INITIAL CONSULTATION
Research suggests that the quality of connection between therapist and client is one of the most important factors in the effectiveness of treatment. To this end, if I have an opening and we're considering working together, I offer an initial 15-minute telephone consultation, free-of-charge. The goal of this consultation is for us to mutually determine whether we're a good fit: both in terms of the specific content you're hoping to address and your sense of initial comfort with and confidence in me. Please feel free to ask any questions about my practice approach, policies, or logistics. If we elect not to work together, I will do my best to provide you with appropriate referrals.
FIRST SESSION: ASSESSMENT
The first session will last one hour and will consist of questions about your recent symptoms, your mental and physical health history, and your social history. If you are using health insurance, this assessment will culminate in a working diagnosis, as required by insurance companies. If you are not using insurance, I will create the same working hypothesis or "formulation" of your presenting concerns and their causes; however, a formal diagnosis is not always necessary. Either way, the goal of this session is for us to reach a preliminary but comprehensive understanding of what brings you in and how we will proceed.
SUBSEQUENT SESSIONS
I believe that the sensory qualities of a space are a part of the healing process, and I hope that you will settle in and come to experience my office as familiar, reliable, containing, and a placeholder in your busy routine for your commitment to your own well-being.
My standard session lasts 50-55 minutes, although 45-minute sessions are also an option. Most clients elect to meet weekly, and I recommend this frequency, especially as we begin our work. If you are experiencing acute distress, I will recommend more frequent sessions until the intensity subsides.
Sessions usually open with whatever is on your mind or has come to your attention since we last met - I find that starting with whatever is present for you takes us where we need to go that day. Even if a topic seems "random," it's amazing how themes emerge and connect. While I'm not typically directive in session, I'm not silent either. We work collaboratively to make sense of things. I have a good sense of humor and enjoy laughing together when the occasion arises, just as I am comfortable sitting with silence or tears during life's hardships. If acute distress arises, I do tend to become more directive, helping you to navigate safely through the storm.
I always welcome your feedback about how treatment is going. Although it is scaffolded by important professional boundaries, I view the therapeutic relationship as a real relationship between two humans, and an opportunity for the type of direct and effective communication to which we aspire across life domains. Whether you raise the subject or I do, we'll check in periodically about how we're doing and where we're going.
Research suggests that the quality of connection between therapist and client is one of the most important factors in the effectiveness of treatment. To this end, if I have an opening and we're considering working together, I offer an initial 15-minute telephone consultation, free-of-charge. The goal of this consultation is for us to mutually determine whether we're a good fit: both in terms of the specific content you're hoping to address and your sense of initial comfort with and confidence in me. Please feel free to ask any questions about my practice approach, policies, or logistics. If we elect not to work together, I will do my best to provide you with appropriate referrals.
FIRST SESSION: ASSESSMENT
The first session will last one hour and will consist of questions about your recent symptoms, your mental and physical health history, and your social history. If you are using health insurance, this assessment will culminate in a working diagnosis, as required by insurance companies. If you are not using insurance, I will create the same working hypothesis or "formulation" of your presenting concerns and their causes; however, a formal diagnosis is not always necessary. Either way, the goal of this session is for us to reach a preliminary but comprehensive understanding of what brings you in and how we will proceed.
SUBSEQUENT SESSIONS
I believe that the sensory qualities of a space are a part of the healing process, and I hope that you will settle in and come to experience my office as familiar, reliable, containing, and a placeholder in your busy routine for your commitment to your own well-being.
My standard session lasts 50-55 minutes, although 45-minute sessions are also an option. Most clients elect to meet weekly, and I recommend this frequency, especially as we begin our work. If you are experiencing acute distress, I will recommend more frequent sessions until the intensity subsides.
Sessions usually open with whatever is on your mind or has come to your attention since we last met - I find that starting with whatever is present for you takes us where we need to go that day. Even if a topic seems "random," it's amazing how themes emerge and connect. While I'm not typically directive in session, I'm not silent either. We work collaboratively to make sense of things. I have a good sense of humor and enjoy laughing together when the occasion arises, just as I am comfortable sitting with silence or tears during life's hardships. If acute distress arises, I do tend to become more directive, helping you to navigate safely through the storm.
I always welcome your feedback about how treatment is going. Although it is scaffolded by important professional boundaries, I view the therapeutic relationship as a real relationship between two humans, and an opportunity for the type of direct and effective communication to which we aspire across life domains. Whether you raise the subject or I do, we'll check in periodically about how we're doing and where we're going.