What’s therapy like?
Making the decision to come to therapy can be a really tricky one. Often there is a lot of fear involved.
What is my therapist going to be like? What are they going to ask me? What if there’s something I don’t want to talk about? What is the process going to be like? Why the eff did I even decide to do this nevermind I’m not even going therapy is stupid.
It’s OK. It’s OK to be nervous about it. Finding a therapist you click with can be really tricky. Opening up the vulnerable parts of you can be really scary. But honestly, it’s going to be worth it to be free of all of that crap that is weighing you down.
Here’s how the basic therapy process goes with people that I work with:
Consult Call
We’ll schedule a quick 15 minute consult call and talk about what you’re looking for and what I can offer you, including an overview of my business policies (fees, cancellations, privacy, social media, etc). If I don’t think I’m the best person to help you or if you think that we aren’t a good fit - that’s it, the process is done and I can help you find someone else if you’d like. If we do feel like a good fit, we will move forward with scheduling that first official appointment (the initial assessment). I’m not a great fit for everyone and that’s OK too. My website is a pretty good representation of who I am and how I work.
Paperwork
After we schedule the initial assessment I will send you paperwork to fill out in preparation for our first appointment. It’s all electronic and through my HIPAA compliant health record platform. I use a health record called Simple Practice and you can learn more about their security here. There is a client portal where I can send you forms or we can message one another. I am the only person who has access to my electronic health record. Please fill out the paperwork before we meet for the initial assessment. That lets us skip over dealing with it and right into getting you moving toward feeling better.
Initial Assessment
This is our first “real” appointment. We will meet for about 50 minutes and go through some of your paperwork. Right now all of my sessions are online through a HIPAA compliant video platform attached to the electronic health record (Simple Practice). I’ll ask a TON of questions about your history and gather information as we get to know one another. We will also set goals for what you’d like to accomplish in our work together. After this appointment I write up a basic personal history and treatment plan for our work together, which is stored in the electronic health record.
If there is something I ask that you don’t want to talk about, just tell me! Especially in the beginning of our therapeutic work together, I want you to be able to set your own boundaries in terms of what you are ready to talk about. I’d much rather you tell me you don’t want to talk about something than to feel that I’ve pushed you too far or that you need to lie about something.
Ongoing Appointments
Our real deep work together. We will work towards your goals, talk about coping skills, investigate past trauma, prepare for the future, etc. I typically meet with people weekly, at least for 4-6 weeks at the beginning of treatment. Some people move to every other week or as needed sessions long term, but that is really an individual decision that we will make together if and when it’s appropriate. Sometimes other factors affect how often you’d like to meet and so this is really a case by case basis. Weekly therapy tends to be most effective, but the most important thing for me is that the frame and setup of therapy work for you and your therapeutic goals.
Termination
I don’t want you to stay in therapy forever. I want you to get what you need and move forward with your life. Ideally, we will plan for termination well before the actual sessions stop.
Some of my clients return to therapy at some point. If we do terminate and something new comes up, feel free to call me and see if I have space to see you again.
