Is therapy right for me?
Seeking therapy is an individual choice. There are many reasons why people come to therapy. Sometimes it is to deal with long-standing psychological issues or problems with anxiety or depression. Other times it is in response to unexpected changes in one’s life such as a divorce or work transition. Many look for a therapist as they pursue their own personal exploration and growth. Working with a therapist can help provide insight, support and new strategies for all types of life challenges. Therapy can help address many types of issues including relationship problems, anxiety, conflict, grief, stress management, and general life transitions such as school and career changes. Therapy is right for anyone who is interested in getting the most out of life by taking responsibility, creating greater self-awareness and working towards positive change.
What can I expect in a therapy session?
Every therapy session is unique and caters to each individual and his or her specific goals. During therapy sessions, we will talk about the primary issues and concerns in your life. It is common to schedule a series of weekly or bi-weekly sessions, where each session lasts 45-50 minutes. Sometimes individuals who are going through a particularly difficult challenge may schedule more time per session or more than one session per week. Therapy can be short-term, focusing on a specific issue, or longer-term, addressing more complex issues or ongoing personal growth. There may be times when you are asked to do things outside of the therapy sessions, such as reading a relevant book or keeping records to track certain behaviors. Between sessions, it is important to process what has been discussed and integrate it into your life. For therapy to be most effective you will need to be an active participant, both during and between the sessions.
What benefits can I expect from working with a therapist?
Therapy can provide insight and new perspectives into life’s challenges and can help create solutions to difficult problems. Many people find that working with a therapist can enhance personal development, improve relationships and family dynamics and can ease the challenges of daily life. Sometimes, just having someone there to listen is helpful. Overall, people in therapy tend to have lower levels of anxiety and stress, decreased conflict and improved quality of life.
Some of the benefits available from therapy include:
- Developing new skills for handling stress and anxiety
- Improving difficult relationships
- Modifying unhealthy behaviors and long-standing patterns
- Attaining insight into personal patterns and behaviors
- Increasing confidence, peace and well-being
- Improving ways to manage anger, anxiety and depression
- Discovering new ways to solve problems
- Improving listening and communication skills
- Enhancing the overall quality of life
Do you accept insurance? How does insurance work?
Like many seasoned therapists with extensive specialization, I’ve chosen to no longer work in-network with most insurance companies because of the inherent conflict between the goals of the insurance companies and the needs of my clients. If you feel you need to access your benefits using only your co-pay, I completely understand but I will not be able to help you. On the other hand, consider that by using your out-of-network benefits, you will get a significant reduction in your out-of-pocket costs (often half or more) and also access to a more experienced specialist than you will usually find by choosing a therapist in-network. In relationship therapy, in particular, the expertise of the therapist is a pivotal factor in getting to the heart of the issue, as well as in designing a plan that will get you the lasting results you are seeking.
Is therapy confidential?
In general, the law protects the confidentiality of all communications between a client and a psychotherapist. Information is not disclosed without written permission. However, there are number of exceptions to this rule. Exceptions include:
- Suspected child abuse or dependant adult or elder abuse. The therapist is required by law to report this to appropriate authorities immediately.
- If a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person/s. The therapist may notify law enforcement authorities
- If a client intends to harm himself or herself. The therapist will make every effort to enlist the client’s cooperation in insuring safety. However, further measures may be taken without the client’s permission in order to ensure the client’s safety.
- A Court of law may require the release of information.