THERAPY AND IMMIGRATION EVALUATIONS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Since everyone's situation is different, it is difficult to predict how long therapy will be. Most of the time, it is determined by the work you are willing and able to put in after the session is over. Some clients stay for as short a time as two or three sessions, while others are in therapy for two or three years or more as they continue to pursue goals and practice skills. 

We talk about what your therapy goals are and put a plan in place to achieve those goals. Once those goals are achieved and you feel that you have the tools to continue without therapeutic intervention, we terminate our therapeutic relationship. 

Regardless of the length of treatment,  our final session has to be planned, so that we can summarize the work that has been done in therapy and say "good-bye." This resolution has been associated with better long-term outcome for you if we abruptly ended therapy. 

I remain available to you after we have said goodbyes for check-ins and what I call "booster sessions". These booster sessions can be referred to as a sort of “tune-up” to help you stay on track and continue to use the skills you have learned in therapy. This helps maximize your long-term benefit from therapy.

I have a 15 minute free consultation where we meet and determine whether we are a good fit. If we are, we then schedule an initial assessment or evaluation or sometimes referred to as the intake evaluation. 

Typically, my sessions are one hour long via a tele-health platform. I send out a short mood questionnaire just before our session and this could either be the BDI-II, the BAI, or BHS. 

Most clients attend one session per week. Sessions can be held on the same day and time each week, or the session times may vary depending on your schedule and my schedule.

If the issues you present warrant more frequent sessions, it is possible to meet with me twice per week (though this is not the norm and is dependent on my scheduling availability, as well as the evaluation and approval of your insurance company if you are paying with insurance). 

If, during these sessions, it is determined that you are utilizing your tools, we may decide to schedule sessions every other week.

Additionally, you can choose to meet less frequently for financial reasons. I make this arrangement so you can receive treatment without undue financial stress.

The overall goal is to taper the sessions off until you leave therapy with the tools to continue by yourself.

Most ongoing therapy sessions occur between the hours of 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM Monday to Thursday and then 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM on Fridays, though on some occasions it is possible to have an appointment before 9:00 AM or after 6:00 PM on some weekdays.

The goal of the intake evaluation is to gather as much information as possible about you and the reason you are seeking therapy. You will have filled out the intake paperwork prior to this evaluation and so most of the questions will be clarifying questions or follow ups. 

When I say that the length of therapy will be determined by you, this is what I am talking about. The most important, positive changes that you will make in your life will occur in your everyday experiences outside of my office. To help you make these "real life" changes, I will help you design homework assignments. These assignments will show you how to apply the ideas and skills you've learned in therapy between sessions. This process will enable you to become your own therapist once the work with me is complete.

There are many types of homework assignments. Some include learning how to observe and measure your own thoughts, feelings, and actions so you can improve your awareness of your strengths and weaknesses. 

Other assignments ask you to change your ways of thinking about certain matters so that you feel more hopeful and productive. Some assignments involve reading or listening to podcasts, to add to your knowledge about your difficulties and how to improve your life.

Many of my clients appreciate the assignments and some actually ask for homework because they love the challenges this homework provides them. They reframe or try a new approach to an old problem and then document the results, often learning that doing things that may be new, challenging, or even scary can result in dramatic changes in their lives. These assignments can help teach skills and can change beliefs you have about yourself, about your future, or about others.

Homework may help your progress in therapy if you give it a try. You will never be criticized if you have difficulty with it. I create an environment in which you will feel free to explore and learn and in which you will not have to worry about being judged.

Research on therapy homework has demonstrated that the clients who take part the most in designing and doing between-session assignments tend to make quicker and more long-lasting progress than those who, for whatever reason, choose not to involve themselves with the homework.

Many of my clients are on medications, such as antidepressants, mood stabilizers, etc. In fact, some research suggests that a combination of therapy and the proper medications can be very useful. If you wish to start medications along with therapy, you can talk to your physician about this.

In most cases, if you do not wish to take medications, you will receive therapy alone. We can discuss the relative merits and drawbacks of adding medication to the treatment plan. In some cases, we may require that you are well maintained on medication before we begin therapy.

Sometimes people call me to seek treatment for a friend or relative. If you are calling to try to arrange a course of therapy for someone over the age of 18, I will be happy to listen to your concerns, but you will not be able to make an appointment for anyone other than yourself. The person themselves must reach out to be scheduled for an appointment. Once the appointment is scheduled, I cannot share any further information with you, due to confidentiality concerns, unless the person you called about gives written permission.

If you are concerned or frustrated because you wish to arrange an appointment for a person who does not wish to come in for treatment, I sympathize with your predicament, but your options are limited. First, you may choose to arrange a one-time "consultative appointment" for yourself. This is a 15-minute session with me, and I will attempt to answer your questions about how you might deal more effectively with the individual. Second, you may choose to begin therapy yourself, especially if your life has been adversely affected by the other person, and you are looking for ways to change your situation. Third, you may try to gain the individual's cooperation in entering therapy by offering to go into therapy together.

  I currently accept Kaiser, United health care, Bright Health, Anthem, Cigna, Aetna, and Medicare. Obtaining reimbursement from insurance companies that are not mentioned here, is your responsibility. Payment in full is expected at time of service if you are paying privately. You will be given a receipt which has all the information usually required by insurance companies to be reimbursed. If you have questions about seeking reimbursement, it is wise to call your insurance company with specific questions about your coverage.

 I recommend that you seek the services of a forensic psychologist or psychiatrist if you are involved in a legal matter that may require the involvement of your therapist or clinical records. I will be happy to schedule you for an evaluation here once your legal matter is resolved.

  I do not do evaluations for disability, and my approach is to enable you to improve your functioning so that you are able to go on with your life.