Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Know If I Need Therapy?
What Is Therapy?
What Is Your Style?
What Is Your Approach to Therapy?
Do I Have To Talk About Deeply-Rooted Childhood Issues or Other Aspects of the Past?
How Long Are Therapy Sessions?
What To Expect During My First Session
How Do I Know If You Are the Right Therapist for Me?
Do I Need to Prepare For Therapy?
Will I Always Feel Better After A Session?
How Long Does Therapy Last?
Why Not Just Talk to a Friend?
How Does Therapy Work?
Would Medication Suffice? Why Do I Need Therapy If I Can Simply Take Something?
Are Sessions Confidential?
What Is Therapy?
What Is Your Style?
What Is Your Approach to Therapy?
Do I Have To Talk About Deeply-Rooted Childhood Issues or Other Aspects of the Past?
How Long Are Therapy Sessions?
What To Expect During My First Session
How Do I Know If You Are the Right Therapist for Me?
Do I Need to Prepare For Therapy?
Will I Always Feel Better After A Session?
How Long Does Therapy Last?
Why Not Just Talk to a Friend?
How Does Therapy Work?
Would Medication Suffice? Why Do I Need Therapy If I Can Simply Take Something?
Are Sessions Confidential?
How Do I Know If I Need Therapy?
The fact that you found your way to this website presumably means that you are aware that something in your life is not working the way you would like it to. You likely feel stuck or unhappy. You sense that your life can be different, and you want it to be different, but you are not sure how to make that happen. The desire for some kind of change is why people start therapy.
Particular concerns that often bring clients to therapy can be found by visiting Symptoms.
The fact that you found your way to this website presumably means that you are aware that something in your life is not working the way you would like it to. You likely feel stuck or unhappy. You sense that your life can be different, and you want it to be different, but you are not sure how to make that happen. The desire for some kind of change is why people start therapy.
Particular concerns that often bring clients to therapy can be found by visiting Symptoms.
What Is Therapy?
Psychotherapy is a collaborative process that (i) involves talking with a trained professional on a regular, ongoing basis about issues that are causing you distress and (ii) helps you achieve goals that you want for yourself. Through exploration of your thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and interpersonal relationships, you begin to recognize and understand recurring themes and patterns that keep you feeling stuck. You also learn healthier ways of responding to challenging situations.
Psychotherapy is a collaborative process that (i) involves talking with a trained professional on a regular, ongoing basis about issues that are causing you distress and (ii) helps you achieve goals that you want for yourself. Through exploration of your thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and interpersonal relationships, you begin to recognize and understand recurring themes and patterns that keep you feeling stuck. You also learn healthier ways of responding to challenging situations.
What is Your Style?
My style is warm, relational, collaborative, very active, and outcome-focused. When appropriate, I also bring a sense of humor to work with my clients.
My style is warm, relational, collaborative, very active, and outcome-focused. When appropriate, I also bring a sense of humor to work with my clients.
What is Your Approach to Therapy?
I utilize an integrative approach, which draws on various psychological theories and combines different therapeutic tools and techniques to best fit your needs. This allows for more flexibility than applying one singular form of psychotherapy. Two approaches that I use most often (and often in tandem with one another) are discussed below.
When clients are experiencing distress and want to understand more about why they feel the way they do, I will utilize a “psychodynamic” approach. This approach focuses on how one’s earlier life experiences shape the way one orients to/acts in the world as an adult today. By way of example, some people who are perfectionists and very self-critical grew up in environments where expectations were excessive or unrealistic. The message that nothing they did was “good enough” might have been explicit or even implicit, but it continues to drive (often subconsciously) the adult’s behavior in the present. The adult who has difficulty saying “no” or setting healthy boundaries today likely feared the consequences of asserting himself or herself as a child. While these behaviors were probably highly adaptive in the past, they are no longer serving that person in the here-and-now. Once these ingrained modes of feeling, thinking and behaving are recognized and understood, one can begin to work on changing the way he/she relates to him/herself and others in the world.
