Frequently asked questions

People have many different motivations for starting therapy.  You may need assistance in managing depression and anxiety as well as low self-esteem, grief and loss, life transitions, retirement, loss of job or relationship problems. Therapy can help provide some much needed encouragement and help you with skills to get you through these periods. Or you just may be at a point where you are ready to learn more about yourself or want to be more effective with the goals in your life. In short, if you are considering seeking therapy services, then you are ready to meet the challenges in your life and ready to make changes.

Because each person has different issues and goals for therapy, therapy will be different depending on the individual. In general, you can expect to discuss the current events happening in your life, your personal history relevant to your issue, and report progress (or any new insights gained) from the previous therapy session. Depending on your specific needs, therapy can be short-term, for a specific issue, or longer-term, to deal with more difficult patterns or your desire for more personal development. it is most common to schedule regular sessions with your therapist (usually weekly).

It is important to understand that you will get more results from therapy if you actively participate in the process. The ultimate purpose of therapy is to help you bring what you learn in session back into your life. 

Confidentiality is one of the most important components between a client and therapist. Successful therapy requires a high degree of trust with highly sensitive subject matter that is usually not discussed anywhere but the therapist’s office. Every therapist should provide a written copy of their confidential disclosure agreement, and you can expect that what you discuss in session will not be shared with anyone. This is called “Informed Consent”. Information cannot be shared with anyone, including your physician, Attorney; or any family members, without obtaining your written permission.

However, state law and professional ethics require therapists to maintain confidentiality except for the following situations:

* Suspected past or present abuse or neglect of children, adults, and elders to the authorities, including Child Protection and law enforcement, based on information provided by the client or collateral sources.

* If the therapist has reason to suspect the client is seriously in danger of harming him/herself or has threatened to harm another person.