Do I really need therapy?

A more fruitful line of questioning would be: “Am I truly content with my life as it is?”

• Are you succeeding in accomplishing what you had envisioned for yourself?

• Are your interpersonal relationships satisfying and enriching?

• Are you free of compulsive or self-harming behavior—especially in regards to drugs, alcohol, food, or money?

• Are you comfortable with your negative thoughts and emotions, without feeling the need to “escape” from them?

• Are you able to simply be in the present moment, free of past baggage or trauma?

Therapy is an opportunity to gain insight into the workings of your mind, to better understand how your internal reality shapes your external reality (and vice versa). If some introspection has opened you to the possibility of therapy, the chances are already very good that you would benefit from it.

How will it help?

It is not unusual for people to enter therapy when they find themselves in a crisis: a loved one has passed away, or a longstanding job has been lost, or a significant relationship has ended. When we are at our lowest point, having a professional to listen without judgment and to help guide us is almost always beneficial.

But therapy can be so much more than just managing a particularly traumatic situation. Oftentimes it is our smaller, day-to-day concerns that slowly add up and become our heaviest burdens. We might find that our work/life balance has shifted uncomfortably, or that we are having more and more intrusive thoughts, or that our emotional reactions have become disproportionate to whatever had caused them. It is in these “mundane” circumstances, especially, that we feel the greatest pressure to suffer in silence. We tell ourselves that we’re just being overly sensitive, or that we don’t really have it that bad compared to the next person, or that expressing vulnerability would be a sign of weakness.

Therapy is like cartography, in that our goal is to construct the best possible “map” of our inner landscape. For many of us, exploring our fears and shames in a clinical context is like walking into uncharted, and possibly dangerous, territory. Treatment brings a light to these dark places within ourselves. The better we understand how we came to be the way we are, the more accurate our personal map becomes, and the more expertly we can use it to navigate the inevitable difficulties in life. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that, throughout our journey, we can always rely on ourselves to remain safe and whole.

Wouldn’t medication be faster?

For some issues medication can be very helpful, but it is never a substitute for therapy. There have been numerous studies demonstrating that, for many conditions, medication in combination with talk therapy can be enormously effective. Not everyone wants or needs medication, and that’s okay. We can discuss this in our sessions.

Is therapy confidential?

Therapy is always confidential, except when someone expresses an intent to explicitly act upon a wish to harm themselves or others. (Everyone has destructive thoughts and fantasies to some degree, but a therapist must step in if there is a plan to actually follow through with them.) The law also mandates that suspected child or elder abuse be reported. For a more in-depth explanation, please see the attached PDF under the “Forms” tab.

Do you take my insurance?

Fortunately, recent legislation is increasing mental health coverage. I am on several insurance panels but you should first call your insurance provider and ask if you have a yearly deductible, out-of-network benefits, and whether or not you need to be referred by your primary care physician. This will help us determine your coverage.

What is the cancellation policy?

When we agree to work together, we set up a schedule of regular meetings (usually weekly). This will be your time and no one else’s. As your time cannot be filled by anyone else, you will still be held responsible and billed. Therefore, if you are unable to keep an appointment due to work, illness or family issues, call me—if I can reschedule you at another time during that week, I will. Occasional emergencies happen and allowances can be made on a case by case basis. Holidays and vacations that are planned in advance will not lead to billing.