Common Questions for those new to therapy
How can therapy help me?
A number of benefits are available from participating in therapy. Therapists can provide support, problem-solving skills, and enhanced coping strategies for a variety of issues. Many people also find that counselors can be a tremendous asset to managing personal growth and the challenges of daily life. Therapists can provide a fresh perspective on a difficult problem or can assist you to get clearer in formulating a decision that is best for you, set a direction and develop a plan. The benefits you obtain from therapy depend on how well you use the process and put into practice what you learn. Some of the benefits available from therapy include:
Do I really need therapy? I can usually handle my problems.
Everyone goes through challenging situations in life. While you may have successfully navigated through other difficulties you've faced, there's nothing wrong with seeking out extra support when you need it. Everyone needs someone to talk to. In fact, therapy is for people who have enough self-awareness to realize they need a helping hand. That can be seen as a real strength on their part. In this case they are actively taking responsibility by accepting where they are in life and now taking the next step of making a commitment by seeking therapy to better their situation. Therapy can provide long-lasting benefits and support, giving one the tools needed to avoid old traps, eliminate destructive patterns, and overcome the challenges one faces.
Why do people go to therapy and how do I know if it is right for me?
People have many different motivations for coming to psychotherapy. Some may be going through a major life transition (unemployment, divorce, new job, etc.), or are not handling stressful circumstances well. Some people need assistance managing a range of other issues such as low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, addictions, relationship problems, spiritual conflicts and creative blocks. Therapy can help provide some much needed encouragement and help with developing skills to assist during these periods. Others may be at a point where they are ready to learn more about themselves or want to improve on their goals in life.
What is therapy like?
Because each person or couple has different issues and goals for therapy, therapy will be different depending on the individual or couple. In general, you can expect to discuss the current events happening in your life, your personal history relevant to your issue, and report progress (or any new insights gained) from the previous therapy session. Depending on your specific needs, therapy can be short-term, for a specific issue, or longer-term, to deal with more difficult patterns or your desire for more personal development. Either way, it is most common to schedule regular sessions with your therapist (usually weekly).
It is important to understand that you will get more results from therapy if you actively participate in the process. The ultimate purpose of therapy is to help you bring what you learn in your sessions back into your life. Therefore, beyond the work you do in therapy sessions, your therapist may suggest some things you can do outside of therapy to support your process - such as reading a pertinent book, writing in a journal on specific topics, noting particular behaviors or taking action on your goals.
Do you take insurance? How does it work?
I am a provider for most health care insurances. To determine if you have mental health coverage through your insurance carrier, the first thing to do is to call them. Check your coverage carefully and make sure you understand their answers. Some helpful questions you can ask them:
Does what we talk about in therapy remain confidential?
Confidentiality is one of the most important components between a client and psychotherapist. Successful therapy requires a high degree of trust with highly sensitive subject matter that is usually not discussed anywhere but the therapist's office. Every therapist should provide a written copy of their confidential disclosure agreement. Please see my Privacy Policy statement by clicking here which you will also receive on your first visit. You can expect that what you discuss in a session will not be shared with anyone unless you or, in the case of a couple, both people give written consent to disclose information to an outside party. This is called “Informed Consent”. Sometimes, however, you may want your therapist to share information or give an update to someone on your healthcare team or another service provider (e.g., physician, teacher, attorney). But by law your therapist cannot release this information without obtaining your written permission.
However, state law and professional ethics require therapists to maintain confidentiality except for the following basic situations:
How can therapy help me?
