Initial Phone Call

When initially contacting a therapist, it is helpful to have a list of questions prepared to ensure you get a sense of how you and a potential therapist may work together. Keep in mind that many therapists’ phone numbers connect directly to voicemail, so it is helpful to leave your contact informaiton including name and call back number, some good times you can be reached, who referred you (i.e. friend, therapist, medical doctor or clinic) and the main issues you are hoping to address in therapy.

Questions you might want to address in the first phone call or consultation hour:

(Please note: Each of the below questions are addressed on my website, and I am happy to expand on them when we first talk or meet.)

• What principles or theories guide your work?
• How do you practice - are you an active contributor in sessions or more of a quiet observer?
• Where did you receive your training and what is your license?
• What are your areas of expertise or clinical training?
• What is your fee?
• Do you examine past experiences or concentrate on the present challenges only?
• How long will it take for me to feel better?
• How does therapy work?
• Do I need to be depressed or anxious to benefit from psychotherapy?

First Appointments

After making an appointment, and following a brief phone conversation to address your area(s) of concern for treatment, fee and scheduling, you will have your first, scheduled consultation appointment. Initial consultation sessions and subsequent psychotherapy sessions are 50 minutes in length.

For each new patient (individual or couple), I complete an initial assessment (usually 3-4 sessions) and develop an individualized treatment plan, consisting of mutually determined goals, and important initial referrals/resources if needed. In the initial sessions, I will your ask questions related to: what brings you to therapy at this time, personal and family information, your daily routines and habits, and the history of your past medical and psychiatric treatment.

Upon completion of an assessment, I will provide you with my initial impressions and treatment recommendations (including frequency of sessions). At this time, we can both decide whether I am the most appropriate therapist to meet your needs.

Duration of Treatment

The process, duration and prescribed time-frame of psychotherapy is highly variable. At our initial consultation and during our first few visits, we can discuss your needs and available resources alongside my clinical opinion and recommended course of treatment. Occasionally, for certain issues, such as specific areas of concern, a brief approach may be indicated. For broader explorations of long-standing and repetitve patterns and difficulties, questions of personal and/or professional satisfaction, and relationship challanges, a more open-ended and in-depth treatment is recommended.

Fostering emotional growth and laying the foundations of long-lasting psychological change take time, investment, and commitment. For this reason, many individuals or couples can significantly benefit from meeting more than once weekly. During the initial consultation phase, sessions are typically scheduled once weekly.  Following this, and at the start of treatment, you and I will determine if meeting more than once weekly can more be beneficial to you and your goals in therapy. We will re-assess frequency throughout the course of treatment.