First
Session
After initial contact we will schedule a session as soon as possible. It is important that you are comfortable with your choice of therapist so this first session allows us both the chance to get to know each other. The relationship between you and the therapist is the greatest indicator in a client’s growth so it is important to select someone that you can trust and that you feel supported by.
In order to get a more full and complete picture of who you are, I will conduct an initial evaluation in our first meeting so that I can better understand your needs and goals for therapy. During this evaluation we will discuss the problems that are bringing you to therapy, your history and background, current circumstances, your past mental health experiences, and family history. It will provide you with the opportunity to ask me any questions about the therapy process and the way I work. At the end of the session, we can both take time to decide if we are a good fit in working together to meet your therapeutic goals.
Future Sessions
Once the decision is made to work to together we can agree on an approach and a course of sessions that meets your needs and at a pace that suits you. Time spans can vary depending on the issue that you bring and what you wish to get from therapy. Some clients may prefer a longer process to deepen exploration and self-discovery through multiple sessions, and others may require a shorter, more solution focussed approach.
I typically suggest an initial agreement to meet weekly for at least 8 sessions. This will allow me to deepen my understanding of the areas that you want to work with and enable you to assess whether our therapeutic relationship is working for you. After this we can decide together if biweekly or monthly appointments would be best.
Most of my work is long term and open-ended, which means that therapy will progress for as long as we both feel necessary for you to meet your goals and feel better. From my experience, it takes time and willingness to get to the core of the issues before true transformation is seen and felt. Therapy is a process, and can be hard work, but can lead to real change and deeper transformation.