First time consults can be nerve wrecking. However, my hope is to make it more accessible. A consultation is really about trying to decide fit and asking questions that may help you feel more comfortable engaging in therapy as well as asking more logistical questions like scheduling, cost, etc.

A few examples include:

• What is your primary approach/es to treatment?

• How do we talk about treatment planning?

• Do you have experience working with these issues?

• What should I expect from a regular session with you?

• How will we know that our work has come to an end?

• How will I know I am making progress?

You will receive an email with paperwork from your client portal (via Simple Practice), paperwork must be submitted 48 business hours before a session.(This does not include the weekend)

You will also be asked to set up your Spruce account which will allow you to communicate with me about scheduling outside of appointment reminders. Appointment reminders will be automatically sent from your patient portal system reminding you of your first session and all follow up sessions.

if you are using insurance you will receive an invitation email to set up your profile with Headway. They will ask you to place your payment on file for any co-pay or deductibles. Even if you have no payment or deductible payment must be saved to Headway.

Once all of these pieces are complete, you will enter your session through your patient portal on the day of your scheduled visit and meet virtually with me. For my limited in person sessions you would arrive at the office space the day of the session.

Preparation hints (if applicable): Come as you are! If you need to think about what you may need to be resourced, maybe this means picking a calming space to take the visit (if you can!) or perhaps ensuring that you have met your basic needs (food, water, etc). Lastly, it may be helpful to think back to the reasons why you seek therapy and bring any questions you may have to the session. Otherwise, just come as you are.

Why is paperwork important?

Paperwork, such as intake forms, consent forms, and confidentiality agreements, is essential for several reasons:

1. Informed Consent:

Legal and Ethical Requirement: Informed consent is a legal and ethical requirement in therapy. Without signed consent forms, the therapist cannot ethically provide services.

Client Understanding: The paperwork ensures that the client understands the nature of therapy, their rights, the therapist's policies, and what they are agreeing to by engaging in the therapeutic process.

2. Assessment and Safety:

Gathering Essential Information: Intake forms often include important information about the client's history, current symptoms, and any risk factors (e.g., suicidal ideation, history of trauma). This information helps the therapist assess the client’s needs and ensure their safety.

Risk Management: Without this information, the therapist may not have a full picture of the client's situation, which could compromise the effectiveness and safety of the therapy.

3. Professional Boundaries:

Establishing Expectations: Completing paperwork sets the tone for the therapeutic relationship, establishing professional boundaries and expectations. If a client is unwilling or unable to complete the required paperwork, it may indicate challenges in adhering to the structure and boundaries of therapy.

Mutual Responsibility: Therapy is a collaborative process, and completing paperwork is part of the client's responsibility in that process. If a client does not fulfill this responsibility, it may suggest potential difficulties in their commitment to the work.

4. Confidentiality and Legal Protection:

Protecting Client Privacy: Confidentiality agreements in the paperwork protect the client’s privacy by outlining how their information will be handled.

Legal Protection for the Therapist: Proper documentation provides legal protection for the therapist by clearly outlining the terms of the therapeutic relationship and the client’s consent to those terms.

5. Decision to Not Move Forward:

Ethical Consideration: If a client refuses to complete paperwork, the therapist may ethically decide not to move forward with therapy. Without the necessary documentation, the therapist may be unable to provide services that meet professional standards.

Referral: If a client does not complete paperwork and therapy cannot proceed, the therapist can offer referrals to other professionals who may be able to accommodate the client’s needs or approach the situation differently.

In summary, completing paperwork is a crucial part of the therapeutic process. If a client does not complete it, the therapist has valid grounds to not move forward with therapy, as it compromises legal, ethical, and professional standards.

In the initial meeting also called an “intake session,” I will expand on themes presented during the consultation, and I will gain further background information. You will have submitted some initial information on your intake paperwork online, but this meeting will help me get a better idea of themes and needs that may be present.

I will share more details about therapy session scheduling, cancellations, and confidentiality, and it’s limitations. Intake sessions will last 60 minutes, as our usual sessions will last 53 minutes-60 minutes

Research shows that a combination of a few factors determines your progress:

• Your commitment to the process.

• Your compatibility with your therapist.

• Your therapist's expertise

The way we view therapy can also be influenced by cultural values, household beliefs, or personal feelings about seeking support.

Because therapy is relationship based, what could be happening is that there is a misalignment between the therapist and the client. Other times, fear may be influencing your experience as therapy is such a vulnerable process. If you don't have a clear sense of what you want to work out in therapy, it can contribute to not feeling like you're making progress.

Your relationship with your therapist is crucial — which means it's important to reassess the goals and perhaps even change paths depending on where the person is. This may mean asking your therapist to think about your sessions and potentially refining the structure or support you're receiving.

A few questions you can ask yourself here is:

— “What is it about my other therapists that didn’t work out?”

— “What do I value in my relationship with a therapist?”

—“What are the ways that I can feel connected to the work and to my therapist?”

— “How can I identify when I may need to reflect on any challenges I may have about opening up?”

I believe that treatment may look different to different people, and this can be influenced by the person's ability of self-reflection, as well as their ability to try new ways of living or thinking.

Often, progress in therapy can look like the moment, i.e. someone has 3 days of the blues instead of the usual 6 days. Other times progress can look like the ease with which you set boundaries and keep them or other times progress can be “did I fall asleep at a reasonable time this week, and did I take a walk at least once this week.”

Progress looks different, and sometimes we want that progress to look a certain way, which often can increase anxiety about whether things have gotten to that point or not. Questions you can ask yourself are:

— "Based on my goals, what are specific markers of my progress in a specific area?"

— "Can I notice my wins when setting boundaries in my life?"

— "Does my therapist know my need to be reminded of my goals and progress in this work?"

A deductible is what you pay out of pocket BEFORE your insurance benefits kick in. Let’s say you have a $2,000 deductible, you will need to cover the $2,000 amount out-of-pocket for any health-related procedure or service before your insurance coverage covers the amount after your co-pay.

Remember that a deductible resets each calendar year. In other words, if you have met your deductible in one given calendar year, your insurance will be covering the cost of the services and once it resets you will then be responsible for meeting that deductible again.

Remember not all insurance plans have a deductible — please make sure you are checking your benefits with your insurance company and that you speak with your provider, so that there is an understanding of what your situation may be.

If we decide together to move forward into therapeutic work, you will receive an email from Simple Practice with needed paperwork as well as an invitation to submit insurance to Headway. Your paperwork is due 48 BUSINESS HOURS prior to your first scheduled session. You will also receive a reminder email/text prior. to your first session- regardless if you are scheduled for in person or telehealth (virtual) sessions.