Frequently Asked Questions

Therapy can be vulnerable and new, so it's natural to be nervous. It can be scary to think of opening up in front of someone new, perhaps fearing that it will be awkward and uncomfortable. The fear around that can feel overwhelming. It takes courage to start going to therapy. And although it's expected to be nervous, that doesn't make it feel great. It takes courage to continue getting the help you need.

Therapy is a space where you can be yourself and come just as you are, including feeling nervous. I'm committed to finding a way to care for you and ensure sessions are as comfortable as possible. 

I'm here if you want to talk about it during a free phone consultation.

Take your time to read through my website. You can email me if you feel I may be a good fit based on your reading. 

During a free phone consultation, you can ask me how I work as a therapist or any other questions you may have that are specific to you. You'll also be able to share what's going on for you, and we can determine how I could best serve you.

It may be helpful to think of the first few sessions as trying the waters together. During the sessions, you'll be able to see how you feel working with me. My approach is not going to work for everyone. What's most important to me is finding someone you feel is the right fit for you. We can explore that together.

It's natural not to want to share some of the painful or difficult things we've been through. During our sessions, I will never push you to talk about things that are too painful for you to talk about. I'll guide you toward discovering what feels comfortable for you to share. Working with pace, we can look at the tough stuff if you're ready.

You can also let me know that you are nervous to open up about something and we can talk about that too. Whatever is present for you, whatever you are going through, bring that to the session, and we can explore that together.

It takes courage to be vulnerable. If you open up to me, I will not think you are a bad person but courageous and human. Many of my clients have had the same fear. My life journey and working with clients have shown me that your challenges are normal and natural. 

You have nothing to be ashamed of. Nothing you can say will cause me to judge you. 

I know many of us are overwhelmed; we all have strengths and weaknesses and may have gone through very hard times. 

Whatever you're going through, I provide a safe space where you can feel heard and supported without judgment.

It can be concerning to feel like things you say or do in therapy could "get out." So I want you to know that unless there is an imminent danger to yourself or someone else, everything you share with me is completely confidential

I highly respect your privacy and value your trust.

You can rest assured that you can talk about anything without fear of that information getting out.

If you have specific questions about confidentiality, you can ask during your free phone consultation or anytime during our work together.

You might be asking about how long therapy will take because you are currently struggling and want relief fast. 

If this is true for you, I want you to know that, on average, my new clients start seeing positive effects after the first few sessions. 

By that point, they feel calmer and more hopeful that healing is possible.

The total duration of therapy varies from client to client. Some clients find 8-16 weeks to be enough to gain insight into their challenges. At the same time, other clients feel more supported by longer-term therapy.

We will work together to find the length of time that works for you.

Overall, you can think of the first session as a free-flowing conversation through which we start getting to know each other. I'll invite you to share more about yourself, and we can also talk about what's worked or not worked for your mental health in the past.

Some questions that I like to ask during a first session include:

What's present for you in your life right now? 

What goals would you like to reach by going to therapy? 

What do I need to know about you to understand your current challenges?

You can ask me questions as well. You might be curious about my training or what sessions will be like. 

The most important part of a first session is that you see if you feel I'm a good fit for you. We can discuss if you'd like to meet again if you feel safe, accepted, and comfortable with me.

I'm here to talk during a free phone consultation where you can share what's going on for you, and we can determine how I could best serve you. 

Email me today to get your free phone consultation at email@emailaddress.com.