What to expect
The first time to therapy can be intimidating. Will I be able to find it? Where do I park? What should I bring? Do I just walk in or is there a waiting room?Will I do all the talking or will the therapist ask all the questions? What should I expect?
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We want you to feel at ease with the process. Therapy is a good thing. It's you investing in your self, your relationships, and the quality of your life.
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Our goal is to make you meeting with us the best hour you give yourself each week. If you still have questions please give us a call or send an email.
What to expect
The first call
The first time we connect it will likely be during the consultation call. This is a 20-30 minute call where we get a basic understanding of why you might need therapy. It also gives us an opportunity to explain how we might be helpful. If we don't feel like we're the right person for the job we'll let you know. We'll also let you know why and who we think might be a better fit for your needs. Otherwise we'll be happy to answer your questions and figure out what days and times will work best to meet.
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After the call we'll send an array of days and times and a few forms to prepare for the meeting. Included in the official welcome email will be directions for parking and where to wait should you arrive early.​
The first visit
Therapy with us is very conversational. The office is comfortable and a little cluttered. The goal for the first meeting is to develop a clear understanding of the "problem patterns." How you experience the problem and the specific context the problem exists in. In the business we call this an "experience near" definition of the problem.
Some problems are very specific, such as panic attacks or problem anger. Other problems are much less so. More of the, "I'm not sure what the problem is, but I just know I'm not as happy as I feel like I should be" variety.
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We've seen it all. It doesn't matter too much where we start, as long as we are on the same page when we start.
The second visit
The second visit is typically less focused on the problem and more about your story. How you grew up, what childhood was like, and the important events that have occurred over the course of your life. It may, or may not, have anything to do with the problem, but it gives a context for the work that we find indispensable.
The third visit and onward
After the first two visits we are creating an idea about how we will need to proceed. We'll give you a summary of how we understand about your needs. We'll also propose options for proceeding based on your preferences. You'll understand early that we take tailoring your experience with us seriously.
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At this point we'll have a formal treatment plan to move forward with. It's a kind of road map for the work together. It's not set in stone and will change when we feel like it would be helpful to.
The end of therapy
Therapy ends when you want it to. Because we don't take insurance there's no outside force telling us when it's time to end. We end when it's time to end.
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How long will you be in therapy? Everyone is different.
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Some of our clients come and see us for a few months and then we don't hear from them again until they face a situation they'd like my help with.
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Some of our clients have been with us for years. Some of those clients come in weekly and some come in only once a month.
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Ultimately, it's about what works for you.