Frequently Asked Questions

• Review of intake forms and paperwork, mental health measures taken by the client prior to the first session, and rules of confidentiality.

• Description/Outlining of my education, background, professional qualifications, experience, and unique approaches.

• Setting of expectations, focusing on getting a history of your past treatment, if any, including what worked and what didn't.

• Establishing preliminary treatment goals together, clarifying that my role is to support you in achieving your goals, not to dictate how the process should take place. We will come up with an approach that is unique to your needs.

Yes, in fact I prefer it, though I have a hybrid practice that includes telehealth as well. Also, because I'm in the office full-time I can always switch back and forth to accommodate your needs for any given session, including last minute changes.

Try it! I believe therapy can benefit each and every person. But it's critical that the client and therapist click with each other and establish a connection. Often if someone has had an unsuccessful experience it isn't so much because therapy wasn't "right for them" but because the therapist wasn't "right for them". This doesn't mean the therapist wasn't gifted or qualified, they just might not have been the right fit. Don't give up if it doesn't help the first time. To use what might seem like an unusual comparison, it can be like dating or searching for a job: you don't always find a match the on the first try.

Sometimes you connect right away on the first interaction, but it usually takes a few sessions to build rapport and a sense of safety and trust. There is a type of intimacy and vulnerability that is unique to the therapeutic relationship. Your therapist is able to be objective in a way others in your life can't be. This objectivity is essential to effective therapy and successful outcomes.

That's to be determined by your needs, budget, and schedule. I always recommend starting weekly, with the possibility of eventually transitioning to bi-weekly, monthly or as needed.

It's different for everyone and depends on your treatment goals. The shortest period I've experienced is 3 months, the longest 13 years, sometimes off and on for different periods of time. We figure that out together as time goes on, but there is no prescribed length of time and you can return to therapy after having discontinued if you feel the need to. I usually begin with an estimate of 6 months just as a starting point, but that varies widely and is not mandatory.

Confidentiality is guaranteed by Federal Law (HIPA). You will be provided with a copy of these rules of confidentiality, which I will review with you during our first session. Whether in person or by telehealth, our sessions will be conducted in an entirely private environment.