What do I have to do in sessions?
Showing up and sharing your personal experiences and truths will build a foundation for powerful and healing work together. I will collaborate with you from our first session till our last to help you meet your goals. If you’re not always sure what you’re feeling or how to describe it, I will be there to respectfully help you find your voice.
I want to get the most out of therapy. What can I do to help?
The single most important thing you can do to get the most out of therapy is to attend regularly. During that attendance, showing up with a willingness to learn more about yourself or for couples or family work about your loved ones. This will enhance your ability to meet your goals. Lastly, following up on recommended reading or practicing coping strategies between sessions will boost your ability to translate your work in our office to your life outside of our office. However, when working with us, homework is not required but often recommended.
Do you offer online sessions?
I offer online psychotherapy sessions on a case by case basis via a HIPAA compliant video format. For those in individual therapy, I will work with you to determine a balance between in person and online sessions based on your unique client needs. Due to the complex nature of couples therapy, I know meeting in person will yield the most successful results and only schedules online couple therapy as an option during unusual circumstances with already established clients. Per ethical requirements, all clients utilizing online therapy must also be residents of Delaware.
How do I contact you in between sessions?
If you need to contact your therapist between sessions, please leave a message on their confidential voice mail along with your name, number, and reason for calling. We typically return calls within 1 business day. Depending on your individual client needs, we may set up email or text contact between sessions. For a mental health or substance abuse emergency, please call the Delaware Crisis and Access Line 24/7 at Mobile Crisis Intervention Services (MCIS): Northern Delaware Hotline, call: 800-652-2929 /Southern Delaware Hotline, call: 800-345-6785
I don’t want to just talk about how I’m feeling; I actually want things to change in my life.
I think there’s a big misconception out there that therapy means just talking and talking about the past without ever taking action on the present. I certainly don’t operate that way as a therapist. While we will always create space to talk about your past and the feelings that surface as we explore this, I’m a very direct and engaged therapist and actively work with my clients to design interventions, exercises, and thoughtful action steps if that’s what you’re looking for as part of therapy.
If I go to therapy there must be something wrong with me; I should be able to handle this/figure it out on my own, right?
Making the decision to seek out therapy isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a wise act of self-care to reach out for support from professionals when there’s a challenge you need help with. You’d reach out to a doctor for help setting your broken bone or to a lawyer if you needed help filing divorce paperwork, wouldn’t you? When it comes to your mental and emotional health it’s no different. Reaching out for professional support is an act of self-care to address the challenges you’re facing.
Do you accept insurance?
Yes, I am currently credentialed with Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and this permits me to accept any Blue Cross Blue Shield plan as an in network provider. I am also happy to work with you to provide itemized receipts for your insurance company for partial or full reimbursement for your out-of-network therapy benefits.
How do I know if you’re the right therapist for me?
Choosing a therapist is a very personal decision. Therapy is only as effective as the relationship between therapist and client and because of this I believe the best way to determine if a psychotherapist is right for you is to book a session and simply meet with her or him and to trust your instincts when you are with them. Ask yourself: “Can I see myself feeling safe and comfortable with this person? Does it seem like they *get* me ?” You can also ask yourself this question during and after an initial phone consult before you book that first session.
What types of people of faith do you work with?
There are therapists who may not share your beliefs but who can be great catalysts for change nonetheless because what facilitates change in a therapeutic relationship is not shared values or similar beliefs-it’s the relationship between the therapist and the person in therapy.
While I am a Christian and this is an important part of my journey, I welcome clients from all faiths, as well as those with no faith affiliation. I respect faith heritage and religious practices, and incorporate a client’s faith into treatment, when requested and desired and understand for many their belief in a High Power is a central part of their healing process.