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Q: "Who can benefit from therapy?" Q: "How often should I come to therapy?" Q: "What is the first session like?" Q: "What is your personal style?" Q: "How much does therapy cost?" Q: "What therapy approaches do you use?" Q: "How do I know that I need help?" Q: "Do I have to be married to go to a marriage and family therapist?" Q: "What qualities should I look for in a psychotherapist?"
A: This is a critical question for both clinician and clients and it is a hard one to answer. Some issues can be resolved in a few sessions while others take more time. As your therapist, I understand that you want change to happen as quickly as possible and I am committed to ensuring that we attain the identified therapeutic goals in as skilled and timely a manner as possible. In short, the duration depends upon the issues you bring to therapy and your goals for change. Q: "Who can benefit from therapy?" A: Most people underestimate the importance or complexity of the issues they are facing. Psychotherapy can provide relief from anxiety, habitual anger, phobias, obsessions, compulsions, and the residual effects of trauma or depression. It can facilitate mourning to enable you to resolve a crisis and to develop effective strategies in dealing with relationship issues. Therapy can help you identify and address needed changes and aid in coping with unavoidable situations. Psychotherapy may also help you to get to know and like yourself a little better. At the end of the process, you should feel happier and more productive. If you are in doubt give me a call and we can talk about how therapy can help you. Q: "How often should I come to therapy?" A: To get the most out of therapy you should plan on weekly or bi-weekly sessions. In your initial consultation, we can discuss what works best for you from an emotional, financial, scheduling and therapeutic standpoint. Typically, sessions are once weekly and are 50 minutes in length. Confidentiality is guaranteed. Q: "What is the first session like?" A: The first session is a consultation. We will talk about what is bothering you and I will ask you questions to make sure I have a clear understanding of your specific issues. I will provide feedback and tell you how I might be helpful. We will then work on identifying the therapeutic goals that would be most beneficial to you. Q: "What is your personal style?" A: I am warm, accepting, supportive and non-judgmental. During our time together, I will ask questions and will share with you my own ideas, thoughts and reactions, in a way that is respectful and helpful to you. You are always free to disagree or to clarify any ideas that I express in therapy. Q: "How much does therapy cost?" A: A free fifteen-minute consultation is offered initially and if you feel that you would like to continue working with me, 50-minute sessions range between $75-90 depending on the type of therapy undertaken. Payment is accepted in cash or check at the end of each session and receipts are issued at the end of the month. Some health insurance plans cover a portion of the therapy. All inquires are welcome! Q: "What therapy approaches do you use?" A: I have been trained in a variety of different therapeutic approaches for individual psychotherapy, couple and family therapy. This allows me to pick and choose from different approaches based on what best fits your particular problem, your comfort level and what works best for you. Q: "How do I know that I need help?" A: All of us experience painful feelings at one time or another. Sadness, hopelessness, anxiety, and distress are examples of natural feelings that arise in the course of living. For instance, it is normal to feel grief when a parent dies and for students to feel anxious before taking exams. However, in some cases these feelings can be overwhelming, making it hard for a person to function normally on a day-to-day basis. Some distress signals to look for are:
Q: "Do I have to be married to go to a marriage and family therapist?" A: No, individuals often seek couple and family therapy for help with behavioural problems, relationship issues or mental and emotional disorders. Individuals may enter couple and family therapy to work on issues that may be preventing them from being in a relationship or to work on issues stemming from a relationship that has ended. Couples need not be married to seek or benefit from marriage and family therapy. Q: "What qualities should I look for in a psychotherapist?" A:
Good
chemistry between clients and their therapists is extremely important.
Feeling comfortable with a therapist is necessary because in order
to get help, you must share private thoughts and feelings with
them. Therefore, you should look for a therapist who listens closely
to what you tell him or her and who responds openly and non-defensively.
It is part of a therapist's job to evaluate how well the therapy
is working for you, so any concerns or questions you have about
your progress should be open for discussion. If you feel that
your therapist is not being responsive, point that out. One sign
of a good therapeutic relationship is a therapist's ability to
adapt to the unique concerns of different patients. If the therapist
cannot do this, you may want to consider whether he or she is
the right one for you. |
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4115
Sherbrooke St. West, Suite 500, Westmount, QC H3Z 1K9 |
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