How can I benefit from therapy?
Therapy can relieve many challenges in everyday life. By discussing current and past concerns, you can learn to overcome obstacles and conflicts that have been interfering in the satisfaction of your life. You can expect support in learning new problem-solving skills and enhanced coping strategies for issues such as depression, anxiety, relationship troubles, unresolved childhood issues, grief, stress management, body image issues, identity concerns and blocks in your creativity. Many people also find that therapy enhances personal growth, interpersonal relationships, family concerns, marriage issues, and the challenges of daily life. Some of the benefits available from therapy include:
- Attaining a better understanding of your feelings, goals, and values,
- Developing new skills for improving your relationships,
- Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy,
- Learning new methods to cope with stress and anxiety,
- Identifying anger, grief, depression, and other emotional pressures interfering in your life,
- Improving communications and listening skills,
- Identifying old behavior patterns and developing new ones,
- Discovering new ways to solve problems in your family or marriage,
- Improving your self-esteem and enhancing self-confidence.
How do I know if I need therapy support?
Everyone experiences challenging situations in life, and while you may have successfully navigated through other past difficulties, you may find you are stuck or not able to resolve your current situation. You also may be experiencing something acute and challenging that requires someone other than a friend or spouse to talk with about the issue. By seeking consultation, you are taking responsibility for not always being able to resolve matters alone. Psychoanalysis and psychotherapy provide long-lasting benefits and support, giving you the tools you need to avoid triggers, re-direct damaging patterns, and overcome whatever current challenges you face.
Why do people seek therapy and how do I know if it will be helpful?
People have many different motivations for seeking psychotherapy. The following is a list of some of the more common reasons people seek help: a major life transition (marriage, unemployment, becoming a parent, divorce, new job, leaving for college), the inability to productively handle stressful circumstances, a death in the family, a medical problem, an identity or existential concern, a loss of a relationship or job. Some people need assistance managing a range of other more chronic issues such as low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, addictions, relationship problems, spiritual conflicts and creative blocks. Finally, some people are interested in learning more about their feelings and what motivates them in life. In short, people seek psychotherapy for all different reasons.
What can I expect from the experience of therapy?
Therapy will be different for each individual depending on their circumstances. In general, you can expect to discuss the current events happening in your life, your personal history relevant to your issue, and frankly anything that is on your mind. In fact, as a psychoanalytically trained psychotherapist and psychoanalyst, I will encourage you to speak as freely and honestly in your therapy or analysis so you will benefit the most. 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. Either way, it is most common to schedule regular sessions and sometimes several times a week.
It is important to understand that you will get more results from therapy if you actively participate in the process and don’t expect that it will always “feel good”. The ultimate purpose of therapy is to help you bring what you learn during the therapy process back into your life.
How do psychotherapy and psychoanalysis help me understand myself?
Both psychotherapy and psychoanalysis can help you to develop a greater understanding of yourself, your relationships and the things in life that matter most to you. Both will give you the potential to discover what coping mechanisms you have been using and how they might not serve you as well currently as they once did. My hope is that you will be able to learn to listen to your own thoughts and ideas with new discoveries and strategies. Over time, you will be able to recognize patters of behavior that may be disrupting several different areas in your life. If you find your personal progress is limited because you can’t notice the patterns of behaviors or make the necessary changes to reach your goals, you may find that psychoanalysis will help you to dive deeper into yourself and finally get the insight and long-term changes you have been missing.
Should I take medication vs. psychotherapy?
It is well established that the long-term solution to mental and emotional problems and the pain they cause cannot be solved solely by medication. Instead of just treating the symptom, therapy addresses the cause of your distress and the behavior patterns that curb your finding ultimate satisfaction in life. You can best achieve sustainable growth and a greater sense of well-being with an integrated approach to your overall wellbeing. In some cases a combination of medication and psychotherapy is the best treatment choice.
Do you take insurance, and how does that work?
I do not currently participate with any insurance carriers directly but I can work with you to get your insurance benefit. To determine if you have mental health coverage through your insurance carrier, the first thing you should do is call them. Check your coverage carefully and make sure you understand their answers. Some helpful questions you can ask them:
- What are my mental health benefits?
- What is the coverage amount per therapy session?
- How many therapy sessions does my plan cover?
- How much does my insurance pay for an out-of-network provider?
- Is approval required from my primary care physician?
Will discussions in therapy remain confidential?
Confidentiality is one of the most critical components to a successful psychotherapy experience. Therapy requires a strong degree of trust with highly sensitive subject matters that is not discussed anywhere but the therapist’s office. I will provide a written copy of my confidential disclosure agreement, and you can expect that what you discuss in session will not be shared with anyone. This is called “Informed Consent”. Sometimes, however, you may want me to share information or give an update to someone on your healthcare team (your Physician, Naturopath, Attorney), but by law I cannot release this information without obtaining your written permission. I also may utilize my own consultation if I am seeking a way to be most beneficial to you. In any consultation, the mental health provider is also bound by the same ethical standards to maintain confidentiality.
State law and professional ethics require therapists to maintain confidentiality except for the following situations:
* If the therapist has reason to believe the patient is seriously in danger of harming him/herself or has threated to harm another person.
*Abuse or neglect of a child, adult or elder.