When an individual decides to pursue counseling, it is important that they find the right "match" in a therapist.  It is important to feel comfortable with your therapist and to understand the process of therapy.  There are a variety of different "styles" of counseling and many "types" of therapists.  The goal is to uncover negative thoughts and habits that may be contributing to the difficulties, and then learn new strategies that are more productive.

The process of therapy is much like visiting and chatting with a trusted friend.  The offices are warm and friendly and look much like your own family room.  Your initial visit is designed to collect information about you (or your child or family), the history of the problem and your goals for treatment.  After that, your visits will consist of talking about and processing problems or difficulties, understanding the root causes and working together to find and try solutions or strategies to feel better. 

 

Clients are often assigned simple "homework" assignments to complete between sessions, which allows the therapy process to continue between visits.  Most people attend therapy once a week or once every two weeks with the goal usually being short term therapy (ten or twenty visits). If you have a primary care physician or other professional involved in your care, we wll also coordinate your treatment goals with them.  If there is a need for medication for severe disorders such as depression, panic attacks or ADHD, we can work with your physician or a psychiatrist to assist you in accessing this level of treatment.