What is the difference between a psychologist or therapist and a psychiatrist?

A psychologist is a mental health specialist who has obtained a license from the state professional board of psychology.  In order to be licensed as a psychologist, an individual must complete a doctoral degree in psychology (Ph.D. or Psy.D), work for a minimum of a year under the supervision of a licensed psychologist, and pass both state and national licensure exams.  A licensed professional counselor or licensed clinical social worker also complete mandatory educational and state licensing requirements. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who has done additional residency training on mental health issues.  A psychologist or therapist does not prescribe medication, but often works closely with a psychiatrist when medication is necessary.

Is therapy right for me?

Do you feel overwhelmed by the issues that you are currently facing?  Have you or a loved one recently been diagnosed with a serious, life-threatening, or chronic illness? Does it feel like you have faced an avalanche of challenges?  Do you find yourself censoring yourself when people ask how you are, so that you don’t overload or worry them?  Are you facing challenges in your relationships? Does it feel like the ways that you would normally cope with problems aren’t helping you right now?  Are you coping with questions or concerns about your job or your education? Do you sometimes just wish that you had a place where you could talk openly about your struggles?  If you answered yes to any of those questions, therapy might be right for you.  Please feel free to email or call me to talk further about whether therapy is appropriate at this time, and whether our group is a good fit for you.

Do I really need therapy?  I can usually handle my problems.

Even people who have good social support and strong coping skills can be overwhelmed when the circumstances of their lives shift suddenly.  New stresses, such an illness for yourself or a loved one, multiple losses, or a series of difficult changes, can all erode coping skills.  If you are facing these challenges, then therapy may add a valuable layer of support so that you can re-assess and strengthen coping.  Therapy can also provide a supportive, caring, outside perspective that may help you uncover harmful patterns and improve upon existing strengths. Seeking support when you need it is a good indicator of overall strength in coping.

What is therapy like?

Every therapy session is unique and focused on the client’s specific goals, and so it looks a bit different from person to person.  In an initial session, you will be asked questions about your social, medical, and family history, in order to establish a solid foundation from which to assess how therapy can be most useful to you.  In subsequent sessions, which last for 50 minutes, you and your clinician will work together to develop a set of goals for your time in therapy.

We are committed to creating a safe and supportive environment for each of our patients.  We work to help you feel heard, valued, and cared for.  We want you to feel physically and emotionally comfortable.  We value your time, and work very hard to begin and end each appointment on time.

Is medication a substitute for therapy?

Research has consistently shown that, while medication can be useful in treating depression, anxiety and other conditions, the best outcomes are obtained when medication is combined with therapy.  Therapy focuses on understanding the causes of your emotional experience and on developing long-term coping strategies for managing emotions in a healthy way.  Medication is useful to relieve the symptoms of emotional distress, but does not resolve underlying issues.  We are happy to work with your psychiatrist or other physician in coordinating your mental health care.

Do you accept insurance? How does insurance work?

Each of our clinicians has made their own determination about whether to work with insurance companies.  Check your coverage carefully and find the answers to the following questions (this is not information that the insurance company will share with us):

• 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?
• Do I have a deductible for mental health benefits (a deductible is a set amount that you must pay before your insurance company begins providing benefits)?
• Is approval required from my primary care physician?

We also work directly with clients who do not have insurance benefits, or who choose not to use them because of privacy concerns.

Is therapy confidential?

In general, the law protects the confidentiality of all communications between a client and mental health clinician. No information is disclosed without prior written permission from the client.

However, there are some exceptions required by law to this rule. Exceptions include:

• If you choose to use insurance, we will need to submit identifying information and diagnostic information to your insurance company.  This may become part of your permanent health record.  You provide permission to share information with insurance as part of the intake paperwork.
• If you report suspected child abuse or dependent adult or elder abuse. As mandated reporters, we are required to report this to the appropriate authorities immediately.
• If a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person. We are required to take necessary steps to promote safety, which will include notifying the police.
• If a client intends to harm himself or herself. We will make every effort to work with the individual to ensure their safety. However, if an individual does not cooperate, additional measures may need to be taken.