First Session

Please arrive 10  minutes early to fill out the intake paperwork.  There is not a receptionist, so please have a seat.  Your intake paperwork might be on a clipboard on the wall, please look to see if it is there.  Payment is due after the session ends.  The first appointment we will go over the therapy process, confidentiality and go over paperwork.  For adults, the rest of the session is used to help me understand your past and present situation.  For children, I will spend a brief amount of time with both the parent and the child to discuss the therapy process. The rest of the session is used to begin the relationship building process with your child.  Although you might be tempted to stay in the session, typically my sessions with your child are one on one.  Each session is typically 45-55 minutes long.

 

​

Therapy Sessions for Children

I will come and get your teen/child from the waiting room.  Should your child refuse to go with me, please allow some time for me to handle the situation, as this is all part of the therapy process.  Should I need assistance, I will directly ask you.  Please do not leave the waiting room, as some sessions may end earlier than normal.

 

After a session please do not ask your child or me: "How did therapy go?"  "What did you do in therapy?"  "Were you good?"  Please treat each session as if I were seeing an adult in therapy.  Honest discussions require maintaining confidentiality.  In order for your child to feel comfortable sharing their feelings, please respect your child's privacy. 

 

I am always willing to have a discussion with you about any therapy progress.  We will schedule time outside of therapy, or before or after a session, to discuss this progress and to address any concerns.  

​

For both children and teens, building rapport with me is one of the most important steps.  Without a foundation of trust and acceptance, your child will not open up and we will not be able to start making progress. This period of time will vary and can be very short or take quite a few sessions. If a child misses multiple sessions, it is possible for any progress that is made to be setback. Consistency is very important to the therapy process!

​

​

Therapy Sessions for Adults

My primary form of therapy with adults is talk therapy.  We sit and talk and work through the issues you brought with you to the session together.  In terms of scheduling, we will discuss how frequently you should come to therapy.  You can come at a set time every week, or we can work around both of our schedules.  Some adults come every week, every other week, or as needed.  

​

​