What is therapy?

Therapy is a collaborative relationship between you and the therapist where the therapist assists you to tap into your strengths in order to problem solve.  Therapy is guided by goals set by you and the therapist based on the reason you are seeking therapy.   Therapy can help you improve your ability to manage stress, manage anxiety, sadness, enhance your ability to cope with problems related to work, family, relationships, help you identify and process difficult emotions, etc. The therapist will use various approaches based on their training to help you through this therapeutic process. The outcome of therapy is very much dependent on your engagement.  Therapy requires work but the hope is that with therapy you will be better equipped to cope with problems when they arise.

Also, people often wait until things get very bad to reach out for help but this does not have to be the case. You can seek therapy with specific short-term goals in mind. 

Do I need therapy? Can’t I just speak to friends or family?

While having a good support system is a great benefit, most family and friends are not professional trained and are probably not objective to help you with your problem. A professional is trained to use evidence-based treatment to address the conflict. 

What is the purpose of the 15-minute consultation?

The 15-minute consultation is cost free and can be scheduled directly from the contact page on this website.  The purpose of this phone consult is to figure out if I can provide you with the proper care based on my education and training. It is also your time to find out if I am a good fit for your needs.  If you decide that I am not a good fit, then I will provide some recommendations where you can seek out another therapist.  If I decide that I do not have the expertise to work with your specific needs, I will also provide you with some recommendations where you can find a therapist who would possibly be able to help. 

Do you prescribe meds?

Licensed Clinical Social Workers do not prescribe medications. If you decide that you can benefits from use of psychiatric medications during care, then a referral will be made to a psychiatrist.

Will others know that I am getting mental health care?

Therapy is confidential, so what happens in session, stays in session. Under guidelines of HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) your information and the contents of the session are protected health information (PHI).  A release of information must be signed by you for your therapist to contact anyone to discuss your case. There are a few exceptions to breaking confidentiality without consent, one is if you are a risk to yourself or others.  A full list of exceptions will be explained and provided in your informed consent intake paperwork prior to starting therapy. So, rest assured that your employer, family, or friends will not know you are in treatment unless you tell them yourself.

Will I bring shame on the family by going to therapy?

Mental health care is still very much stigmatized in many cultures. It is unfortunately seen as shameful and often families try to hide that family members have mental health difficulties. However, what is shameful is needing help for yourself or your family and not getting it. Mental health care needs to start being viewed like medical care. Do you go to your primary care doctor for physical aliments? Well, seeking mental health care should be seen in the same regard. Even if someone is fearful about shame, the laws of confidentiality prohibit providers from discussing that you are even in treatment. Do not let the stigma and cultural biases associated with mental health care stop you from you getting the help you need.

Will I be seen as weak because I am reaching out for help?

I actually think that it is the opposite. I think it takes an immense amount of strength to admit to yourself that something is not feeling right and for you to seek out care.  This first step is the hardest.  If you are reading this, I applaud your effort to have started researching mental health care.  The next big step is to schedule a consult call.  You can do it and you do not have to do this alone.