© Wink Counseling Services PC.
Common Questions
How can therapy help me?
How can therapy help me?
A number of benefits are available from
participating in therapy. Therapists can provide
support, problem-solving skills, and enhanced
coping strategies for issues such as depression,
anxiety, relationship troubles, unresolved
childhood issues, grief, stress management, body
image issues and creative blocks. Many people
also find that counselors can be a tremendous
asset to managing personal growth, interpersonal
relationships, family concerns, marriage issues,
and the hassles of daily life. Therapists can
provide a fresh perspective on a difficult problem
or point you in the direction of a solution. The
benefits you obtain from therapy depend on how
well you use the process and put into practice
what you learn. Some of the benefits available
from therapy include:
Attaining a better understanding of yourself, your goals
and values
•
Developing skills for improving your
relationships
•
Finding resolution to the issues or concerns
that led you to seek therapy
•
Learning new ways to cope with stress and
anxiety
•
Managing anger, grief, depression, and other
emotional pressures
•
Improving communications and listening
skills
•
Changing old behavior patterns and
developing new ones
•
Discovering new ways to solve problems in
your family or marriage
•
Improving your self-esteem and boosting
self-confidence
I really need therapy? I can usually handle my
problems.
Everyone goes through challenging situations in
life, and while you may have successfully
navigated through other difficulties you've faced,
there's nothing wrong with seeking out extra
support when you need it. In fact, therapy is for
people who have enough self- awareness to
realize they need a helping hand, and that is
something to be admired. You are taking
responsibility by accepting where you're at in life
and making a commitment to change the
situation by seeking therapy. Therapy provides
long-lasting benefits and support, giving you the
tools you need to avoid triggers, re-direct
damaging patterns, and overcome whatever
challenges you face.
Do people go to therapy and how do I know if it is right
for me?
People have many different motivations for
coming to psychotherapy. Some may be going
through a major life transition (unemployment,
divorce, new job, etc.), or are not handling
stressful circumstances well. Some people need
assistance managing a range of other issues such
as low self-esteem, depression, anxiety,
addictions, relationship problems, spiritual
conflicts and creative blocks. Therapy can help
provide some much needed encouragement and
help with skills to get them through these periods.
Others may be at a point where they are ready to
learn more about themselves or want to be more
effective with their goals in life. In short, people
seeking psychotherapy are ready to meet the
challenges in their lives and ready to make
changes in their lives.
What is therapy like?
Because each person has different issues and
goals for therapy, therapy will be different
depending on the individual. In general, you can
expect to discuss the current events happening in
your life, your personal history relevant to your
issue, and report progress (or any new insights
gained) from the previous therapy session.
Depending on your specific needs, therapy can be
short- term, for a specific issue, or longer-term, to
deal with more difficult patterns or your desire for
more personal development. Either way, it is
most common to schedule regular sessions with
your therapist (usually weekly).
It is important to understand that you will get
more results from therapy if you actively
participate in the process. The ultimate purpose
of therapy is to help you bring what you learn in
session back into your life. Therefore, beyond the
work you do in therapy sessions, your therapist
may suggest some things you can do outside of
therapy to support your process - such as reading
a pertinent book, journaling on specific topics,
noting particular behaviors or taking action on
your goals. People seeking psychotherapy are
ready to make positive changes in their lives, are
open to new perspectives and take responsibility
for their lives.
What about medication vs. psychotherapy?
It is well established that the long-term solution
to mental and emotional problems and the pain
they cause cannot be solved solely by medication.
Instead of just treating the symptom, therapy
addresses the cause of our distress and the
behavior patterns that curb our progress. You can
best achieve sustainable growth and a greater
sense of well-being with an integrative approach
to wellness. Working with your medical doctor
you can determine what's best for you, and in
some cases a combination of medication and
therapy is the right course of action. We are
happy to offer a medication evaluation as well.
Do you take insurance, and how does that work?
To determine if you have mental health coverage
through your insurance carrier, the first thing you
should do is call them. Check your coverage
carefully and make sure you understand their
answers. Some helpful questions you can ask
them:
•
What are my mental health benefits?
•
What is the coverage amount per therapy
session?
•
How many therapy sessions does my plan
cover?
•
How much does my insurance pay for an
out-of-network provider?
•
Is approval required from my primary care
physician? HMO = Yes, PPO = No
Does what we talk about in therapy remain confidential?
Confidentiality is one of the most important
components between a client and
psychotherapist. Successful therapy requires a
high degree of trust with highly sensitive subject
matter that is usually not discussed anywhere but
the therapist's office. Every therapist should
provide a written copy of their confidential
disclosure agreement, and you can expect that
what you discuss in session will not be shared
with anyone. This is called “Informed Consent”.
Sometimes, however, you may want your
therapist to share information or give an update
to someone on your healthcare team (your
Physician, Attorney, Case Worker), but by law your
therapist cannot release this information without
obtaining your written permission.
However, state law and professional ethics require
therapists to maintain confidentiality
except for the following situations:
* Suspected past or present abuse or neglect of
children, adults, and elders to the authorities,
including Child Protection and law enforcement,
based on information provided by the client or
collateral sources.
* If the therapist has reason to suspect the client
is seriously in danger of harming him/herself or
has threatened to harm another person