What to Expect
Starting therapy can feel a little awkward, especially if you've never been before or aren't really sure what you're looking for. You don't need to have it all figured out before you reach out. We can figure that part out together.
Reaching Out
You can reach out through my contact form, email, or phone. You don't need to send me your whole story. Just give me a general idea of who is looking for therapy and what is going on.
I'll get back to you with my availability, and if it sounds like I might be a good fit, I'll send you some paperwork before we meet.
The First Session
The first session is mostly about getting to know each other.
I'll want to hear what's been going on, what brought you in, and what you hope might be different. I'll probably ask a lot of questions because that's how I get to know you and start putting the pieces together.
This is Olive. She often joins me at the office, where she contributes mostly emotional support and naps.
You don't need to prepare anything, and there really isn't a right way to do a first therapy session.
It's also your chance to see what you think of me. Therapy is a relationship, and it's important that you feel comfortable talking to the person sitting across from you.
If I'm Working With Your Teen
I want to hear from both of you.
Parents know their kids incredibly well, and teens also need a space where they can talk openly and feel like therapy is theirs. We'll talk about how to balance both of those things, including what stays private and when I would need to bring a parent into the conversation.
Parents aren't completely removed from the process. There may be times when it makes sense for us to check in, meet together, or talk about what might be helpful at home.
From There
We go from there.
Sometimes we'll be trying to understand why something keeps happening or where a pattern came from. Sometimes something happened yesterday and that's what we need to talk about. Sometimes we may need to work on a very practical way to handle something differently.
I don't have a formula that I follow with everyone. We'll figure out what you need as we get to know each other, and we'll adjust along the way if something isn't working.
You don't need to know exactly what you need from therapy before you start.
That's part of the process.
Ready to Reach Out?
If you'd like to see if we might be a good fit, feel free to get in touch.