Common Questions

Is therapy right for me?

Seeking out 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 a work transition. Sometimes people seek the advice of 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 resolve problems in a marriage or other important relationships, help solve family problems, improve communication and problem-solving skills, and create new or renewed closeness in relationships. Therapy can be helpful to anyone who is interested in getting the most out of their life by taking responsibility, creating greater self-awareness, and working towards change in their lives.

What can I expect in the initial consultation session?

The initial consultation session is scheduled for 1 1/2 hours. Based on my initial telephone contact with you, I may recommend that the first meeting be an individual one, or I may recommend a meeting that would include your spouse, partner or other family members. I will be happy to talk about your specific situation on the phone and to discuss the options for the best way to begin treatment.

In the first meeting, I listen and ask a variety of questions to understand your current concerns and gather some information about your background, life and family history. If the initial meeting is a couple or family meeting, I will want to hear everyone's ideas or perspectives on the problem. By the end of our initial meeting, I will share my impressions of your situation and, if we decide to work together, we may begin to define the objectives and goals of therapy and a plan to work on these.

How often do I need to come to therapy?

It is common to schedule a series of weekly sessions, where each session lasts approximately one hour. In some situations, it is more effective to meet more often at the outset or, sometimes, because of scheduling or financial needs, it may be necessary and reasonable to meet on a less frequent schedule. Depending on you and your situation, sessions that are longer than one hour may be most helpful. As your goals are reached and you are feeling better, appointments can be scheduled at less frequent intervals.

How long does therapy take?

The length of treatment depends on the individual or individuals, the severity of the problem, the particular goals that are being worked on, and also on how hard a client, couple or family is willing to work in and between sessions. Therapy progresses more quickly when individuals are open to learning learn about themselves, willing to take healthy risks, and make more effective choices. We can discuss and decide together how frequently to meet and I can give you some idea of how long therapy may take at the first appointment.

What are the benefits and risks of therapy?

There are benefits as well as risks related to therapy. In general, the desired benefits are a significant reduction in distress, improved relationships, the resolution of specific problems and a deeper understanding of yourself, your partner and/or your family. There is, however, no guarantee that therapy will benefit you. To create the best possibility for therapy to be helpful requires active effort in the form of a willingness to look at yourself in a open and honest way and to make time and put forth effort between sessions to try out new behaviors or complete "homework" assignments.

Psychotherapy may require looking at unpleasant aspects of your history and current life. This examination may increase awareness of upsetting and negative feelings, feelings such as anger, sadness, regret, guilt or hopelessness. Sometimes, therapy can result in it being more difficult to function for a few hours, or longer, after a session. Be sure to tell me if you are having this reaction and we can talk about options to help with this.

Generally, good 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
Modifying unhealthy behavior and long-standing patterns
Attaining insight into personal patterns and behavior
Increasing confidence, peace, vitality, and well-being
Improving ways to manage anger, depression and moods
Discovering new ways to solve problems
Navigating life’s obstacles more effectively
Improving listening and communication skills
Enhancing the overall quality of life

What if I need medication?

As a psychologist, I do not prescribe medication. In some situations, individuals have difficulties or symptoms of sufficient severity that medication may be a helpful or necessary adjunct to therapy. If you are taking medications for psychiatric symptoms or are wondering if these could be helpful, it would be important for us to discuss this. If during my assessment or our work together, it is my professional judgment that medications may be helpful to you, I will make that recommendation to you. I work with several excellent psychiatrists who are all well-trained and experienced in the evaluating clients for the potential usefulness of psychiatric medications.

Do you accept insurance? How does insurance work?

I provide services to my clients on a fee for service basis and am not on the panel of preferred providers for any insurance companies. The only exception to this is that I am a provider for Medicare. Payment for services is to be made in full with cash or a personal check at the time of service. If you have insurance coverage, I provide my clients with a monthly statement containing all the information necessary for you to be able to file a claim with your insurance company. Many insurance companies have provisions for mental health benefits for "out of network " providers. I would recommend you check with your insurance company to see what mental health benefits you may have under your plan. Therapy is a significant personal and financial commitment. Please do not hesitate to discuss any concerns you have with me.

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 dependent adult or elder abuse. The therapist is required by law to report this to the appropriate authorities immediately.
If a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person/s. The therapist must notify the police and inform the intended victim.
If a client intends to harm himself or herself. The therapist will make every effort to enlist their cooperation in insuring their safety. If they do not cooperate, further measures may be taken without their permission in order to ensure their safety.