Therapy, counseling, or psychotherapy  are all the same thing and are also referred to as “talk therapy.”  Therapy helps individuals who may be dealing with difficult thoughts, emotions, or other disturbances aspects of their lives. Therapy takes place in a confidential space alongside a licensed mental health therapist on a one-on-one basis. Sometimes it is done in a group, in which case is called “group therapy.” 

-They are dealing with stress related to their job, schools, families, relationships.

-Having unexplained disruptions in their sleep or appetite, energy level, loss of interest in things they used to enjoy, lack of motivation, irritability, anger, depression, hopelessness, anxiety, thoughts of suicide. 

-Sometimes they are referred by their doctor and other times they reach out on their own.

-To get help dealing with a difficult relationship or a family member who is diagnosed with a mental health disorder such as PTSD or bipolar disorder. 

-To learn coping skills to better deal with life.

-To learn ways to be a better parent/spouse/friend.

-After experiencing a traumatic event.  

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-To have a neutral sounding board who is not a family member or friend.  

-To learn to manage negative thoughts. 

Finding the right therapist is like finding any other professional in your life. You must get the right vibe from them, you have to like them, respect them enough that you value their opinions. Finding the right therapist is like finding a friend, you know they are right when you meet them. It is very important to check their qualifications and experience. It's important that your therapist has expertise in the area where you need help. Therapists have different specializations, so I encourage. you to find out and ask questions.

Simply show up! You can simply just allow the session to flow organically and let your therapist guide you through the process or you can bring specific questions or subjects you want to talk about/need help with/is bothering you. At first you will spend some time getting acquainted with each other. You will always be in control of how much you want to talk about a specific subject or memory. Your therapist will encourage you to step out of your comfort zone, but its just an invitation. You are still in charge of what happens. 

I focus on using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing). Sometimes individually but most times a blend. It all depends on who you are and what your needs are.

If you want to learn more about these different theories, check out the article links below.

Don't worry, it's totally okay if it doesn't feel like therapy is for you. You can always quit anytime or find a different therapist or type of therapy that you may like better. Or maybe group therapy sounds more appealing to you. Either way, I would encourage you to give therapy a try by committing to a few sessions. Quitting after one session will potentially rob you of a good thing. I don't know about you, but often times I don't like something the first time I try it but end up liking it after a few tries.

Therapy is most often covered by insurance. Sometimes all you are responsible for is a copay. Other times, you would have to pay out of pocket and submit to your  insurance for reimbursement. It all depends on your benefits. I will check with your insurance company for you and confirm your coverage before our first session. So you won't have surprises.

Self-pay is always an option. If you don't have insurance or if you rather not use your insurance, this is the way to go.

If you are military or military affiliated, there are programs that provide free therapy for you. If you want to find out more, send me an email and we can chat.

Taking the first step to therapy can be intimidating, but don't worry! If you are going to therapy via Zoom, find yourself a comfortable and well-lit space where you have strong Wi-Fi signal. Having privacy to speak freely is super important. Prop your device on soemthing so your hands can be free, holding your phone for an hour isn’t fun! If you’ve never used Zoom, make sure to take a few minutes before the session to create a free  account and install the app. Make sure you use the bathroom before the session and have everything you need nearby like water and a snack. 

If your session is in person, just show up in time, dress comfortably and try not to be afraid to show your true self. Turn off your phone's ringer off or silence your notications so you can concentrate without any distractions.  Also bring water if you think you are going to need it.