What To Expect

When you call to schedule an appointment, I will ask you to download the forms found on this website, and to fill out all initial paperwork in advance. That way, we won’t take precious time in our first meeting for you to fill out so many forms.  The first time we meet we will discuss these forms.  We will also spend time getting to know one another and establishing the trust that is so necessary to working well together.  I will talk with you about how the counseling/psychotherapy process works.  I will ask you what brought you and what you hope to accomplish.

My approach to psychotherapy is to learn all I can about who you are and how you interact in the world.  It is in this way that I can be sure that the work we do and the direction we take in therapy best suits you and your individual needs.  Therefore, I will spend at least the 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th meetings gathering a thorough life history and assessing your needs.  When this portion of our work is complete, we will discuss this initial assessment and create a treatment plan, which involves identifying your goals and the means we will use to help you achieve them.  (Again, the goals that we choose will be tailored to you and your needs.  While some goals are established for the sake of change and improvement, others may serve to simply restore healthy functioning.  For example, if you have been raped, our initial goals will probably be more restorative in nature.  We may work to re-establish a sense of safety in your life and relationships, and to decrease the number of flashbacks that you may be experiencing.) 

During this initial phase of our work, it will be important for you to be making an assessment of your own.  You will want to consider whether or not we seem to be working well together, the level of trust you have in me and the therapy process, your ability to honestly confide in me, and your motivation to work toward your goals. At any time throughout the therapy process, I welcome your questions and concerns. 

Your participation is critical. In order for you to reach the goals that we establish together, it will be necessary for you to work on certain tasks both during and between meetings. Remember, our time together is limited to 50 minutes once a week or every other week.  For real change to occur, it is necessary for you to work at achieving your goals in between sessions.