What happens in the first session?

Therapy starts with the professional relationship between therapist and client. Therefore, the first 2-3 sessions of therapy involve building rapport and allowing the clinician to get a full picture by you sharing your story and help you articulate why you are seeking help. Once the intake process is complete, the clinician and client will work together to develop a treatment plan with 2-3 goals the client would like to accomplish within the next 3-6 months. After goals are established, therapy work begins!

How often do we meet?

Typically, therapy begins with regular sessions once per week. As the client meets treatment goals, frequency of sessions is lowered to every other week, and even monthly before closing. The clinician will speak directly with each client to determine the best schedule of sessions for ongoing therapy.

Will anyone know what we discuss in therapy?

Your therapy sessions are confidential! Your clinician will not share information with anyone without your signed consent. If you share in session that you want to harm yourself or someone else, your clinician is required by law to protect you as well as the other party by disclosing this information. In addition, if you disclose that you have abused, neglected, or exploited a child, elder or disabled adult, your treatment provider is required to report this information. The goal is to ensure that you as well as others remain safe.

As a part of our ethical practices we keep records of what we cover in sessions in a secure, HIPAA compliant electronic health records system. This allows residents and therapists to track clients' progress in therapy, as well as common threads throughout sessions. Our notes are brief and only identify necessary information pertinent to clients' cases. If you would like to view your record, you may submit a written request directly to your resident or therapist at any time.

How do I know if therapy is working?

Sometimes when beginning therapy, a client's symptoms can feel worse before they get better. This is because we are discussing the issues and bringing the client face-to-face with their symptoms. Your therapist will work with you to develop coping strategies to lower the impact of the symptoms. As therapy progresses, symptoms should significantly decrease in frequency and severity.

Can you prescribe me medication if I feel as if I am not getting better?

Maintaining an open line of communication with your clinician is highly encouraged. If you feel as if you are not benefiting from therapy, please share that information. Therapy requires an exploration of deeply rooted feelings and emotions that may take some time to identify. In addition, the skills, strategies, and information you gain from therapy are designed to be implemented into your daily life to enhance your mental wellbeing. Your clinician will consistently review your goals with you and evaluate your progress. If you would like to be evaluated for medication interventions to address symptoms, your counselor can assist you in obtaining a referral to a psychiatrist. Your clinician is not a medical doctor and is unable to prescribe medication.

Are there any clients or issues you don't work with?

Our licenses allow residents and therapists to work only in the Commonwealth of Virginia. At this time due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we ONLY provide teletherapy, but both client and resident or therapist must be located in Virginia at the time of session. We do not work children under 12 years of age or provide custody evaluations.

We do not complete psychological assessments but can provide referrals as needed. We do not appear in court for any reason. As part of our ethical code, residents and therapists do not work with populations or issues which we do not have adequate training or experience with. Should a client request services for areas we are not able to work with, we will provide appropriate referrals as needed.