I also utilize cognitive behavioral theory and techniques (CBT). Put simply, this theory of psychology maintains that one’s distress is largely based on unhelpful ways of thinking (e.g., all-or-nothing thinking; making faulty assumptions about people or situations) which results in negative feelings and behaviors. The emphasis here is on what is going on in the person’s current life, rather than what led up to his/her problems. While aspects of one’s history are looked at, the focus is primarily on moving forward with more effective ways of coping with life.
I utilize an integrative approach, which draws on various psychological theories and combines different therapeutic tools and techniques to best fit your needs. This allows for more flexibility than applying one singular form of psychotherapy. Two approaches that I use most often (and often in tandem with one another) are discussed below.
When clients are experiencing distress and want to understand more about why they feel the way they do, I will utilize a “psychodynamic” approach. This approach focuses on how one’s earlier life experiences shape the way one orients to/acts in the world as an adult today. By way of example, some people who are perfectionists and very self-critical grew up in environments where expectations were excessive or unrealistic. The message that nothing they did was “good enough” might have been explicit or even implicit, but it continues to drive (often subconsciously) the adult’s behavior in the present. The adult who has difficulty saying “no” or setting healthy boundaries today likely feared the consequences of asserting himself or herself as a child. While these behaviors were probably highly adaptive in the past, they are no longer serving that person in the here-and-now. Once these ingrained modes of feeling, thinking and behaving are recognized and understood, one can begin to work on changing the way he/she relates to him/herself and others in the world.
I also utilize cognitive behavioral theory and techniques (CBT). Put simply, this theory of psychology maintains that one’s distress is largely based on unhelpful ways of thinking (e.g., all-or-nothing thinking; making faulty assumptions about people or situations) which results in negative feelings and behaviors. The emphasis here is on what is going on in the person’s current life, rather than what led up to his/her problems. While aspects of one’s history are looked at, the focus is primarily on moving forward with more effective ways of coping with life.
Do I Have to Talk About Deeply-Rooted Childhood Issues or Other Aspects of the Past?
No. What you share is completely up to you. You will talk about difficult issues when you are ready to and when it feels safe enough for you to do so (assuming you want to talk about them at all). If appropriate, I may gently help you get to a point where addressing these issues feels less frightening so that you can have a better understanding of how past events, beliefs, and feelings impacted you and how they continue to affect your current life. In the meantime, we can work on addressing other concerns that brought you to therapy.
No. What you share is completely up to you. You will talk about difficult issues when you are ready to and when it feels safe enough for you to do so (assuming you want to talk about them at all). If appropriate, I may gently help you get to a point where addressing these issues feels less frightening so that you can have a better understanding of how past events, beliefs, and feelings impacted you and how they continue to affect your current life. In the meantime, we can work on addressing other concerns that brought you to therapy.
How Long Are Therapy Sessions?
Therapy sessions are 50 minutes long.
Therapy sessions are 50 minutes long.
What To Expect During My First Session
Our first session is a chance for us to get to know one another. It also allows me to get a better sense of what symptoms you are experiencing and what goals you would like to accomplish. I may also ask you some questions about your background, your relationships, and your career, among other relevant topics. After this session, we will start to explore and address the specific concerns that brought you to therapy in more depth.
Therapy usually requires more than one visit so the first visit will not provide an instant solution to problems you are experiencing. We can discuss whether brief or more in-depth therapy would work best for you.
As with any session, you can also ask any questions that you may have about the therapeutic process and the work we are doing together.
Our first session is a chance for us to get to know one another. It also allows me to get a better sense of what symptoms you are experiencing and what goals you would like to accomplish. I may also ask you some questions about your background, your relationships, and your career, among other relevant topics. After this session, we will start to explore and address the specific concerns that brought you to therapy in more depth.
Therapy usually requires more than one visit so the first visit will not provide an instant solution to problems you are experiencing. We can discuss whether brief or more in-depth therapy would work best for you.
As with any session, you can also ask any questions that you may have about the therapeutic process and the work we are doing together.
