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FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
(or should I say, questions that are asked pretty frequently)
It can be really daunting looking for a counsellor or therapist. There's no bad questions, I shortlisted some common ones here, but if you want to know anything please reach out! I also offer 15-minute Meet 'n' Greet calls that also act as Consultations, wherein I encourage people to ask as many questions as they can. Shop around for a therapist! Be picky!!
Frequently asked questions
General
Do we ever "need" therapy? I believe "need" never exists without a desired goal or outcome. Do I "need" a personal trainer to get fit? No, but it sure helps with planning, expertise, motivation, etc. If you are reading this, and are entertaining the question I think checking out a consultation would be a safe call
A session is a 50-minute hour. I need time to write my notes afterwards (don't worry nobody else has access to the notes except for you)
A full course of therapy however lasts as long as you want it! A lot of insurance companies will offer 3 sessions (in my opinion this is much too short) or in the ballpark of 10 or 12 which is more reasonable. However, these are just arbitrary numbers industries that are not the mental health industry have come up with. It's about how you are feeling. Typically (not by any means required) most people start out once per week, then go down to once every two weeks eventually and taper off as things improve. I tell people come in as often as is useful, which is for you to discern/decide.
Therapy is very confidential! I go over it in the first session and we email out a consent form that includes it with booking too but yes, confidential. There are a few limitations though:
- If it seems clear to me you are posing imminent risk to yourself or others or at imminent risk then a call to 911 for everyone's very real safety is warranted
- If there is a child who is being abused or at risk then a call to Child Services is warranted
- If the court of law is involved and my notes are subpoenaed
I am (and pretty much everyone is) quite familiar with CBT. I do not ground my approach in this modality personally however I do find the theory quite compelling. I ground myself in ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), a modality focused on acceptance of how things work and how things are and then committed action to work toward a better life for ourselves. Focus on mental flexibility, the skill to place our attention where we want it and where it is most useful to us, so that it is not stolen by all the negative things that pop up along our journey, keeping us from getting where we want to go with ourselves.
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