Frequently Asked Questions

Therapy can be vulnerable and new, so it’s natural to be nervous. It can feel intimidating to sit with someone and talk about how you feel. The fear around that can feel overwhelming. Taking steps to seek help for the challenges we face is a huge step. It takes courage to realize we can’t face our issues alone.

Therapy is a space where you can be yourself and come just as you are without feeling judgement, including feeling nervous. I’m committed to finding a way to care for your nervousness 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. If you sense that I may be a good fit based on what you are reading, you can call me.

During a free phone consultation, you can ask me ask how I work as a therapist, or any other questions you may have that are specific-to-you. You’ll also be able to discuss what's on your mind and we can decide together how I can help.

The first few sessions are a chance for you to get a feel for the therapy process and see if it feels like I’m a good fit for you. It’s important that you feel comfortable and supported as we begin working together. My approach is not going to work for everyone. What’s most important to me is that you find someone who you feel is the right fit for you. We can explore that together.

It's normal if you don't feel ready to share everything right away. During our sessions, I will never push you to talk about things that you do not feel ready to talk about. I'll be there to guide you towards discovering what feels comfortable for you to share. Working at your pace, we can work together through the difficult stuff.

You can also share with me 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 session and we can explore that together.

It can be concerning feeling 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.

Your privacy and trust are of utmost importance.

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

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

You might be wondering how long therapy will take, especially with a busy schedule. If this resonates with you, know that on average many of my new clients begin noticing progress after just a few sessions when they’re committed to doing their part and actively engaged in the process. By that point, they feel like they have learned some ways to better manage life’s challenges early on.

According to research summarized by the American Psychological Association, most clients experience meaningful improvement within 15 to 20 sessions, with many evidence-based therapies showing results in 12 to 16 weeks.

The length of therapy varies for each person. Some clients find that a few weeks are enough to develop healthy coping skills and shift their mindset. Those who are facing more complex or chronic concerns may benefit from longer-term work to explore deeper issues and address root causes, helping them break free from old patterns that impact their well-being and relationships.

Therapy is not one-size-fits-all. Together, we will tailor the approach and duration to best meet your unique needs.

Overall, you can think of the first session as a free-flowing conversation combined with an assessment that allows me to understand you and the challenges you’re bringing into therapy. I’ll encourage you to share more about yourself, and we can also discuss what has or hasn’t worked for your mental health in the past. I also focus on building rapport and establishing a trusting, comfortable relationship during the intake session, as this foundation will help make the therapeutic process more effective and seamless.

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

• What brought you to therapy? 
• Have you gone to therapy before? How did that go? 
• What goals would you like to reach by going to therapy?

You can ask me questions as well. You might be curious about my experience or how future sessions work. 

The most important part of a first session is that you see if you feel I’m a good fit for you. If you feel safe, accepted, comfortable, heard, and supported byme, we can discuss if you’d like to meet again.

I'm here to talk during a free 15-minute phone consultation where you can discuss what's on your mind and we can decide together how I can help. 

Call me today to get your free phone consultation at 949-353-0189.