How It Works
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Transparency about treatment is essential to building trust and setting expectations for yourself. Whether you're considering a change for yourself or a loved one, it's important to know the values that I hold about how to successfully reach your recovery goals.
May the below FAQ be useful in helping you learn more about me and the way I practice. If you have more questions, give me a call, text or email. |
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FAQ
‣ I'm not really sure how "therapy" might help me. What happens when we meet?
‣ How long do we have to meet before I'm fixed or feel better?
‣ What if I have trauma? How do you help with that?
‣ Okay, so if I'm interested in meeting, what do I do?
‣ I really don't want to go, but I'm being forced to. Now what?
‣ I'm not really sure how "therapy" might help me. What happens when we meet?
‣ How long do we have to meet before I'm fixed or feel better?
‣ What if I have trauma? How do you help with that?
‣ Okay, so if I'm interested in meeting, what do I do?
‣ I really don't want to go, but I'm being forced to. Now what?
Q: I'm not really sure how "therapy" might help me. What happens when we meet?
The answer to this is always a collaborative one. For many people, men especially, there's sometimes a disconnect between how we want to behave, think and feel and how we actually do. It can feel very bizarre and lead to a sense of being lost, increased self-doubt, perhaps a question of "what's wrong with me?" I believe in being very transparent with the people I work with. After an initial intake session, I will give you a general overview of what I think may be the issue and plan of attack for how to resolve it.
The answer to this is always a collaborative one. For many people, men especially, there's sometimes a disconnect between how we want to behave, think and feel and how we actually do. It can feel very bizarre and lead to a sense of being lost, increased self-doubt, perhaps a question of "what's wrong with me?" I believe in being very transparent with the people I work with. After an initial intake session, I will give you a general overview of what I think may be the issue and plan of attack for how to resolve it.
Q: How long do we have to meet before I'm fixed or feel better?
Anyone that tells you they know there is a black-and-white answer to that question is lying. Everyone is different. For example, someone may come to see me because they're being bullied at school, not being heard by their parents or arguing with their wife. That person may need only a few sessions to learn assertive communication skills or need the unbiased feedback to alter their perspective towards a more positive or healthy one.
Other times, the issues run deeper than that. Sometimes, I may need to work with multiple people in the family system because parents or spouses also need support. Sometimes, the work is about developing awareness of childhood development and how it shaped the way you think and perceive the world and relationships today. Sometimes people have trauma that they either avoided to deal with, didn't know how to deal with it or didn't know they had it all! Awareness of the ways we behave and why we do it is crucial to being able to better control ourselves and have more say over our lives.
Anyone that tells you they know there is a black-and-white answer to that question is lying. Everyone is different. For example, someone may come to see me because they're being bullied at school, not being heard by their parents or arguing with their wife. That person may need only a few sessions to learn assertive communication skills or need the unbiased feedback to alter their perspective towards a more positive or healthy one.
Other times, the issues run deeper than that. Sometimes, I may need to work with multiple people in the family system because parents or spouses also need support. Sometimes, the work is about developing awareness of childhood development and how it shaped the way you think and perceive the world and relationships today. Sometimes people have trauma that they either avoided to deal with, didn't know how to deal with it or didn't know they had it all! Awareness of the ways we behave and why we do it is crucial to being able to better control ourselves and have more say over our lives.
Q: What if I have trauma? How do you help with that?
Trauma treatment varies but essentially it comes down to supporting a person in two ways: one, increasing their skills to regulate emotions and help them relax while being exposed to the memory of the traumatic incident; two, often their perspective of the trauma has led to some over-generalized, negative or irrational thinking that needs to be changed. It's actually quite amazing how much better people will feel just by being honest about their thoughts and feelings. When we are lost in our thinking about anything negative or hurtful to us, it becomes an echo chamber where we only hear the same record, over-and-over again.
Trauma treatment varies but essentially it comes down to supporting a person in two ways: one, increasing their skills to regulate emotions and help them relax while being exposed to the memory of the traumatic incident; two, often their perspective of the trauma has led to some over-generalized, negative or irrational thinking that needs to be changed. It's actually quite amazing how much better people will feel just by being honest about their thoughts and feelings. When we are lost in our thinking about anything negative or hurtful to us, it becomes an echo chamber where we only hear the same record, over-and-over again.
Q: Okay. So if I'm interested in meeting, what do I do?
I'm happy to discuss over the phone or in-person what it is you're struggling with. I strongly believe that I am not, nor is any therapist, appropriate for everyone. Rightness of fit, or chemistry or connection, whatever you want to call it, is the most important part of therapy. I will be honest about whether I think I can help, and if I'm not, I have many other clinicians that I trust to refer you to.
If we decide to meet, I will send you an intake document that will help me learn more about you. I will also send you my informed consent document that goes over billing, communication, confidentiality, etc.
I'm happy to discuss over the phone or in-person what it is you're struggling with. I strongly believe that I am not, nor is any therapist, appropriate for everyone. Rightness of fit, or chemistry or connection, whatever you want to call it, is the most important part of therapy. I will be honest about whether I think I can help, and if I'm not, I have many other clinicians that I trust to refer you to.
If we decide to meet, I will send you an intake document that will help me learn more about you. I will also send you my informed consent document that goes over billing, communication, confidentiality, etc.
Q: I really don't want to go, but I'm being forced to. Now what?
When all else fails, problem solving and finding the easiest and quickest way to be done with therapy is actually not always a bad one. It's a highly motivating place to be, and when wielded properly, can be very useful to helping you get what you want (out of therapy). I have no desire to keep any one in therapy longer than they have to. We will assess your options, weigh possible outcomes for each and, at the very least, you'll have a clearer picture of what move to make next.
When all else fails, problem solving and finding the easiest and quickest way to be done with therapy is actually not always a bad one. It's a highly motivating place to be, and when wielded properly, can be very useful to helping you get what you want (out of therapy). I have no desire to keep any one in therapy longer than they have to. We will assess your options, weigh possible outcomes for each and, at the very least, you'll have a clearer picture of what move to make next.