Is therapy right for me?
Therapy can help provide insight, support, and new strategies for all types of life challenges and there are many reasons why people choose therapy: relationship problems, difficult life transitions, feeling sad or unmotivated, unresolved childhood issues, grief, excessive worry, obsessive or compulsive behaviors, and addictions to name a few. Additionally, many people choose the help of a therapist as they seek their own personal exploration and growth. The decision to begin therapy is an individual choice and is right for anyone who desires getting the most out of their life by taking personal responsibility, gaining a greater self-awareness, and working towards positive change in their life.
Is therapy confidential?
In general, the confidentiality of all communications between a client and therapist is protected by law. No information is disclosed without prior written permission from the client.
There are some exceptions, however, required by law to this rule which include:
- Suspected child abuse or dependent adult or elder abuse. The therapist is required to report this to the appropriate authorities immediately.
- If a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person. The therapist is required to notify the police.
- If a client intends to harm himself or herself. The therapist will make every effort to work with the individual to ensure their safety. However, if an individual does not cooperate, additional measures may need to be taken.
What is therapy like?
Every therapy session is unique and caters to each individual and their specific goals. It is standard for therapists to discuss the primary issues and concerns in your life during therapy sessions. It is common to schedule a series of weekly sessions, where each session lasts around fifty minutes. 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 take certain actions outside of the therapy sessions, such as reading a relevant book or keeping records to track certain behaviors. For therapy to be most effective you must be an active participant, both during and between the sessions. People seeking therapy are willing to take responsibility for their actions, work towards self-change and create greater awareness in their lives. Here are some things you can expect out of therapy:
Compassion, respect and understanding
Perspectives to illuminate persistent patterns and negative feelings
Real strategies for enacting positive change
Effective and proven techniques along with practical guidance
What type of therapy do you offer?
There are many different types of therapy and each practitioner will typically blend a few different approaches together to best suit your particular needs.
Here are a few common types of therapy that we like to use:
- Interpersonal therapy focuses largely on improving relationships and helping a person express emotions in healthy ways. This approach often works well in couples therapy, individual therapy, and for depression.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has two main aspects. The cognitive part works to develop helpful beliefs about your life. The behavioral side helps you learn to take healthier actions. CBT often works well for depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder, but it can also be used for other various conditions.
- Family therapy helps family members communicate, handle conflicts and solve problems better. Forms of family therapy often are used for treating eating disorders and bipolar disorder.
- Psychodynamic therapy helps people develop a better understanding about their unconscious emotions and motivations that can affect their thoughts and actions.
- Psychoeducation helps people understand mental health conditions and ways to promote recovery.
In addition to different types of therapy, each therapist has different amounts and types of training. For example, EMDR (Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) or EFT (Emotional freedom technique) tapping. A pastoral counselor will include a religious or spiritual approach to treatment. We also have therapists trained to deal with substance use issues.
For more information on types of therapy visit the National Institute of Mental Health website at http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/psychotherapies/index.shtml.
How much does a therapy session cost?
A therapy session is generally 50 minutes and the fee is $125.
24-hour cancellation required or $40 payment maybe charged.
Insurance is accepted as an Out-of-Network Provider. If you choose to use your insurance, all fees are paid upfront and you are provided with a special receipt called a “superbill” (also known as a Statement for Insurance Reimbursement) that you can turn in to your insurance carrier and then you are reimbursed by them. Depending upon the carrier, reimbursements are usually received between 2-3 weeks after submission.
You should be aware that some insurers will not cover treatment without a diagnosis, and may only cover specific treatments for specific diagnoses. You should also be aware that you are responsible for verifying and understanding the limits of your insurance coverage. Here are some questions you can ask your insurance company:
- Do you reimburse for out of network mental health providers? If so, what percent do you reimburse?
- What is my yearly deductible and have I met it?
- What is the process for submitting superbills for reimbursement?
Although we are happy to assist your efforts to seek insurance reimbursement, we are unable to guarantee whether your insurance will provide payment for the services provided to you and cannot work directly with the insurance company on your behalf.