Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if therapy will help me?

Everyone goes through challenging situations in life, and there’s nothing wrong with seeking out extra support when you need it. In fact, therapy is for people who have enough self-awareness to realize they need a helping hand, and that is something to be admired. You are taking responsibility by accepting where you’re at in life and making a commitment to change the situation by seeking therapy. Therapy has the potential to provide long-lasting benefits by giving you the tools you need to overcome challenges and stressors.

Therapists can provide new perspectives, challenge unhelpful patterns or beliefs, and suggest and practice with you new ways of approaching life. The benefits you obtain from therapy will likely depend on your commitment, effort, and actions taken to make positive changes.

Some potential benefits of therapy:

• A better understanding of yourself, your goals and values
• Developing skills for improving your relationships and coping with the issues that brought you into therapy
• Understanding and managing stress, anxiety, anger, grief, or depression
• Improving communication and listening skills
• Identifying new ways of problem solving and changing old behavior patterns
• Improving your self-esteem and feeling more confident about your relationships and direction in life

Is therapy right for me and why do people go to therapy?

It takes courage to ask for help and people arrive at therapy for any number of personal reasons from, managing personal growth, interpersonal relationships, family concerns, marital or couple issues, major life transitions (unemployment, divorce, new job, new baby etc.), or feeling overwhelmed by stressful circumstances.  Some people need assistance managing a range of other issues such as low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, addictions, relationship problems, spiritual conflicts and creative blocks.

Therapy can help provide some much-needed encouragement, offer perspective, insight and skill-building to assist in navigating these storms. Some people are working to learn more about themselves or how to be more effective with their personal goals or relationships.  In short,  while their motivating reasons may vary, people seeking psychotherapy are ready to explore challenges in their lives and be supported in striving for positive change.

What happens in a therapy session?

The first couple of session will involve a thorough assessment and developing a treatment plan. Each person or couple has unique challenges and goals for therapy, and as a result the process will look different for each individual and couple. We will explore history and relevant information regarding your presenting concern(s). Future sessions may include discussing current happenings in your life, exploring your past history connected to a current issue, utilizing a variety of techniques to teach you skills and tools, or sharing and celebrating any progress, change or new insights gained in between sessions. We will review your progress periodically to track constructive changes and identify areas for further discussion and growth.

How long will therapy take?

After the initial assessment, your therapist will discuss your treatment plan for therapy.  Generally, your therapist will prefer to meet with you weekly in the beginning of treatment and will taper off as skills are acquired and momentum is gained.  Treatment planning is a collaborative process so you will be offered multiple opportunities for input. One of the most important factors in successful therapy is the therapeutic relationship. It is important that you feel comfortable and connected with your therapist in order to gain the full benefits of therapy. Some goals and progress can be achieved in a relatively short period of time, while other more deep rooted issues may take longer to explore and process. Due to the nature of exploring and processing underlying and unresolved issues, it is common to feel worse before feeling better. If the process is not feeling helpful or your needs are not being addressed, discuss your concerns with your therapist and know that you have the freedom stop therapy at any point.

Are therapy sessions confidential?

Confidentiality is one of the most important components between a client and therapist. Successful therapy requires a high degree of trust with highly sensitive subject matter that is usually not discussed anywhere but the therapist’s office.   Every therapist should provide a written copy of their confidential disclosure agreement, and you can expect that what you discuss in session will not be shared with anyone.  This is called “Informed Consent”.  Sometimes, however, you may want your therapist to share information or give an update to someone on your healthcare team (your Physician, Naturopath, Attorney), but by law your therapist cannot release this information without obtaining your written permission.

•  Suspected past or present abuse or neglect of children, adults, and elders to the authorities, including Child Protection and law enforcement, based on information provided by the client or collateral sources.
• If the therapist has reason to suspect the client is seriously in danger of harming him/herself or
• has threated to harm another person.