Answers to FAQ About Therapy
Who do you work with?
I mainly work with women and teen clients.
My niche is helping clients manage their anxiety, depression, relationship issues, & trauma.
For me, a good fit is someone with a desire to get healthier-- and a willingness to try.
Where are you located?
My physical office is located in east Pompano Beach, FL near the intersection of Federal Hwy/US1 & McNab RD.
See map of Tree of Life Therapy at Hours and Location
I also work with clients virtually throughout the state of Florida.
How often does therapy last, and how often do I need to come?
Every situation is different, so there's no one size fits all answer. Once we complete our first (intake) session and go through a more thorough review of your history and therapy goals, I can give you a better idea of when you can expect to start seeing some changes.
At the start of therapy, I typically see clients at least once per week for a one hour session. Couples counseling and EMDR sessions will run a bit longer.
Once we feel that progress has been made or your symptoms have greatly improved, we can reduce frequency of treatment to biweekly, monthly, or as needed.
How does therapy work?
Therapy isn't just talking about your problems, it's coming up with solutions to overcome them.
Something happened to bring you into therapy. Or you decided that you didn't want to spend the rest of your life repeating the same patterns. You wanted to get unstuck.
This is the stuff that we base your goals on.
Each session is customized to your goals for therapy--and structured on your response to our sessions. I want to help you achieve your goals, so I meet you where you're at.
FAQ about Therapy
Do I just talk about my problems week after week?
If you work with me--definitely not.
We will talk about the issues you're struggling with, but we'll also engage in activities and exercises that will give you the tools and confidence to make progress outside the therapy room.
What’s the difference between talking to you or my best friend or family?
Friends and family can offer great support, but the same as they can't provide you with the same objective guidance and expertise as a trained professional. A mental health professional can help you approach your situation in a new way– teach you new skills, gain different perspectives, listen to you without judgment or expectations, and help you listen to yourself.
Furthermore, therapy is completely confidential. You won’t have to worry about others “knowing my business.” Lastly, if your situation provokes a great deal of negative emotion, if you’ve been confiding in a friend or family member, there is the risk that once you are feeling better you could start avoiding that person so you aren’t reminded of this difficult time in your life.
Why shouldn’t I just take medication?
While medication can be very helpful in some situations, medication alone cannot solve all issues. Psychiatrists often recommend that their patients seek regular therapy in conjunction with taking the prescribed medication. For some clients, the combination of medication and psychotherapy yields the best results.
Our work together is designed to explore the root of the issue, dig deep into your behavior and teach strategies that can help you accomplish your personal and/or relational goals.
I want to get the most out of therapy. What can I do to help?
Your active participation and dedication is crucial to your success. If we only see each other for one session per week, it's important to support the work we do in session once you leave the office.
My partner and I are having problems. Should we be in individual counseling or come together?
If you are concerned about your relationship, and you would both like to work with me, I would initially work with both of you together. After this work, if one of you would like to continue in individual sessions, I could work with only one of you. It is not helpful to move from individual into couple’s work with the same therapist because of potential trust issues.
Can I quit whenever I want to?
Absolutely. If either of us feels the counseling situation isn't working out, we can discontinue the counseling process. It's important for both of us to feel comfortable and confident that our therapy sessions are going somewhere. I do request that we meet to discuss the termination of therapy and make sure that nothing is being overlooked.
Therapy seems expensive -- is it worth it?
All things considered, the research on the cost-benefit analysis of psychotherapy consistently shows the costs to be quite low compared with high level of recovery rates and the larger scale costs of not seeking psychotherapy.
If the client/therapist dynamic is right, and you are willing to put in the work, the return on investment can be tremendous. I still feel so much joy and satisfaction when my clients tell me that they can't believe changes they've made in such a short amount of time.
My private pay rates are competitive with the area served and the services provided. Rates take into consideration my education, training, and experience.
A licensed therapist in the state of Florida must pursue a minimum of six years of education at the college level, a one year unpaid internship, and a post-graduate internship that lasts a minimum of 2 years. Each area of specialization requires an additional investment of time and money.
Do you accept my insurance?
I am a self-pay practice, meaning I do not directly accept insurance. (I'm not in a contract with any insurance companies.)
If your insurance plan offers out-of-network benefits, my license, training, and education will allow you to be qualified for reimbursement if this is part of your policy. Out-of-network benefits allow you to see the provider of your choosing and you will be reimbursed a percentage of the fee--typically between 50-90%. You are responsible for payment at the time of service. I will give you an invoice (called a superbill) that you then submit to the insurance company (typically electronically) for reimbursement.
If you don't have the time or interest in submitting the superbill to your insurance company, there are services available that handle the process for you. Better is one of these services that simplifies the process for you for a fee of 10% of the amount collected.
How do I get started?
Just click the SCHEDULE NOW link below to request your free consultation.
For more details about what to expect, click here to visit the page titled How It Works
FAQ about Therapy -- Tree of Life Therapy