What to Expect
Help is available. Relief is possible.
Enormous challenges can bring profound wisdom.
Negative experiences are part of the human condition; we experience love and loss, fear and security, chaos and control, struggle and acceptance, discontentment and satisfaction – and everything in between. While we often take the emotional highs for granted, responding to the lows can sometimes be an enormous struggle. Yet, the crossroads these distress points create affords us the best opportunity to grow, to learn more about ourselves, and to intentionally make choices to improve our lives. They also create potential to turn to substances, lash out, pull in, and shut down. A trusted therapist can help guide us through the angst and make sense of the chaos; helping us to understand, cope with, and respond to life’s emotional, relationship, and family challenges.
My goal is to provide cost-effective, solution-focused treatment to help you feel better in the shortest amount of time. I recognize that whatever brings you to therapy is, at least, uncomfortable and problematic, which is why we will immediately begin work on how to gain short-term and long-term relief, beginning with our first session together.
Treatment Technique
My theoretical approach is largely grounded in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), and I frequently utilize Motivational Interviewing (MI) techniques.
Whereas most therapists hold 50-minute sessions once a week, in order to help you feel more in control of your life and choices sooner, I prefer a model that allows for more frequent meetings for longer periods of time.
Although not required and other models are available to meet your needs, I recommend the following structure for the six weeks of treatment for new clients in moderate to severe distress:
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Week 1: Two 90-minute sessions
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Week 2: Two 90-minute sessions
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Week 3: Two 60-minute sessions
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Week 4: Two 60-minute sessions
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Week 5: One 60-minute session
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Week 6: One 60-minute session
By meeting more frequently and for a longer period of time in the first six weeks, there is more time to develop a therapeutic rapport, learn essential background information about you and the presenting problems, develop a plan of options for you to try in-between sessions, and evaluate the effectiveness of each strategy. We are also better able to explore many topics in-depth within a single session, creating greater potential for growth, insight, and recognition of patterns. Beyond the first six weeks, we will determine collaboratively what structure is best depending on your individual needs and goals.
To accommodate this more intensive schedule, my fee structure and availability are designed with the working professional in mind in hopes of removing the barriers that might keep you from receiving the help you need, whether it be related to pace, time, or money, and provide you with the best plan to feel better sooner. View the Fees page for more information on costs.
Substance (Ab)Use Counseling
The structure outlined above is especially important for those clients seeking counseling for problems and issues related to substance use and/or abuse. During the first month, considerable time is invested in (1) exploring your goals of moderation versus abstinence, motivations for change, and options for medication-assisted treatment and mutual support groups; (2) establishing a plan to acquire the biological, psychological, sociological, and spiritual support that is necessary to meet your goals; (3) evaluating the effectiveness of the treatment plan and modifying it where necessary.