FAQs

Seeking out therapy is an individual choice. There are many reasons why people come to therapy. Sometimes it is to deal with long-standing psychological issues, or problems with anxiety or depression. Quite often, it is our relationship with a partner/spouse that feels unsatisfying.  Other times it is in response to unexpected changes in one’s life such as a divorce or work transition. Many seek the advice of a therapist when they feel something is missing, like they are going through life with no passion or purpose. Working with a therapist can help provide insight, support, and new strategies for all types of life challenges. Therapy can help address many types of issues including depression, anxiety, marital and family conflict, grief, stress management, body-image issues, and general life transitions. Therapy is right for anyone who is interested in getting the most out of their life by taking responsibility, creating greater self-awareness, and working towards change in their lives.

Every therapy session is unique and caters to each individual and their specific goals. During therapy sessions it is standard to talk about the primary issues and concerns in your current life. It is common to schedule a series of weekly sessions, where each session lasts 45-50 minutes. Sometimes individuals who are going through a particularly difficult challenge may request more time per session or more than one session per week. Couples sessions can often be done in “double sessions” since resolving certain problems can be quite an intense process. Therapy can be short-term, focusing on a specific issue or longer-term, addressing more complex issues or ongoing personal growth. There may be times when you are asked to take certain actions outside of the therapy sessions, such as reading a relevant book or keeping records to track certain behaviors or reflecting on one’s dreams. Between sessions it is important to process what has been discussed and integrate it into your life. For therapy to be most effective you must be an active participant, both during and between the sessions.

Therapy can provide insight and new perspectives into life’s challenges and can help create solutions to difficult problems. Many people find that working with a therapist can enhance personal development, improve relationships and family dynamics, and can ease the challenges of daily life. Sometimes, just having someone there to listen is helpful. Overall, people in therapy tend to have lower levels of anxiety and stress, decreased conflict, and improved quality of life.

Some of the benefits available from therapy include:

• Developing new skills for handling stress and anxiety
• Increased capacity to reflect and respect our inner feelings, both conscious and unconscious
• Modifying unhealthy behavior and long-standing patterns
• Attaining insight into personal patterns and behavior, particularly those that foster unsatisfying relationships
• Increasing confidence and a clearer sense of self/identity
• Improving ways to manage anger, depression and moods
• Discovering new ways to solve problems
• Navigating life’s obstacles more effectively
• Improving listening and communication skills
• Developing our own creativity.

I do accept insurance payments. I do have a billing agent who will send out a timely statement for billing purposes for co-payments and private pay clients (The contact information for this agent is available upon request). To determine if you have mental health coverage, my billing agent can assist you in this process if you desire.

• Current insurances accepted are:
• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• United Health Care
• Optum Health
• Tricare
• Cigna
• Medicaid
• Medicare
• Compsych EAP

If your insurance coverage is different than listed above, I may be able to apply if you let me know your insurance plan.