Help Center
Comprehensive Answers
I have never been to therapy before. What is the process like?
Therapy is about talking to a qualified person in a safe, nurturing environment. For many individuals, therapy is working through issues that are problematic to them and is causing distress in their lives and/or relationships. For couples, therapy is about uncovering the couple’s cycle of interaction, their dynamic, and learning to understand and change that dynamic. It is also about identifying the strengths of the couple and enhancing those positives. For families, therapy is assisting all family members to feel heard so that they can explore the negative cycles of interaction. At times, we focus on the structure of the family and in other situations, we focus on finding the solution to a specific problem.
What benefits can I expect from working with a therapist?
Therapy can...
provide insight and new perspectives into life’s challenges
help create solutions to difficult problems
enhance personal development, improve relationships and family dynamics
ease the challenges of daily life
lower the levels of anxiety and stress, decrease conflict and improve the quality of your life
Through therapy, you can...
develop new skills for handling stress and anxiety
modify unhealthy behaviors
gain insight into personal patters and behaviors
increase confidence, vitality, and well being
learn to manage anger, depression and moods
improve listening and communication skills
enhance the overall quality of life
What are your fees?
Our set fee schedule for psychotherapy is related to the usual and customary fees for providers in the area.
* Fees for psychological testing are based on time spent with the client, plus time spent for interpretation of results and report writing.
Do you accept insurance?
We are in-network with many insurance companies. We also accept Medicare. Prior to scheduling an appointment, we highly recommend to contact your insurance company and ask about your mental health benefits, including number of allowed visits per calendar year, co-payment amount, your deductible amount and any other limitations. Your therapist and/or our office staff is also available to assist you with this process.
What if I don’t have insurance and I can’t afford your fees, do you provide reduced rates?
Our intention is to make therapy affordable and accessible. We strongly believe that finances should not be a barrier to psychotherapy, and offer a “sliding scale” to meet the needs of the diverse community we serve. The “sliding scale” fee is based on the ability to pay and/or family size/income. Your session fee can be discussed with us prior to scheduling an appointment or at the time of your initial session.
How do I schedule an appointment?
You may contact us either by phone or by email to schedule an appointment. If you choose to contact us via email, please note that email is not a secure or confidential means of communicating, therefore the privacy of communication is not guaranteed. We reserve email for basic questions and scheduling. Your phone call will be returned by an office administrator, who will ask you brief questions about the type of service you are seeking and your availability. You will also be asked about insurance coverage and/or forms of payment.
How should I prepare for my first appointment?
After you have scheduled your first session, you will be asked to download the applicable forms from our website, complete them and bring them with you to your first session. Alternatively, you may arrange with your therapist or with the administrator to arrive 15 minutes earlier for your first appointment in order to complete the required information forms.
Your initial session will last 60 minutes. Once you arrive for your appointment, please have a seat in the waiting room and your therapist will come out to greet you.
At your first session, your therapist will want to understand your most pressing concerns. Together you 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 have the opportunity to ask questions about the process of psychotherapy, the therapists’ background and approach in working with you. Before you finish your first session, your therapist will let you know if you could benefit from psychotherapy and how you could work together to achieve your goals...
How long are the sessions?
Your initial session will last 60 minutes. Your subsequent individual sessions will be 45 minutes and couples/family sessions will be 60 minutes. Group therapy is typically 90 minutes. Most clients attend therapy one time a week. However, you and your therapist will decide how frequently you might need to attend therapy. As the therapy progresses, you and your therapist may decide to schedule your sessions once every other week and then eventually once per month.
How many sessions will I need?
Therapy is a very personal process and you and your therapist can decide and agree on the number of sessions that are right for you. We offer both Time-limited and Open-ended therapy.
Time-limited therapy varies from anything between 6-20 sessions.
Open-ended therapy means that there is no set number of sessions.
Therapy continues until it is felt that your reasons for coming to therapy have been resolved, or that therapy is no longer required at that moment in time. Having reached this position, a mutually agreed date is set to end therapy.
At times, we are forced to terminate therapy due to relocation, financial or insurance coverage limitations or other unforeseen circumstances. If requested and required, your therapist will work with you to provide referrals to other professionals who can continue to assist you.
Do you prescribe medications?
No, we do not prescribe medications. However, we can refer you to area psychiatrists if needed or requested. If you have insurance, you may also call to receive a referral within your network.
Is therapy confidential?
In general, the law protects the confidentiality of all communications between a client and a psychotherapist. Information is not disclosed without written permission. However, there are number of exceptions to this rule.
Exceptions include:
Suspected child abuse or Dependent adult or elder abuse. The therapist is required by law to report this to the appropriate authorities immediately.
If a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person/s. The therapist must notify the police and inform the intended victim.
If a client intends to harm himself or herself. The therapist will make every effort to enlist their cooperation in insuring their safety. If they do not cooperate, further measures may be taken without their permission in order to ensure their safety
Where do I park?
Parking is available on the street or in designated spaces in our parking lot.
Do you offer sliding scale rates?
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