Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I consider coming for psychotherapy?

Most people struggle with emotional difficulties at some time. Getting psychotherapy helps to reduce the length of time that you suffer with these problems. Also, many people find that as they mature, they identify certain problematic relationship patterns, with their family, coworkers, friends and partners. Psychotherapy can help you forge new ways of relating to others and to yourself.

But does therapy work?

Yes. Many decades of scientific research has proven definitively that psychotherapy is effective in treating emotional difficulties of all types.

Can’t I work it out alone?

Perhaps you can. However, if your difficulties have gone on for more than a month or two, it is likely that you will feel better much faster with psychotherapy. Also, therapy reduces the chances of your emotional problems becoming long-lasting.

What is a psychologist?

People are often confused about the different types of mental health professionals. I am a psychologist. Psychologists have a doctoral degree in clinical psychology (not medicine). Although there are many career paths for psychologists, most of them specialize in providing psychotherapy. Psychologists have advanced training in assessing, diagnosing and treating mental illnesses. Since there is so much to know about mental health treatment, many of us have areas of expertise, as well as certain groups that we do not treat (for example, I do not work with children or teenagers).

What are the other mental health professionals?

In a nutshell, here are some other mental health professionals that you might learn about:

• Counselors have a masters degree in psychology (this is a less advanced degree than a psychologist has).
• Social workers usually have a masters degree in social work.
• Psychiatrists are trained medical doctors who specialize in mental illness. Most of them primarily prescribe psychotropic medication and do not do psychotherapy.

What about medications?

Many people have negative feelings about taking medications for their emotional problems.  Whether medicine is necessary really depends on a person’s level of distress.  If you are coping ok with your daily demands and getting some decent sleep, chances are you can work on your problems without medications.  After I get a good understanding of your situation, we can discuss whether medicine would be helpful.  I would be happy to explore any reservations you may have about medications with you.What concerns should I have about getting mental health care?

What concerns should I have?

You should never go to see anyone who advertises themselves as a “psychotherapist” and who does not have a license as a mental health professional. The term “psychotherapist” is not regulated by law, and thus, untrained people can call themselves “psychotherapists” with no penalty. For your own protection and to obtain appropriate care, insist on being treated by a licensed mental health professional. The only exception to this is that it is ok to see a psychotherapist who is a student in a graduate training program, and who is being closely supervised by a licensed mental health professional.

Is it a good idea to make appointments to meet several different therapists before deciding who I will work with?

No, this is not a good idea for several reasons.  First, most therapists have a lot of information available about their practices on their websites, like I do.  You can use this information in your decision-making process.  Second, you can do some thinking and research about what is important to you in a therapist and prepare a list of questions that you can ask over the phone.  This will help you make a wise choice about who to make an appointment with.  Third, depending on the complexity of your situation, a good psychotherapist will spend the first one, two or three sessions gaining information about you, so you may not be able to get a good sense of whether psychotherapy with this individual is helpful until you’ve been working together for at least 2 or 3 months.  If you don’t feel that you are being helped as much as you need after that time, you will know a lot more about what works and doesn’t work for you in therapy, and you will know what to look for next time.

What if I have a problem that you don’t treat?

Please feel free to call me anyway. I would be happy to make a referral to someone who can help you.

What are your office hours?

I am in the office on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. I do not have any evening or weekend hours.