How Do I Know If You Are the Right Therapist for Me?
Research has shown that the best determinant of successful therapy is the relationship between the therapist and the client. Put simply, you want someone with whom you feel comfortable and safe sharing very personal and vulnerable parts of yourself. The best way to make this determination is to have a 20-minute consultation and/or book a session and see how it feels. Do you feel heard? Do you feel I “get” you? Can you envision working effectively with me to resolve issues that you want to address? Notice how you are feeling in these moments. Ask any questions you have and trust your instincts!
If I feel you would be better served by working with a different therapist, I will let you know. This can take a few sessions to determine. Similarly, if you decide that I am not the best fit for you, I invite you to let me know, as I may have some ideas for a referral that would work better for you.
Research has shown that the best determinant of successful therapy is the relationship between the therapist and the client. Put simply, you want someone with whom you feel comfortable and safe sharing very personal and vulnerable parts of yourself. The best way to make this determination is to have a 20-minute consultation and/or book a session and see how it feels. Do you feel heard? Do you feel I “get” you? Can you envision working effectively with me to resolve issues that you want to address? Notice how you are feeling in these moments. Ask any questions you have and trust your instincts!
If I feel you would be better served by working with a different therapist, I will let you know. This can take a few sessions to determine. Similarly, if you decide that I am not the best fit for you, I invite you to let me know, as I may have some ideas for a referral that would work better for you.
Do I Need to Prepare For Therapy?
I have been asked this by many of my clients over the years. No, you need not prepare for therapy and, in fact, therapy can work best when you just talk about what is on your mind. Sometimes, clients do not always remember difficulties they encountered during the week or have so much going on that it feels hard to prioritize what to talk about. In these instances, it can be helpful to write thoughts/experiences/feelings down during the week and bring them in for a
session.
Sometimes, clients ask for “homework.” In this situation, it is helpful to complete the exercises prior to the next session.
I have been asked this by many of my clients over the years. No, you need not prepare for therapy and, in fact, therapy can work best when you just talk about what is on your mind. Sometimes, clients do not always remember difficulties they encountered during the week or have so much going on that it feels hard to prioritize what to talk about. In these instances, it can be helpful to write thoughts/experiences/feelings down during the week and bring them in for a
session.
Sometimes, clients ask for “homework.” In this situation, it is helpful to complete the exercises prior to the next session.
Will I Always Feel Better After A Session?
It can be very helpful to have someone who cares and understands without judgment just listen to you. Indeed, clients often do experience a sense of relief from discussing thoughts and feelings that they have harbored - sometimes for years. In this way, feeling supported, listened to, and ideally, having a sense of hope, will leave you feeling better after a session.
But that is not always the case. Over the course of therapy, as you truly start to explore the issues that have been causing you distress in your life (assuming you choose to take this path), it is very normal for things to feel worse before they feel better. The overall goal is to obtain a better awareness and understanding of yourself, to accept what cannot be changed, and to learn healthier ways of addressing situations that have been problematic for you in the past. Ultimately, the work that you do in therapy can be very empowering going forward.
It can be very helpful to have someone who cares and understands without judgment just listen to you. Indeed, clients often do experience a sense of relief from discussing thoughts and feelings that they have harbored - sometimes for years. In this way, feeling supported, listened to, and ideally, having a sense of hope, will leave you feeling better after a session.
But that is not always the case. Over the course of therapy, as you truly start to explore the issues that have been causing you distress in your life (assuming you choose to take this path), it is very normal for things to feel worse before they feel better. The overall goal is to obtain a better awareness and understanding of yourself, to accept what cannot be changed, and to learn healthier ways of addressing situations that have been problematic for you in the past. Ultimately, the work that you do in therapy can be very empowering going forward.
How Long Does Therapy Last?
This depends on you, your specific situation, and what you would like to get out of coming to therapy. Some clients come in with a particular issue/symptom and can start to feel better after talking it through for a few sessions. Other clients who are addressing longer-term, deeper issues and who want to change deeply rooted patterns and beliefs, and/or want more self-understanding, often find that therapy can take more time. Both approaches can be helpful and we can discuss what might work best for you.
