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- How can I get help for myself, a family member, or friend?
- What happens in the first session of counseling?
- Is counseling or psychotherapy really that helpful?
- What are the risks of counseling?
- Previous therapy helped me, but did not resolve my issues.
How can you help me go further? - What questions should I ask the counselor?
- What are your areas of specialization?
- How many sessions will I need?
- Do you accept insurance?
- What questions should I ask my insurance company?
- Do you work with couples?
- Do you work with children or adolescents?
- Do you prescribe medication?
The first step is to contact me by phone or email. With a brief phone call, we can generally determine what course of action might be most helpful at this time. If necessary, I would be glad to support you with referral information for other therapists or resources in our community. In some cases, before I can let you know what steps I recommend, I will need to meet with you to assess your situation during an initial consultation.
What happens in the first session of counseling?
Before we meet, you will need to review and sign my practice and privacy policies, and complete a registration and assessment form.
- In the first session, we will have an opportunity to discuss the reasons you are interested in working with me at this time. We will begin identifying the significant experiences that brought you to this point in your life, your primary goals for therapy, and any specific concerns you have.
- You will also be able to ask me any questions you have about the process of counseling, my professional background, and my approach to working with you.
- At the end of this session, I will let you know if I believe you could benefit from counseling and how we could work together to achieve your goals.
Research shows that therapy effectively decreases people's depression, anxiety, and related symptoms like pain, fatigue, and other markers of distress or disease. It has also been found to increase survival time for heart surgery and cancer patients, and it can have a positive effect on the body's immune system. Scientific research increasingly demonstrates that the state of our emotional and physical health is very closely linked, and that counseling can thus improve our overall wellbeing. Similarly research convincingly suggests that people who have at least several sessions of therapy are better offer than people who do not seek treatment for their emotional difficulties.
Each person's experience is different because the course and outcome of counseling depends on how you choose to use your sessions, the relationship you develop with your counselor, and your own experience, knowledge, insight, and motivation. Most people who commit to their own change process in therapy report better relationships, improved communication, increased self care, and a significant reduction in feelings of distress.
What are the risks of counseling?
As a licensed mental health counselor, I am responsible for advising you that counseling involves both benefits and risks. Increased awareness and insight may bring up difficult feelings before resolution brings more comfort or relief. It could be hard to disclose important information you consider personal or private, or to accept feedback from your therapist. Some clients find it difficult to accept encouragement and support. In discussing your life history, you may also bring to mind experiences from your past that you find unpleasant. At times, family, friends, or coworkers may resist changes that are positive for you. While it is impossible to guarantee any specific results related to your goals, I will work with you to achieve the best outcome possible given my training and your current situation or resources.
Previous therapy helped me, but did not resolve my issues.
How can you help me go further?
The fields of counseling and psychology offer a diversity of techniques and schools of thought. All counselors practice according to their philosophical approach and use the methods for which they have trained.
I have training in a number of therapeutic methods, so I can sometimes offer a more flexible approach that fits the method to the person rather than the person to the method. Some of the approaches I use, such as hypnosis and EMDR, have been shown in scientific studies to be capable of helping people resolve long-standing issues where other approaches have not.
What questions should I ask the counselor?
To help you feel more comfortable in the counseling process, you may want to ask:
- How much experience do you have working with issues similar to mine?
- What is your licensure and training?
- If I chose to file an insurance claim, what diagnosis code will you use?
- What are your professional fees and fees for cancelled appointments?
- What are your practice and payment policies?
- What records do you keep, and how do you protect my confidentiality?
Most of my clients present with a range of issues, such as depression, anxiety, grief, or relationship concerns. I also specialize in the treatment of post-traumatic stress, childhood abuse, and stress-sensitive illness. In addition, I work with many professionals, athletes, and performing artists to maximize their potential and achieve optimal performance.
How many sessions will I need?
The length of therapy is hard to predict without understanding your issues and goals. Some people achieve their treatment goals in a handful of sessions, some in a few months. Some work with me over longer periods of time.
Every person's circumstances are different. Sometimes, in an initial phone call, I may be able to give you an idea of how long others with similar concerns needed to achieve their goals. More commonly, after two or three sessions, I can offer guidelines about how long you might need to be in therapy to achieve your goals. Ultimately you are the only one who can decide when therapy is helping and how long to continue.
Do you accept insurance?
To offer clients greater confidentiality and to devote more of my time to our therapeutic work, I choose not to participate as an "in-network" provider for any insurance company. Many of my clients, however, are able to receive out-of-network reimbursement depending on their particular benefit plan. I encourage you to call so that I can support you in determining your options. Of course, if your financial situation requires you to use insurance, I would be happy to provide you with referrals to mental health practitioners who are currently accepting insurance.
What questions should I ask my insurance company?
Prior to our meeting, you may find it helpful to call your insurance provider to ask:
- What out-of-network benefits do I have?
- What is my deductible?
- What is the maximum number of allowable sessions per year?
- Do I need to get authorization or pre-certification for my sessions?
- What is the procedure for getting authorization?
While I have worked with couples over the years, I do not consider it to be my specialty. I would be glad, however, to discuss your situation over the phone and offer you a number of referrals to experienced couples or family therapists in the community, who may be able to meet your particular needs.
Do you work with children or adolescents?
Currently my practice is limited to adults over the age of 18. I would be glad, however, to discuss your situation and offer you a number of referrals to experienced clinicians in the community, who may be able to meet your particular needs.
Do you prescribe medication?
In most states including Indiana, only psychiatrists and other medical doctors or nurse practitioners are legally able to prescribe medication. In the course of therapy, if we determine that a medication evaluation is advised, I am glad to refer you to a number of physicians with whom I work collaboratively.
