Frequently Asked Questions
Answers About Therapy
I’m nervous about starting therapy. Is that normal?
It’s totally normal to be nervous about starting therapy. It can be scary to think of opening up or crying in front of someone new, perhaps fearing that it will be awkward and uncomfortable. The fear around that can feel overwhelming. Going to therapy even when you are nervous is not easy. It may take courage to take those steps. You reading this now shows that you are already stepping in the right direction.
Therapy is a space where you can be yourself and bring up whatever is going on for you, 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.
How do I know if you are the right therapist for me?
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 Email me.
During a free phone consultation, you can ask me questions about my approach, about how I have helped other people like you before, 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 I can share my ideas around how I can help you.
I think of the first few times that I meet with someone as a trial run. 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 that you find someone who you feel is the right fit for you. We can explore that together.
What if I don't want to talk about something?
It’s normal if you don’t feel ready to share everything. During our sessions, it will always be up to you if you feel ready to talk about something or not. We will collaborate on understanding what you feel ready to open up about. Together we will work 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.
I’m scared that if I open up, you will think I’m a bad person.
If you open up to me, I will not think you are I’m a bad person, I will think you are courageous and human. Many of my clients have had the same fear (that people would think they are I’m a bad person).
Through my own life journey and working with my clients, I know how ‘normal’ your experience is.
You have nothing to be ashamed about.
Nothing you can say will cause me to judge you.
I know many of us are overwhelmed, we all struggle, we might be emotionally drained from the ups and downs.
Whatever it is you're going through, I provide a safe space where you can feel heard and supported without judgement.
Does what we talk about in therapy remain confidential?
You may be concerned that your friends, family, or work colleagues could learn what you have said during therapy. 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 how confidentiality works, you can ask during your during a free phone consultation or anytime during our work together.
How long will therapy take?
You might be asking about how long therapy will take because therapy is hard to fit into your busy schedule.
If this is true for you, I want you to know that on average, my new clients start seeing progress after the first a few sessions.
By that point, they they feel like they have learned some ways to manage challenging stuff in their lives a bit better.
The total duration of therapy varies from client to client. Some of my clients find 5-7 months to be enough to reach their goals. While other clients feel more supported by longer term therapy.
We will work together to find the length of time that works for you.
What can I expect during the first session?
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 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, and comfortable with me, we can discuss if you’d like to meet again.
How can I get started?
I'm here to talk during a free phone consultation where you can share what’s going on for you and I can share my ideas around how I can help you.
Email me today to get your free phone consultation at [email protected].