FAQ

Aside from it being possible that you’re the world’s best at coping skills, it’s also possible that some people have had such high levels of stress on a consistent basis that “stress” has become their norm. In these situations, it’s especially important to understand how stress shows up in your body & behaviors so you can avoid any negative side-effects such as high blood pressure, depression, etc.

I use a HIPAA compliant platform of which I will e-mail you the link once we schedule our first session. All you need is a good internet connection and privacy.

I reserve a few in-person slots for those who refuse virtual sessions for whatever reason. Please note my only in-office day is Thursday.

$225 for the Intake session and $200 for subsequent sessions. I offer a limited number of sliding scale spots upon request, which is not guaranteed but a potential option for those who need it. You may also contact your insurance company to see if you have Out-of-Network (OON) benefits to possibly get partial or full reimbursement from your insurance company.

Not really, it’s a natural part of life and not all stress is bad or damaging. Stress can be a natural reaction to upsetting or threatening situations. However, stress can be managed with strategies such as meditation, exercise, healthy venting, enough sleep, and nutritious food.

Yes & no. While some level of stress is normal and healthy in our lives, many people either have too much stress or don’t know how to manage the stress they do have. 80% of doctor’s visit are stress related. Best case: your stress goes away when the stressor goes away. Worst case: it leads to very serious physical or mental ailments including suicide or death. So learning how to manage stress is paramount to mental and physical well-being.

That depends. Medication, barring an emergency, is optional. People usually find medications helpful to: overcome a temporary high-stress situation; when they have “tried everything else” and are still suffering; or to help them settle and focus enough to learn behavioral skills and eventually come off medication. This can. be an ongoing discussion between yourself, your counselor, and a medication prescriber if you are interested in this as an adjunct to therapy.

Short answer: no. We need anxiety. It is a healthy and adaptive emotion that alerts us to something potentially dangerous in our environment. As for various anxiety disorders, they can certainly go into long-term remission/recovery with effective treatment and possible medication. Sometimes anxiety disorders can be temporary due to a stressful life event, other times they are persistent conditions.

You will know therapy is working if you feel internal changes, see external changes, or receive feedback from those in your life. This could look like feeling more calm, having better time management, or having a loved one state a positive change they have noticed.

Sessions consist of a give and take engagement between you & I. However, you are guiding what we discuss. This could look like:

• Talking about your week and one specific point may become the focus of the session

• Working on a specific goal such as learning a coping skill

• Spending time processing and exploring your thoughts

• …and more.

While I will have my opinions on when you are ready to decrease sessions or terminate counseling, this is really your choice. Some people simply enjoy therapy and it is their way of staying accountable and having a consistent, safe, and objective place to share their lives. These individuals may choose to stay in therapy for many years. Others are highly goal-oriented, want something specific from therapy, and once that is achieved, they feel comfortable terminating.

Therapy requires active participation in sessions and consistent practice day to day. If you are engaged and consistent in the tools you personally use and are still not improving, it may be time to seek a specialist in your particular diagnosis or try a different type of therapy. Your therapist should be able to give you a referral list at this point.