Here's how the process works:
- It is best to arrive 20 minutes prior to your first session to fill out the paperwork which is just contact information, general questions of what brought you to counseling, payment agreement, and that you understand your right to privacy.
- If you arrive early for your appointment, you can relax in my comfortable waiting room and I will come get you when it is time to meet.
- Appointments are 50 minutes long and we decide together how often we meet. For example, we may meet once a week, every other week, twice a week, monthly, etc. We won’t meet more or less often than you feel comfortable.
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The focus of our first couple sessions will be for me to understand what brought you in to see me and how I can help. I may ask you questions about your past, have you describe your family tree, or ask what else is going on in your life. Please rest assured that you will not be required to share anything you are not comfortable with and I can handle anything that you would like to share. Also know that I follow strict rules of confidentiality with what you tell me.
- The focus of the next session will be to set goals based on what improvements you would like to make. The goals are your choice; you will not be required to do anything you don’t want to do. If you don't know what you want that's OK too; I am very good at helping people figure out what they want. As a matter of fact, not knowing what they want is one of the reasons people come see me!
- The focus of the remainder of the sessions will be working toward your goals, revising and refining them where necessary.
- You stop seeing me when you are ready to do so, it is your choice and there is no obligation.