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under construction
Confidentiality
Types of Psychotherapy
Medication
What happens in a therapy session?
How long does therapy last?
There are no formulas
for determining the length of treatment. This often depends on the client’s
needs, particular issues and personal goals, the client’s life circumstances/stage, the therapist’s treatment
modality, and financial/insurance issues. Therapy can range from a one hour session
to many years
Sometimes
a client may have a pressing issue/situational stress which needs no more than a session or two to resolve. Sometimes a client may need short-term support during a crisis – for instance a career decision,
a move, a divorce, or a loss. Some clients may desire brief (8-12 weeks) behavioral intervention aimed at symptom reduction, for instance, anxiety. Other clients may benefit from on-going psychotherapy aimed at exploring repetitive patterns in relationships,
maladaptive behavior patterns, increasing interpersonal competence, emotional awareness and coping skills.
How do I know I'm getting better?
Depending on what brings a client in for treatment, a client
should experience a reduction in symptom intensity and frequency in about 6-12 weeks.
Therapy is an intricate process which impacts one's sense of well-being in many ways and many areas of one's life. If the client’s issues are longstanding and require developing new response
patterns, or identifying underlying unconscious influences, therapy can take 6-12 months or longer
“I should be able to solve my own problems”
I would venture to say that most people basically do solve their own problems. However,
the mind and the unconscious is a very complex entity. Unconscious means
not in one’s awareness. The unconscious is a very powerful influence in
one’s experience of the world and how one responds to the challenges in life. The more aware one becomes of unconscious influences, connections and motivations, the
better able one is to make better decisions and choices.
If I need help, I must be crazy and other Myths
The equation of “needing help = being crazy” is more of a fear rather than a truth. To be able to realistically assess one’s situation, to self-reflect, to recognize that something
isn’t right, to reach out, to admit one’s own fallibility, to not deny the reality one is experiencing”
are all higher level capacities which suggest one certainly isn’t “crazy”.
In fact, those who recognize they are having difficulty and who seek help are usually healthier than those who do not.
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