Getting Started:
Often people have questions about the therapy process, including how to find a therapist, how to get things started and what to expect in the process. While each person’s experience is unique, there are some general steps:
Telephone Consultation – Our first contact will often be a brief telephone consultation. This will allow us to gain a general sense of the issues you want to address in psychotherapy. We can then decide if an initial meeting makes sense or if a referral to another therapist would be more appropriate (based on your particular needs). This is also a time to discuss fees, insurance coverage or other logistical issues. - Initial Meeting – Our first meeting is a time for us to gain a better sense of our “fit” for working together. You will have the opportunity to discuss your situation in more detail and to hear from me what approach to working together would be. This is also a time for you to assess your comfort level with me and for me to determine if my skills and experience match your needs. There may be additional questions you have for me.
- Ongoing Therapy – Following the initial meeting, we will decide together the best on-going process. It is be common to begin meeting on a weekly or every-other-week basis. Sessions are typically fifty minutes long. There may be suggested homework to do between sessions to help you towards your therapy goals.
- Ending – It does happen! And know that you always have the option for returning for “tune-up” sessions or additional work in the future.