This depends on you, your specific situation, and what you would like to get out of coming to therapy. Some clients come in with a particular issue/symptom and can start to feel better after talking it through for a few sessions. Other clients who are addressing longer-term, deeper issues and who want to change deeply rooted patterns and beliefs, and/or want more self-understanding, often find that therapy can take more time. Both approaches can be helpful and we can discuss what might work best for you.
Why Not Just Talk to a Friend?
Talking to friends and family whom you trust can be very helpful, and having friends and family as supports in your life is wonderful. Therapists, however, are trained professionals who understand complex dynamics of human thought, behavior and emotion. Among other things, a therapist will offer a more objective, nuanced perspective, help you explore wider aspects of yourself, and guide you in ways that friends may not. Talking with a therapist also allows you to share aspects of yourself, in a completely confidential setting, that may feel too vulnerable to share with others in your life. It also allows you to be unapologetically self-focused!
Talking to friends and family whom you trust can be very helpful, and having friends and family as supports in your life is wonderful. Therapists, however, are trained professionals who understand complex dynamics of human thought, behavior and emotion. Among other things, a therapist will offer a more objective, nuanced perspective, help you explore wider aspects of yourself, and guide you in ways that friends may not. Talking with a therapist also allows you to share aspects of yourself, in a completely confidential setting, that may feel too vulnerable to share with others in your life. It also allows you to be unapologetically self-focused!
How Does Therapy Work?
Put very simply, I believe that therapy works by helping you (i) gain a better understanding of yourself; (ii) modify thought patterns which can effect the way you feel and behave; (iii) develop greater self-acceptance and/or acceptance of your life and circumstances; (iv) and learn new problem-solving skills and more productive ways of coping with challenging situations.
Put very simply, I believe that therapy works by helping you (i) gain a better understanding of yourself; (ii) modify thought patterns which can effect the way you feel and behave; (iii) develop greater self-acceptance and/or acceptance of your life and circumstances; (iv) and learn new problem-solving skills and more productive ways of coping with challenging situations.
Would Medication Suffice? Why Do I Need Therapy If I Can Simply Take Something?
Medication for depression and anxiety can be very helpful to alleviate symptoms that feel unmanageable. Sometimes clients are in such a state of distress that it is impossible to do meaningful work together without it. While medication can treat the symptoms, it does not help clients address the root causes of their distress or help them understand how particular beliefs, emotions and behaviors get in the way of living a more satisfying life. It also does not help them learn more productive ways of coping. In certain instances, a combination of medication and therapy can work best. If I feel that medication is indicated for your symptomatology, I will recommend that you consult with a medical doctor since I do not prescribe medication.
Medication for depression and anxiety can be very helpful to alleviate symptoms that feel unmanageable. Sometimes clients are in such a state of distress that it is impossible to do meaningful work together without it. While medication can treat the symptoms, it does not help clients address the root causes of their distress or help them understand how particular beliefs, emotions and behaviors get in the way of living a more satisfying life. It also does not help them learn more productive ways of coping. In certain instances, a combination of medication and therapy can work best. If I feel that medication is indicated for your symptomatology, I will recommend that you consult with a medical doctor since I do not prescribe medication.
Are Sessions Confidential?
Absolutely. What you disclose in our sessions is completely confidential and cannot be shared with anyone without your prior written permission except in certain situations, which include, but are not limited to:
We can discuss this and other office policies during your initial session.
Absolutely. What you disclose in our sessions is completely confidential and cannot be shared with anyone without your prior written permission except in certain situations, which include, but are not limited to:
- When there is reasonable suspicion of abuse to children, elderly, or dependent persons;
- When a client presents a serious danger of violence to another;
- When a client is likely to harm himself or herself unless protective measures are taken; and
- If I am directed to turn over records by a court order.
We can discuss this and other office policies during your initial session.