What will happen in psychotherapy with you?
This is the quintessential question. Some parts of this question I can answer now. If you come in, I will listen to you and try to understand what you are looking for. And I will be honest about whether I think I can help. After this, it is up to you to let me know if you want us to work together.
The helping part has different stages and depends upon many variables. If we do meet at least once a week for a substantial period of time, you will notice positive change in your life, and if you do not, I hope you will let me know so that we can try something different or end treatment.
The parts I am not able to speak to are the specifics of what you will do and what I will do each week. What I can say about this is that over time you will develop a sense of the answer. Many of my clients have started treatment mystified by the idea of psychotherapy and eventually reach a point where they are able to articulate precisely what it is that we are doing together that is helpful. The specifics are different with each client.
How will I know if it is working?
You will know if it is working because you will feel better. There may be a period of time during which things feel worse before they feel better. But if you are not eventually feeling better it is definitely not working.
How long does psychotherapy with you go on for?
I have worked with people ranging from a single session to weekly treatment over the course of many years. There is room for success in both short and long term treatment.
I have witnessed greater success with long term treatment. Ultimately, though, the length of treatment is up to you.
I welcome questions about this at any point. If you are contemplating ending treatment, I will share input about where I think we are. On the other hand, if you are interested in continuing and I think that we are nearing the end, I will also share my thoughts about this.
How frequently will we meet?
I typically work with clients once or twice a week.
How much does it cost?
My current fee for psychotherapy services is $200/hr. Periodically I am able to offer a sliding scale fee, based on need.
I expect payment at each session, or within the current month.
Do you accept insurance?
I am not currently on any insurance panels. I can offer you an invoice that you may consider submitting to your insurance company.
What is your style?
My style is relational psychodynamic. This means that I am interested in early life experience as well as what is going on right now, and I use the relationship that develops in the therapy room as a unique space in which we can explore your struggles and together work on solutions. I am also influenced by object relations, family systems, somatic psychology and humanistic schools of thought.
Is it confidential?
In my work with adults, psychotherapy is confidential in so far as I am not at liberty to share the contents of what you describe to anyone without your prior written consent. This requirement is one of the most important and protective principles of the work.
There are several exceptions to the confidentiality of our work, under state and federal law. The most common ones are if you reveal something that indicates a plan to harm yourself or someone else — with special consideration given to children or elders — then under certain circumstances I have a legal duty to break confidentiality.
Another exception is that I will periodically consult with psychotherapist colleagues of mine about our work in a general way, to get support and input, but in doing this I will not share identifying information about you.
When you start psychotherapy with me, I will provide you with more detailed information about confidentiality, and I will be happy to answer any questions.