwhelming, even a bit anxiety provoking, but in the end very freeing. It’s an opportunity to look inside yourself, understand how you got here, and what you can do to live your best life.
During the initial session you will share your life story. It’s a unique experience to talk freely, without facing any judgement, about your journey. We may not get to everything in the first session, but important pieces will emerge throughout follow up sessions.
Once there is a clear understanding of how you got here, and what you would like to see change we will begin to target your goals.
How long will therapy last?
This is a tough question to answer. Some individuals with very specific and targeted goals others may be a longer journey of self exploration. Therapy can feel vital at the beginning and will slowly feel less critical as you start to achieve more control, stability, and understanding of yourself.
How do I know if your the right therapist for me?
During the first few sessions you should ask yourself questions about your therapist such as, Do I feel comfortable? Do I feel safe? Do I feel like I can share anything without judgement? Do I feel understood? Do they have the skill to help me?
If it ever feels like something is off about the working partnership bring it up in session. It’s not always a good fit and that’s okay! What we don’t want to happen is you stop attending and stop getting treatment. We can refer you to someone that could be a better fit.
Can’t I just work it out alone, or talk to friends?
Being self-reliant is a great thing but we all need help at some point. While friends and family can offer support, they tend to help us feel good in the moment without always thinking about the long term goals. Therapy offers an opportunity to face hard truths, accept things we tend to avoid, and make real changes.
Should I use my insurance or private pay?
While most individuals would never think twice about utilizing their insurance benefits for therapy it is important to understand how insurance can affect treatment. Before an insurance company will approve sessions, your therapist must diagnosis you with a mental health condition, and in some cases provide treatment notes. Once a diagnosis is recorded and sent to your insurance company it becomes a part of your permanent record and can be considered a “pre-existing condition” in the future. Insurance companies can dictate the amount of sessions they will cover. Some individuals prefer a higher level of privacy and control, and as such, choose the options of private pay.
What are your fees? Do you take insurance?
What if therapy doesn’t work?
In order to get the best possible outcome from treatment there must be a safe and trusting therapeutic relationship and a follow through with putting what you learn in session into practice in your daily life. If you feel you aren’t progressing as you would like, bring it up in session!