A number of benefits are available from participating in therapy. Therapists can provide support, problem-solving skills, and enhanced coping strategies for a variety of issues. Many people also find that counselors can be a tremendous asset to managing personal growth and the challenges of daily life. Therapists can provide a fresh perspective on a difficult problem or can assist you to get clearer in formulating a decision that is best for you, set a direction and develop a plan. The benefits you obtain from therapy depend on how well you use the process and put into practice what you learn. Some of the benefits available from therapy include:
- Developing skills for improving your relationships
- Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy
- Learning new ways to cope with stress and anxiety
- Managing anger, grief, depression, and other emotional pressures
- Attaining a better understanding of yourself, your goals and values
- Improving communication and listening skills
- Changing old behavior patterns and developing new more beneficial ones
- Solving problems in your family or marriage
- Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence
- Breaking through creative blocks
Do I really need therapy? I can usually handle my problems.
Everyone goes through challenging situations in life. While you may have successfully navigated through other difficulties you've faced, there's nothing wrong with seeking out extra support when you need it. Everyone needs someone to talk to. In fact, therapy is for people who have enough self-awareness to realize they need a helping hand. That can be seen as a real strength on their part. In this case they are actively taking responsibility by accepting where they are in life and now taking the next step of making a commitment by seeking therapy to better their situation. Therapy can provide long-lasting benefits and support, giving one the tools needed to avoid old traps, eliminate destructive patterns, and overcome the challenges one faces.
Why do people go to therapy and how do I know if it is right for me?
People have many different motivations for coming to psychotherapy. Some may be going through a major life transition (unemployment, divorce, new job, etc.), or are not handling stressful circumstances well. Some people need assistance managing a range of other issues such as low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, addictions, relationship problems, spiritual conflicts and creative blocks. Therapy can help provide some much needed encouragement and help with developing skills to assist during these periods. Others may be at a point where they are ready to learn more about themselves or want to improve on their goals in life.
What is therapy like?
Because each person or couple has different issues and goals for therapy, therapy will be different depending on the individual or couple. In general, you can expect to discuss the current events happening in your life, your personal history relevant to your issue, and report progress (or any new insights gained) from the previous therapy session. Depending on your specific needs, therapy can be short-term, for a specific issue, or longer-term, to deal with more difficult patterns or your desire for more personal development. Either way, it is most common to schedule regular sessions with your therapist (usually weekly).
It is important to understand that you will get more results from therapy if you actively participate in the process. The ultimate purpose of therapy is to help you bring what you learn in your sessions back into your life. Therefore, beyond the work you do in therapy sessions, your therapist may suggest some things you can do outside of therapy to support your process - such as reading a pertinent book, writing in a journal on specific topics, noting particular behaviors or taking action on your goals.
Do you take insurance? How does it work?
I am a provider for most health care insurances. To determine if you have mental health coverage through your insurance carrier, the first thing to do is to call them. Check your coverage carefully and make sure you understand their answers. Some helpful questions you can ask them:
- Do I have mental health services benefits?
- Do I have a deductible, what is the amount, and has it been met for this yearly period?
- How many sessions per year does my health insurance cover?
- What co-insurance or co-payment might I be responsible for at the time of a session?
- Is approval required from my primary care physician?
Does what we talk about in therapy remain confidential?
Confidentiality is one of the most important components between a client and psychotherapist. Successful therapy requires a high degree of trust with highly sensitive subject matter that is usually not discussed anywhere but the therapist's office. Every therapist should provide a written copy of their confidential disclosure agreement. Please see my Privacy Policy statement by clicking here which you will also receive on your first visit. You can expect that what you discuss in a session will not be shared with anyone unless you or, in the case of a couple, both people give written consent to disclose information to an outside party. This is called “Informed Consent”. Sometimes, however, you may want your therapist to share information or give an update to someone on your healthcare team or another service provider (e.g., physician, teacher, attorney). But by law your therapist cannot release this information without obtaining your written permission.
However, state law and professional ethics require therapists to maintain confidentiality except for the following basic situations:
- Suspected past or present abuse or neglect of children, adults, and elders to the authorities, including Child Protection and law enforcement, based on information provided by the client or collateral sources.
- If the therapist has reason to suspect the client is seriously in danger of harming him/herself or has threatened to harm another person.
- For a few further details on exceptions please see my Privacy Policy statement by clicking here.