FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here are several questions about therapy that you may want to consider.

How do I choose a therapist? 

Therapy is a commitment of time, money, and energy, so you should be very careful about the therapist you select. Although credentials, training, and experience are important, by far the most important factor is whether you feel you can connect with that person.

Here are some questions you should answer when considering a particular therapist:

• Is the therapist licensed?
• Does the therapist have training and experience in the issues of interest to me?
• Does the therapist show an interest in and understanding of my concerns?
• Is the therapist able to talk to me in language I can understand?
• Does the therapist explain how he or she would work with me?
• Does this therapist feel "right" to me—do I feel safe and understood?

If, after a couple of sessions, you don't feel comfortable, bring it up. This can lead to fruitful discussion that may settle the issue for you. But if you find that the therapist responds defensively, move on.  

How do I know if I need therapy? Can't I just work on these things myself? 

There are some problems that work themselves out simply with the passage of time. Other times, it's certainly possible for a person to work through their problems independently.

But some problems are too big or are too deeply rooted to work through alone, and often it helps to get another person's perspective. Other times, a problem can seem so big, it can even be hard to know where to start. 

Just as no eye can see itself, there are limits to what each of us can do by ourselves, alone. Wherever you are now, the therapy I offer can bring clarity, deepening of awareness, exploration of creative alternatives, and provide direction on your journey.

What can I expect from therapy? 

While there are different philosophies and orientations to psychotherapy, at the core of successful therapy is the relationship between you and your therapist. You have to feel that the relationship is meaningful, connected, and one in which you can talk as openly and honestly as possible.

This doesn’t mean that therapy is always easy-going. While you may feel a sense of relief in the initial sessions, therapy can also be difficult and tiring because you’re exploring thoughts and feelings that will be uncomfortable. This is what’s termed ‘the work’ of therapy; all for the purpose of achieving the positive growth you desire. My focus is to help you in achieving results that last, are foundational, and get to the root of what is troubling you so that you achieve greater mastery in having the life you want.

I will listen deeply to what you want from psychotherapy, as well as what has occurred or is missing in your life that brings you into therapy. I will also want to hear about the primary relationships in your life; what works and what doesn’t. Most importantly, I want to hear what it is that is hurting or confounding you. We work together to make sense out of what has brought you to the road on which you’re now traveling and how you can make the journey less perplexing and more rewarding.

Is therapy confidential? 

The law protects the relationship between a client and a psychotherapist, and information cannot be disclosed without written permission. Exceptions include:

• Suspected child abuse or dependant adult or elder abuse, for which I am required by law to report this to the appropriate authorities immediately.
• If a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person, I must notify the police and inform the intended victim.
• If a client intends to harm himself or herself, I will make every effort to enlist their cooperation in ensuring their safety. If they do not cooperate, I will take further measures without their permission that are provided to me by law in order to ensure their safety.