In the first session (known as an intake assessment), we'll discuss what brought you to therapy and what your initial therapy goals are. I'll ask some questions to get a better understanding of your concerns, how these concerns impact your day to day, and the physical, psychological and social factors that might be causing or exacerbating the issues that brought you to therapy. The assessment phase helps me determine what kind of treatment you might need and how I think I can help.
The assessment phase may take 1-3 sessions to allow for a more thorough exploration of your mental health symptoms and concerns. Depending on your goals, I will work with you to identify small steps that you want to try to make some progress on your therapy goals.
What should I expect from therapy?
Therapy sessions are individualized and the treatment plan is based on your specific goals. Therapy can focus on specific issues or longer term, for chronic conditions or a focus on personal growth. It is common to address the central issues and concerns in your life during therapy sessions. I take a flexible approach to scheduling - you may choose to schedule multiple sessions at once, schedule a recurring date/time (pending mutual availability) or schedule on a session by session basis. Based on your goals and readiness for change, I'm happy to provide a recommendation of the number of sessions I think you may need to make some progress on your goals, if you're looking for a shorter bout of treatment. We might choose to meet less often as therapy progresses. In between sessions, it is important to spend some time reflecting on what we talked about, and to practice integrating these new reflections, insight or strategies into your life. Here are some things to expect from therapy:
