Developing a strong therapeutic alliance is key for a successful counseling experience. Take your time researching providers and look for a professional who is willing to answer all your questions and make you feel welcome and comfortable. Scheduling a phone consultation can be a great way to find out if a specific therapist is a good match for you and the goals you have for yourself.

Most therapy appointments are about 50 minutes long.

You can choose the type of appointment that better fits your needs. Some clients choose to have all appointments through tele-health, some choose to have all appointments in person. Some clients mix and match, depending on their schedule and their needs.

Counseling is a very individualized experience that varies based on many factors, including the kind of issues being addressed and how complex these issues are. Short term counseling works to address specific simple problems and it can consist of only a few sessions. Long term counseling is usually necessary to address more complex concerns or in case the client has ongoing personal growth goals.

Every counseling session is unique and addresses the individual’s needs and their specific goals. It is common to participate in weekly sessions, where each session lasts around forty-five minutes.

Counseling can be short-term, focusing on a specific issue, or longer-term, addressing more complex issues or ongoing personal growth. There may be times when you are asked to take certain actions outside of the counseling sessions, such as reading a relevant book or keeping records to track certain behaviors.

It is important to process what has been discussed and integrate it into your life between sessions. In order to gain the most from counseling you need to be an active participant, both during and between sessions. 

Counseling provides numerous benefits. Counselors can provide support, problem-solving skills, and enhanced coping strategies for issues such as depression, anxiety, relationship troubles, unresolved childhood issues, grief, stress management, body image issues and numerous other challenges. Counseling can offer you a fresh perspective on the problems you are facing. Some of the benefits available from counseling include:

• Attaining a better understanding of yourself, your goals and values.

• Developing skills for improving your relationships.

• Learning new ways to cope with stress and anxiety.

• Managing anger, grief, depression, and other emotions.

• Improving communication and listening skills.
  Changing old behavior patterns and developing new ones.

• Discovering new ways to solve problems in your family or marriage.

• Improving self-esteem.

In general, the law protects the confidentiality of all communications between a client and counselor. No information is disclosed without prior written permission from the client. However, there are some exceptions required by law to this rule. Exceptions include:

• Suspected child abuse or dependent adult or elder abuse. The counselor is required to report this to the appropriate authorities immediately.

• If a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person, the therapist is required to notify the police.

• If a client intends to harm himself or herself. The counselor will make every effort to work with the individual to ensure their safety. However, if an individual does not cooperate, additional measures may need to be taken.

• Aetna

• BlueCross and BlueShield

• Carelon Behavioral Health

• Cigna and Evernorth

• Optum

• Oscar Health

• Oxford

• UnitedHealthcare UHC | UBH

Whether you have mental health insurance or are a self-pay client, we can work together to find a solution that works for you

• Self-Pay Individual Sessions $130

• Self-Pay Couple Sessions $150

I also offer discounts to educators, first responders, and veterans.

See section What to Expect