Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if I really need therapy?

It’s a little different for everyone. Some signs that you might need help from a professional are when the way you feel begins to negatively impact your sleep, your job, appetite, relationships with friends and loved ones, or your decision-making abilities. If you find that your mood is irritable or sad a lot, or things just aren’t getting better or seem hopeless – these are strong indicators that a trained professional may be able to help.

Why shouldn’t I try to just work through this on my own.

It’s easy to put off seeking help for something that negatively affects the way we feel. In fact, the decision to get help can actually be extremely difficult for some people. Often we dismiss feelings of anxiety, emotional pain, relationship stress, or depression as “just life” – even to the point of encountering real difficulty in normal day-to-day functioning.  Deciding to take responsibility for your mental well-being can be an empowering first step.  It takes courage, but it can put you back in charge of your emotional health.  The first small step of reaching out can have a surprisingly positive effect on your outlook.

What does professional therapy provide?

Professional therapy gives you an opportunity to share, but also to gain new understanding and perspective. Life can be hard at times, and difficult circumstances are sometimes beyond our control, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Therapy helps you set achievable goals and begin to make lasting changes to help you reach them. Through getting to the root of the issues and learning techniques for changing your unhealthy behaviors, you become better equipped to achieve more balance in your life and develop new skills to practice healthier patterns for long-lasting improvement.

What happens in a therapy session?

Since the needs and goals of every client are different, therapy sessions vary in format and approach.  Sometimes clients come with an agenda or specific things they need to focus on. Other times, people have an event or story, an emotion that’s bothering them, or just a vague feeling or thought they can’t shake. Sessions progress based on the needs of the client at the time, but active participation and collaboration is important.  Ultimately, the goal is to identify the areas where change or help is needed, set realistic objectives, and equip you with resources and strategies for dealing with immediate issues, as well as  establishing new patterns for long-term, healthier behaviors.

Do I have to share things I don’t want to?

Certain topics or stories can be difficult to share and that’s normal and OK. You don’t have to share anything you don’t want to, or anything that makes you uncomfortable. It’s important to build a trusting relationship between therapist and client, but our sessions always progress at your pace.

How long does it take?

Because therapy is tailored to a specific person, and the goals and challenges that person is facing, there is no pre-defined period of time for on-going therapy. Sometimes incredible progress is made in the first session, but it’s not uncommon for therapy to span several sessions over a period of weeks or months. Individual sessions are generally about 40-50 minutes in length.

Is this covered by my insurance?

Coverage varies greatly, but my services may be covered in part or in full by your insurance provider.  Please contact your HMO or health insurance plan to learn more about what your plan covers.  Below are some questions that may be helpful to ask:

• Do my insurance benefits include mental health services provided by a marriage and family therapist?
• What is the coverage amount per therapy session?
• Will I be required to pay a copay?
• Is there a limit to the number of sessions per year my plan covers?
• What is my deductible?
• Do I need to get approval from my primary care physician?

What if I need to cancel my appointment?

I have a waiting list for evening appointments.  If you need to cancel your appointment, please contact me at least 24 hours in advance of your session so that I may offer that time to others.

Are therapy sessions confidential?

Yes. Your privacy is important to me and you can trust that our sessions, as well as any of your personal information, is always held in the strictest of confidence. Additionally, anything you transmit over my website is highly secure, and stored data is HIPAA-compliant.

Confidential information disclosed in private therapy sessions is legally protected, however, there are some exceptions to this.  Marriage and family therapists have a "duty to warn," which means we are mandated by law in Michigan to report any instances of suspected child or elder abuse, or when a client presents a serious danger of violence toward himself/herself or another person.  If you would like to learn more about my ethical standards and privileged communication exceptions, I would be happy to answer any questions.