What You Can Expect Mental health counseling or therapy is not easily described in general statements. It varies depending on the personalities of the counselor/therapist and client, and the particular problems the client brings. There are many different methods I may use to deal with the problems that you hope to address. But, remember, therapy is not like a visit to your medical doctor. It calls for a very active effort on your part. It will take a commitment of time and resources and a willingness to change. And, in order for therapy to be most successful, you will have to work on things we talk about both during our sessions and at home.
Consider, that through the therapeutic relationship, you will find the answers you seek within yourself. You will learn the skills you need and you will find the strength within to face any of life's challenges. You will know that peace of mind, a sense of well being, and personal meaning are within your reach.
Your First Session During our first session we will work together to evaluate your needs. By the end of the evaluation, I will offer you some first impressions of what our work together may include. You should evaluate this information along with your own opinions of whether you feel comfortable working with me. We will discuss any questions you may have about my procedures at the outset or anytime they arise.
During the evaluation session, we can both decide if I am the best person to provide the services you need. If you decide to begin counseling with me, I will usually schedule one 60-minute session per week (more or less, depending on your needs). It will be important for both of us to make a commitment to a set number of sessions (usually five or six), after which we can evaluate whether or not we should continue.
If you decide to continue our counseling relationship at that time, then we will schedule additional sessions and reevaluate as necessary. If you decide to discontinue or continue counseling elsewhere, I can provide referrals at your request.
Confidentiality In general, the privacy of all communications between a client and a counselor is protected by law, and I can only release information about our work to others with your written permission. There are some exceptions (usually in situations where I believe that there may be a threat of serious bodily harm to you or another). I will discuss the specifics of these exceptions with you in such a way that you understand them clearly. |
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