What should I expect at my first appointment?
The first appointment is a chance for you and your child/teen to get to know me and learn about the therapy experience and my approach to make sure it is a good fit. Successful therapy really depends on the connection between client and therapist so I want to make this the best experience for you especially if this is your first time coming to therapy. I will have lots of questions about the reasons that you are coming in for therapy and will also gather information about your everyday life, school functioning, family, emotions, likes/dislikes, and strengths and weaknesses as well as your goals for therapy. This appointment will take 45 minutes to one hour. It will also be a chance for you to ask questions.
How often will I come to therapy?
Generally when starting therapy I recommend meeting for weekly 45 minute sessions. As therapy progresses and you are beginning to feel better, 45 minute sessions every other week are possible.
How long will I be in therapy?
There is no easy answer to this question. That depends on the issues that you are struggling with and the goals that you identify as wanting to work on. Some clients come in for a couple months and get better. Others need more support and come for much longer. We will have frequent conversations about your progress and how you are feeling to help guide that decision.
Is therapy confidential or will my school or employer find out I am coming to therapy?
Therapy is confidential meaning that I will not disclose to anyone about your therapy without your written permission. If you would like me to talk to your school or employer or your teen's school, pediatrician, psychiatrist, etc I will do that with your written permission and theirs if he/she is age 12years or older.
Who will come to therapy appointments?
I am trained as a couples and family therapist and firmly believe that parents/family are an integral part of the therapy process. Each teen and family are different so I will assess and talk about family therapy in each individual case at your first appointment. For teens I often spend a good portion of session time one on one but will also incorporate parent(s) into family sessions and will also meet from time to time one on one with parent(s).
The first appointment is a chance for you and your child/teen to get to know me and learn about the therapy experience and my approach to make sure it is a good fit. Successful therapy really depends on the connection between client and therapist so I want to make this the best experience for you especially if this is your first time coming to therapy. I will have lots of questions about the reasons that you are coming in for therapy and will also gather information about your everyday life, school functioning, family, emotions, likes/dislikes, and strengths and weaknesses as well as your goals for therapy. This appointment will take 45 minutes to one hour. It will also be a chance for you to ask questions.
How often will I come to therapy?
Generally when starting therapy I recommend meeting for weekly 45 minute sessions. As therapy progresses and you are beginning to feel better, 45 minute sessions every other week are possible.
How long will I be in therapy?
There is no easy answer to this question. That depends on the issues that you are struggling with and the goals that you identify as wanting to work on. Some clients come in for a couple months and get better. Others need more support and come for much longer. We will have frequent conversations about your progress and how you are feeling to help guide that decision.
Is therapy confidential or will my school or employer find out I am coming to therapy?
Therapy is confidential meaning that I will not disclose to anyone about your therapy without your written permission. If you would like me to talk to your school or employer or your teen's school, pediatrician, psychiatrist, etc I will do that with your written permission and theirs if he/she is age 12years or older.
Who will come to therapy appointments?
I am trained as a couples and family therapist and firmly believe that parents/family are an integral part of the therapy process. Each teen and family are different so I will assess and talk about family therapy in each individual case at your first appointment. For teens I often spend a good portion of session time one on one but will also incorporate parent(s) into family sessions and will also meet from time to time one on one with parent(s).