Coaching Services

Confidentiality is crucial to creating an atmosphere conducive to the feelings of trust and safety necessary in effective therapeutic relationships.  What’s said in session is very sensitive and personal, and you have my assurance that it is kept in confidence.  Sometimes, however; it might be important that I contact someone in your healthcare team.  Or perhaps you might want to bring a family member or friend in for a collaborative session.  Under those circumstances I would require your written permission prior to making contact, and we would also discuss in advance the degree of disclosure you would feel comfortable with me making.

There are a few situations when state and federal law require that I break confidentiality:

• Suspected past or present abuse or neglect of children currently under the age of 18, dependent adults, and elders. 

•  If I have reason to suspect the client is seriously in danger of harming him/herself or has threated to harm another specific person.

•  If I receive a subpoena from the court or FBI for my client notes.

That is a very difficult situation, and I have compassion for this tough spot.  If you can’t afford to see me every week, at least in the beginning, then perhaps a low-fee agency would better fit your budget, if you willing to give up some proficiency.  Therapy is making a major commitment toward your own self-care, the success of your blended family and your relationship or marriage.  It should not be taken casually.  Nor should this be another source of stress in your life. 

Weekly sessions are best, in the beginning, to build a relationship of trust and safety and gain momentum with self-reflection, and positive change.  I’ve noticed that when clients try to come every other week therapy rarely seems to take off of the ground and gain momentum toward change.  The work the work doesn’t appear to go as deep, and the sense of safety in the therapeutic alliance doesn’t grow as strong.  Sometimes clients drop out of therapy because they are not receiving the gain they had hoped they would.  You get out of therapy what you put into it.  Taking it seriously will only aid you in gaining success.

Therapy is different with each client because each client is different.  Your goals will be unique to you, as will our therapeutic relationship.  Common discussions can touch on:

• What brings you to therapy
• What you’re hoping to gain from therapy
• What’s going on in your current life, and how your history has led to your present. 
• With relationships we’ll discuss attachment patterns and also assess past attachments and patterns.
• We will also keep track of changes that occur from session to session.

Therapy can be short-term or longer-term depending on the issue at hand.  Life decisions and transitions tend to be more short-term, while things like negative thought patterns, in-grained parenting patterns, reactive behaviors that have occurred over your lifetime will take longer to sort through. 

When you’re at your wits end and don’t know where to turn, rather than giving up on your dreams and decreasing your goals and expectations, what about putting more effort into making things better?  Putting in more effort, becoming educated on blended families and your relationships or life struggles can take some of the complication out of the situations.  You’ll have a place to express burdens and strategize choices that will help move you toward your goals.  An objective therapeutic opinion can aid you when facing major decisions, life transitions (remarriage, considering a move, change of job, children’s changing perceptions and parenting challenges).  If you’re ready for something to change in your life, therapy can help you streamline your decision making to achieve goals faster and more easily.

I do not currently take any insurance plans, but can provide you with a superbill to turn into your insurance. 

Yes, I am.

If you’re reading this its likely you need support.  Good therapy doesn’t have to always take a long time depending on the issue at hand.  Better questions to ask yourself are: 

• Do I have a specific issue I’m having trouble resolving? 
• Would I feel happier in gaining self-awareness, an objective perspective and a potential new direction to being feeling “stuck.” 
• Would it increase the chances your blended family would take a shorter path learning to get along and make a more peaceful household? 
• Would you be happier if you gained self-awareness and learned to focus on what you can control? 
• Would you feel less trapped if you could struggle less with yourself and your emotions and learn to roll with the ups and downs of life? 
• Would you be happier if you could learn skills that would help you in your relationships inside the home and outside the home? 

Taking the responsibility and making the decision to reach out for help is a positive first step towards change.  It shows a commitment to your own health, and a willingness to move forward in your life.