Q: I’m used to handling things on my own. If I come to therapy, doesn’t that mean there is something wrong with me?

A: Not at all. Everyone needs help now and then. Everyone has strengths and everyone has points in their personalities to develop. For whatever reason, maybe your strengths aren’t working so well for you right now. Maybe the problem feels too overwhelming and your not quite sure where to start to even access your strengths. Think of therapy as another resource to use to help yourself. I don’t fix you because there isn’t anything inherently wrong with asking for help. If I don’t think I would be a good fit for the work your trying to accomplish, I will tell you and do my best to connect you with an appropriate colleague.

Q: Why can’t I just talk to my friends or family?

A: While your friends and family are a great support, they aren’t trained professionals. Therapists go through years of training, continuing education, and have lots of experience in helping people professionally. We dedicate our lives to be present for people in a way that helps you to decide for yourself what is best, rather than just telling you what to do. We know how to listen without judgement, while also giving you feedback.

Q: What are sessions like?

A: Every person I see I tailor their sessions to what works for them. This includes topics to cover, language, how we talk about those things, how I might make suggestions, or what suggestions I make. I can tell you that in our first session, and for several sessions after, we’ll be doing a lot of getting to know one another. We’ll work together to make sure we both are understanding your current needs and we’ll come up with reasonable goals for you.

Prior to your first session with me, you’ll get an email with a link to my client portal. That portal will only be accessible by you and myself. Within that portal will be documents to help me get to know you better before our first session. The information asked is about past medical history, past counseling, familial history, social supports, etc.

Q: How long does therapy take?

A: I can’t necessarily say how long because each persons treatment is so individualized. I can tell you I’m not in the business of creating dependency and so I won’t suggest you be in therapy longer than needed. For some people seeking to focus on one specific area of their life, treatment may be 8 - 10 sessions. For others looking to do more work, the work and length of time will be longer. I can also say that I regularly check in with my clients to make sure that you’re gaining something out of our sessions, that we are on track for your goals, and discuss where you believe you are in your therapy trajectory. This approach lends itself nicely to an ongoing conversation about this exact question.

Q: Is online counseling right for me?

A: Online counseling has shown to be just as effective as in person therapy. However, there are circumstances in which online counseling would not be a good fit for someone. Online therapy is not for: actively suicidal people, people thinking of harming others, people actively experiencing psychosis, people with severe substance abuse issues, people in crisis situations that may need more immediate support.

Q: Will anyone know that I’m coming to therapy?

A: No. I have strict confidentiality laws and ethics that I adhere too. Information about you and your therapy will be kept strictly between you and I unless we discuss otherwise. There are only a few exceptional circumstances in which I may break privacy and we will discuss those in much more detail at your first session so you understand them.

Q: How do I get the most from my therapy?

A: We both have a responsbility in the relationship. Your active participation is crucial. Be clear with me about your concerns when they arise and as they arise. Also be clear about what is not working for you, or what is. Let me know what your goals are as best you can. It’s helpful for you to attend regularly, and be thoughtful about what you want to discuss before each session. You don’t necessarily need to have an agenda for the session, each time, but if you do have concerns - please bring them.