What You Can Expect
Complementary 15-minute phone consultation
I offer a free 15-minute phone consultation at your convenience. During that call, you can share what's bringing you to therapy or what's prompting you to consider it now. It's a chance for you to ask questions, get a sense of how I work and what I offer, and decide whether whether this feels like the right next step for you. I can also answer any questions you might have and discuss your scheduling needs and preferences.
Your First Session
Before we get started, I'll briefly walk through the standard forms- like the treatment agreement, privacy practices, and financial agreement- so everything feels clear.
Then we will shift to talking more about what's been going on for you. We'll talk about what's been hard, what you've already tried, some of your history, and what you're hoping to achieve in therapy. By the end of the first session, you will have a sense of whether you feel comfortable and open to working together to meet your goals.
What Happens in Therapy
We will use the goals that you have set as guidelines for our weekly sessions, and we will draw on your experiences in the present to help you achieve both short- and long-term change. Often these experiences have links to your history and are related to ways that you have learned to be in order to function and be successful- they just might not be working well for you anymore. Linking insight with action will provide you with understanding, self-compassion, and something new to try after each session to effect positive change in your life.
I use approaches grounded in research (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Mindfulness-Based skills, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Internal Family Systems and trauma-oriented approaches as needed) because they work. What matters most is creating a toolkit that is unique to you and that fits your life.
Meeting once a week on a regular schedule is an essential part of building the momentum of change, especially at the beginning of therapy. Once you are noticing consistent improvement and moving towards your goals, we can discuss changing the frequency of sessions.
What Changes Over Time
Most people start noticing shifts within four to eight sessions. You will be trying strategies and skills you haven't tried before, reflecting in new ways, and doing things differently- and that is where things start to change.
Early on, you might notice that you can name what you're feeling instead of being flooded by it. A situation that usually derails you has a different quality to it and feels manageable in a different way. You have a new way of relating to yourself in moments where you would typically lead with self-criticism.
How long does real change take? That depends on many factors that are personal to you and your history. Some people feel significantly better in eight to 12 weeks, while other take longer to make deeper shifts. We will check in regularly about what's working for you and what we can adjust to support you and your therapy process.