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What will happen in my first session?
The purpose of
the first session is to evaluate your situation and make recommendations about the best course of action to help you reach
your goals. If you are coming to counseling as a couple, I will meet with both of you to learn the history of your relationship
and your view of your current situation. If you are seeking help for a child, I will typically meet with you at the first
session and have you bring your child to the next meeting. If you are seeking help for an adolescent, both you and your child
will attend the first session.
How long will it take before my problems get better?
The length
of time an individual is in counseling varies greatly, depending on the nature of the problem and your participation. It can
range from a few weeks to a year or more. Most people begin to see significant improvement in three to six months. Keep in
mind that most emotional and/or relationship problems have evolved over several years, and it is unrealistic to expect them
to be solved quickly. In most cases, sessions are scheduled weekly and then spaced farther apart as your goals begin to be
met.
Do you
prescribe medication? No, only a psychiatrist or your doctor
can prescribe medication. Most problems can be solved without medication. However, some problems include a medical component
and medication is a valuable resource. During the counseling process we can help you determine whether or not medication is
indicated. If this is the case, we can refer you to a psychiatrist and collaborate with him or her in order to coordinate
your care. What are the benefit of counseling?
Numerous studies have shown that counseling has
the following positive effects:
• After treatment, almost 90% of clients report an improvement in their emotional
health, and nearly two-thirds report an improvement in their overall physical health.
• Improved behavior
for children in 73% of the cases, as reported by parents, including their ability to get along with other children and improved
school performance.
• A positive effect on depression by reducing the chance or future episodes and increasing
likelihood of recovery.
• Improved overall health status and a positive effect on the body's immune system.
• An increased ability to deal with stressful and problematic situations through learning effective coping
behaviors.
• Noticeable improvement after eight counseling sessions (reported by 50 percent of patients)
and noticeable improvement after 6 months (repored by 75 percent of patients).
Do you accept medical insurance?
We do not participate
on any insurance panels. However, many of our clients use their out of network benefits to obtain reimbursement for our services.
Most mental health services and psychotherapy are covered by insurance. However, since coverage varies widely from policy
to policy, we recommend that you review your benefits to determine your expected reimbursement.
Payment is expected
in full at the time of service. If you wish to use your insurance benefits, it will be necessary for you to file for reimbursement
directly with your carrier. You will receive an insurance form to attach to your claim form at the end of each session. What if I’m not sure if professional help for my child is needed?
You may want to start talking to other parents and professionals you trust
about whether your child’s behavior is different than average behavior at that age. Your child’s
doctor and teacher are good resources, because they are likely to work with many other children your child’s age.
How Should a Child Be Prepared for Therapy?
It varies
widely based on the age of the child. Parents should definitely not deceive their children about where
they are going or why they are seeing a therapist. However, depending on the age of the child, they may
not need a detailed explanation of why they are going. For young children, a simple explanation that they
are “going to see a lady who has a play room and who helps children with their feelings and behavior” may be enough.
Although parents often tell children they are going to “talk to” someone, it usually helps reduce the anxiety
of children if it is made clear that they can also play, not just talk. Older children often are more enthusiastic
about therapy if their parents emphasize more about the stress they feel the child has been under than about the parents desire
for their behavior to change. If the child expects the therapy to be like going to the principals office
because of something they do wrong, then they are likely to have more anxiety and resistance. How Long Does Child Psychotherapy Take? Therapy
is generally a gradual process of helping a child gain new skills and change attitudes. We generally recommend that
children see us weekly, for 45 minute sessions, in the beginnig. Having appointments spaced more than a week apart
in the beginning will slow down therapy substantially because an important part of the process is gaining rapport and trust
with the child. How many sessions are necessary depends on the problem, the level
of support the child has, and how long the problem has existed. Recent problems are usually much quicker
to deal with than long-standing problems. Although some parents will see noticeable improvements in their
children in just a few sessions, twelve sessions is usually considered brief therapy. For more longstanding
problems the child may come for a few months to a year. Therapy usually progresses quicker where a child
has good support from both parents and slower when there are family problems hindering their development. In
some cases family therapy, or a parent having their own individual therapy, will be recommended.
Why use play in therapy with children? Play is a natural form of communication for children and is the most natural way for
them to resolve emotional issues. Even children who are quite talkative are not usually developmentally able to fully express
their feelings verbally or to fully benefit from the "talk therapy" designed for adults. Play therapy allows children
a safe psychological distance from their problems and allows them to express their true thoughts and feelings in ways best
suited to their developmental level.
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