Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is said in the therapist's office stays in the therapist's office unless a statement is made about causing harm to self or another person.  If you would like your therapist to collect payment from your insurance company or call a loved one in the case of an emergency, it is important that you fill out a release of information form.  It is mandatory that a therapist break confidentiality in the event that a client states that he or she plans to cause harm to another person, to commit suicide, has or will commit elderly or child abuse; otherwise, sessions remain confidential.

You would need to speak to a psychiatrist or primary care physician in order to determine whether or not medication is necessary.  Oftentimes, talk therapy works well with medication, but it is not required or necessary in all instances.  If you are already taking medication to improve mental health, talk therapy is recommended as it will provide skills to change the behavior.  Medication often stabilizes the emotion, which can allow you to be able to work on changing your lifestyle with less distraction.  If you would like a referral to a psychiatrist, I am happy to provide one.

It depends on the person, your goals, etc.  Your therapist will touch base with you on your progress frequently and update your goals for treatment termination. 

I often recommend attending therapy weeking for the first month and then begin dispersing therapy to every other week, depending on how you feel.

This is a common and good question.  Psychiatrists are medical doctors who can prescribe medication and often provide talk therapy.  Psycholgists and counselors focus on talk therapy and do not prescribe medication.  They are often described as psychotherapists, but there is a difference between the two.  Psychologists have doctorate degrees and often work as college professors and researchers in addition to providing talk therapy.  Counselors generally have masters degrees and focus on therapy.