Completing Paperwork

You may complete the required forms by responding to a SignRequest invitation or downloading and printing the forms here. If you prefer that I print them and leave them on a clipboard in the waiting room for you, just let me know and then plan on arriving 15 minutes in advance of our scheduled time to make sure you have enough time to complete the forms.

Our First Session

During our first face-to-face session of 45 minutes, I will focus on gaining a clearer picture of your presenting concerns and goals for therapy. I will try to get a sense of what your life is like overall because there may be some life factors that are linked to the issues that concern you, even though that link might not be apparent immediately.

Once I have learned more about you and your concerns, I will tell you about various therapeutic approaches that fit your situation and goals. If there are some things that you might try to get quick relief, I will be sure to share those with you right away.

If another therapist or service would better suit your needs, I will provide you with several referrals that you might try. I hold your time and resources in the highest respect and I want to make sure that you have access to the particular kinds of expertise that can best serve you.

Subsequent Sessions

Typically, people begin to feel relief as soon as they have a plan for solving a problem, not once the problem is totally solved. If I am the right therapist for you, you should feel some significant relief by the end of our third session, if not before. After the first session, my focus will be less on information gathering and more on working with you to plan for the kinds of changes that will help you to live more joyfully.

You may make the most of your time between sessions by completing homework assignments that we agree upon in session; keeping a record of thoughts, dreams, and feelings pertaining to your therapy goals; clearing time in your schedule to process what you are learning; and enlisting the help of other people in your life who can support you in your growth efforts. You may also ask me to recommend books, movies, articles, workshops, or other resources that will help your progress in therapy.

While my short-term goal is to help you practice the skills you need to attain your goals in the context of a supportive, trustworthy relationship, my long-term goal is to work myself out of a job by helping you develop the relational, emotional, cognitive, physical, spiritual, and vocational resources you need to pursue long-term health and growth without my assistance. The more actively you pursue your own growth goals in and between sessions, the better your progress will be. 

Termination

You may seek a second opinion from another therapist or chose to terminate therapy at any time. Typically, this process is most rewarding when you come to feel that you have attained some or all of your goals. Together, we can discuss strategies for maintaining that good feeling of success and prepare other resources that can help support you when you encounter difficult circumstances in the future.

If for any reason, you need to leave therapy before your goals are attained, I will do whatever I can to help you to leave well. Just let me know as much in advance as you can and I will help you obtain whatever resources might help you continue your growth on your own or with another helper.