Frequently Asked Questions

There are a variety of benefits that can come from therapy, and they tend to be individualized. Therapists are there to provide levels of support, teach certain skills, and help patients discover new coping strategies for things like anxiety, depression, stress, or even creative blocks. You don’t need to have some kind of ‘major disorder’ to find usefulness from a therapist. In fact, if you’re simply looking for personal growth in any aspect of your life, you can typically find the skills and resources through therapy to help with family problems, marital issues, and more. Essentially, a therapist offers a different way of looking at things – perhaps a perspective you haven’t yet considered, which makes it easier to point you in the right direction, and find the solutions you’re looking for in life.

Of course, therapists can’t just ‘fix’ everything on their own. It’s about using those resources you learn in your everyday life that can really turn things around. Still unsure about what therapy could do for you? Let’s take a look a few examples of some common benefits:

• Grasping a deeper understanding of who you are

• Identifying your goals and dreams

• Obtaining the right skills for bettering your life’s relationships

• Learning resources to put an end to the issues that brought you to therapy

• Managing problem areas in your personal life, like anger, stress, depression, etc.

• Creating new patterns of behavior for yourself

• Changing your problem-solving perspective

• Boosting your self-esteem and confidence

While everyone’s reasons for coming to therapy are different, whether they’re going through a big life change, or a specific event like divorce, or just aren’t dealing with stressful situations ideally. Sometimes, the assistance of therapy can not only help with specific situations, but personal issues as well. Depression, anxiety, relationship issues, and even low-self esteem are often common reasons to seek out help. You may start out looking for one thing, and find on your journey that you can gain so much more through learning the right skills, and having the right kind of encouragement.

In terms of making the ‘right decision’ for yourself, of course therapy is a personal decision, but if you take a look at your life, and your desire is to make a change that starts from within, it’s likely that some form of psychotherapy could be a great benefit.

Just like the reasons for therapy are different for everyone, most people can expect different experiences. The good news is that therapy is completely individually-focused, which is why everyone can get something different out of it. Generally, your life, your history, and any relevant insights will be important to the specific discussions, but in a very personal and individualized manner. Sometimes therapy can be focused on a specific need, in which case it’s a ‘short term’ solution, while in other cases, many people go to therapy regularly, each week, to simply look for more personal growth.

Again, therapy isn’t meant to be some kind of ‘quick fix’ where you simply sit back and listen. It is a participatory experience. The more you involve yourself in the process, the better results you’re bound to see. It’s a practice in everyday living, in which you take what you learn from the session, and apply it to your life. Therefore, it’s important to be mentally prepared to make those changes in your life, and desire new perspectives on things.

While both AMFTs (Associate Marriage and Family Therapists) and LMFTs (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists) help families, individuals, children, and couples using therapeutic techniques and problem solving strategies, the main difference is that a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist is licensed, while an AMFT is not.

There is practically nothing more important in therapy than confidentiality. As with any doctor/patient agreement, your privacy is of the utmost importance. A good therapist understands the vulnerability and openness that must come from each patient in order to really get through, so therapy itself can take a lot of trust, and that needs to be developed over time. Your therapist will offer a confidentiality agreement before you begin your sessions, typically called ‘informed consent.’ It is your choice if you’d like to have your therapist share anything significant with your other healthcare providers, but this can only be done with your written consent. Nothing you share in your sessions is to be told to anyone else, with the rare exceptions that will be reviewed and written out in the informed consent. These situations are a matter of ethical procedures, and sometimes, even the law.

The therapy relationship is unique. Unlike other relationships in your life, your therapist is an unbiased, objective support who can help you gain new perspective in a way that others who are intricately woven into your life cannot. When you come to therapy, you are taking care of yourself by dedicating time to the task of taking care of you and only you. No need to fear you said too much or worry about your privacy.

Your first few meetings will give you and your therapist an opportunity to get to know each other and decide if you are a good fit. You may be asked some questions about your background and goals for therapy. You will also have the opportunity to learn more about the therapy process, as well as discuss a plan for treatment. If for some reason you and your therapist are not the right fit, you will be provided with trusted referrals.

Your appointment time is reserved for you, so as soon as you arrive, we will begin the session and use whatever time is left.

No, however if you want to be evaluated for psychiatric medication I can provide referrals for a psychiatrist or you can connect with your primary care physician. I can refer you to professional holistic providers in the area for further consultation such as yoga, nutrition options, massage care etc.