FAQs

A number of benefits are available from participating in therapy. Therapists can provide support, problem-solving skills, and enhanced coping strategies for issues such as depression, anxiety, relationship troubles, unresolved childhood issues, grief, stress management, body image issues and creative blocks. Many people also find that counselors can be a tremendous asset to managing personal growth, interpersonal relationships, family concerns, marriage issues, and the hassles of daily life. Therapists can provide a fresh perspective on a difficult problem or point you in the direction of a solution. The benefits you obtain from therapy depend on how well you use the process and put into practice what you learn.

Some of the benefits available from therapy include:

• Attaining a better understanding of yourself, your goals and values
• Developing skills for improving your relationships
• Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy
• Learning new ways to cope with stress and anxiety
• Managing anger, grief, depression, and other emotional pressures
• Improving communication and listening skills
• Changing old behavior patterns and developing new ones
• Discovering new ways to solve problems in your family or marriage
• Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence

Everyone goes through challenging situations in life, and while you may have successfully navigated other difficulties, there’s nothing wrong with seeking extra support when you need it. In fact, therapy is for people who have enough self-awareness to realize they need a helping hand — and that’s something to be admired. Seeking therapy means taking responsibility for where you are in life and making a commitment to change. Therapy provides long-lasting benefits and support, giving you the tools you need to avoid triggers, redirect damaging patterns, and overcome whatever challenges you face.

People have many different motivations for coming to psychotherapy. Some are going through a major life transition — unemployment, divorce, a new job — or aren’t handling stressful circumstances well. Others need help managing low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, addictions, relationship problems, spiritual conflicts or creative blocks. Therapy can offer encouragement and skills to get through these periods. Still others may simply be ready to learn more about themselves or become more effective with their goals. In short, people seeking psychotherapy are ready to meet the challenges in their lives and make changes.

Because each person has different issues and goals, therapy looks different depending on the individual. In general, you can expect to discuss current events in your life, your personal history as it relates to your concerns, and any progress or new insights since your last session. Depending on your needs, therapy can be short-term — for a specific issue — or longer-term, for deeper patterns or personal growth. Either way, it’s most common to schedule regular sessions, usually weekly.

You’ll get the most out of therapy by actively participating in the process. Beyond the work done in session, your therapist may suggest things to do outside of therapy — reading a relevant book, journaling on specific topics, noticing certain behaviors, or taking action toward your goals.

Long-term solutions to mental and emotional struggles can rarely be achieved through medication alone. Rather than treating only the symptom, therapy addresses the underlying causes of distress and the patterns that hold back progress. An integrative approach — working with your medical doctor to determine what’s best for you — often supports more sustainable growth and well-being. In some cases, a combination of medication and therapy is the right course of action.

Confidentiality is one of the most important parts of the relationship between a client and therapist. Effective therapy depends on a high degree of trust around highly sensitive topics that are usually discussed nowhere else. Every therapist provides a written confidential disclosure agreement — known as informed consent — and what you share in session won’t be shared with anyone else without your written permission, even if you’d like us to update a member of your healthcare team (your physician, naturopath or attorney).

That said, state law and professional ethics require therapists to break confidentiality in a few specific situations:

• Suspected past or present abuse or neglect of a child, adult or elder is reported to the appropriate authorities, including Child Protective Services and law enforcement, based on information from the client or other sources.
• If a therapist has reason to believe a client is in serious danger of harming themselves, or has threatened to harm another person.