FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. When is it time to consider therapy?
2. What kinds of therapy do you do?
3. What happens on the first visit?
4. How much does it cost?
5. Do you prescribe medication?
6. Don't only weak or people with really big problems go to therapy?
7. How long does therapy take?
8. When do you stop?
9. How is therapy different than talking to my friends?
10. How will I know what to talk about if I come to therapy?
11. Does the therapist just listen to me and then tell me what I am doing wrong?
12. Does the therapist do the same thing with every client?
13. How is therapy different from recovery or self-help groups?
14. If I already know what is wrong, how will therapy help?
15. If I am not sure what is wrong, how will therapy help me find out?
16. What if I am afraid I might learn something bad in therapy?
17. Are parents to blame for every problem?
18. What about confidentiality?
1. When is it time to consider therapy?
It is recommended that you consider therapy whenever you are having a problem with living, if you are feeling either lost or stuck in your life. Simply put, the time to consider therapy is when you're not feeling good about the way things are, when the same unwanted things keep happening, or when life seems empty or meaningless. People come into therapy at different times and for different reasons, but generally those can be broken down into two categories: (1) When a specific difficult or devastating event has happened, such as the end of a relationship, a death, loss of job, illness, etc. that has taken an emotional toll on your life, or?(2) When an individual or couple decide(s) they want things to be better than they have been in the past or when one particular facet of life becomes or continues to be troublesome. Back to top.
2. What kinds of therapy do you do?
The staff at the Center for Creative Resources are trained in many different schools and techniques of therapy based on experiential relationship building, dialogue, communication and behavior change that are designed to improve the mental health of the client or to improve the relationship of the family or group that we are working with. Back to top.
3. What happens on the first visit?
Your first session with the therapist will be different from future visits. The initial visit is a period for you and your therapist to get to know each other and get an idea where to proceed. Future visits will be more therapeutic in nature. You were probably informed generally about financial arrangements when you made the appointment. There will be some informational paperwork to fill out before you begin. Keep in mind that psychotherapy is a long-term process so don't expect any instant solutions to your problems the first day. Therapy is about teaching you with life-long solutions rather than a quick fix.
During the first session, you will be asked about what brings you to therapy. You will be asked what you feel is wrong in your life, any symptoms you are experiencing and your history. History-taking may cover such things as your childhood, education, relationships (family, romantic, friends), your current living situation and your career. You may discuss the length of your treatment, the methods to be employed and patient confidentiality as well. When the therapist finishes, you may be asked if you have any questions. Back to top.
4. How much does it cost?
The fee per session will be agreed on by you and your therapist before the first session. Some therapists reserve a portion of their practice for sliding scale fees clients, to assist those who may have temporary financial difficulties. If you qualify for our low cost clinic, you can learn more about its fee structure by clicking HERE. Back to top.
5. Do you prescribe medication?
The staff at CCR do not prescribe medication. We do assess and evaluate clients for the necessity for medications and make referrals to, and work with, physicians as needed for the benefit and well-being of our clients. Back to top.
6. Don't only weak or people with really big problems go to therapy?
On the contrary. We look up to people who use consultants like personal trainers, financial advisors and nutritionists. We never consider those people weak do we? Generally, the clients who come to CCR are people who are doing well in most aspects of their lives. Some come for assistance with working through a particular crisis -- death, divorce, ending relationships, etc. If we want to be sure that we are making good decisions we use business consultants, investment advisors, interior designers, and dietitians. Doesn't it make sense to use a professional when you are dealing with something as important as your own life? Back to top.
7. How long does therapy take?
Although psychotherapy almost always takes longer than anyone wants it to, progress and effectiveness are slowed dramatically or stopped completely when the therapy style is poorly matched to the personality and needs of the client, and the real issues are incorrectly identified during the therapy. At CCR, we work hand-in-hand with you to address the issues you need to work on, and to find what style of therapy is most effective for you, in order to ensure optimal progress. Back to top.
8. When do you stop?
We believe clients get to decide to end therapy when they feel that they have met the goals that they set out for themselves. It is helpful if the decision to end therapy is discussed with the therapist simply because there are times when it may seem the therapy has plateaued just before important issues arise. Back to top.
9. How is therapy different than talking to my friends?
Having friends to talk to is a gift. Therapy is a particular kind of talking that is really so different from what we do with our friends. A trained psychotherapist knows how to listen at a really deep level, to help you make sense of whatever you are trying to sort through. Since our friends and family care deeply for us, they frequently find it difficult to be objective. Back to top.
10. How will I know what to talk about if I come to therapy?
Lots of people have the experience early in therapy of feeling like they are searching to find something to talk about. Others are somewhat fixated on a particular theme. The therapists at CCR will use their training and experience, in conjunction with your knowledge and experiences, to help you with skills which get to the bottom of the problem. You will even learn to tell when you've gotten "off track," and will be able to get back on when you are ready. Back to top.
11. Does the therapist just listen to me and then tell me what I am doing wrong?
Most of us get lots of advice, criticism, or support from our friends and family. If that were going to work, it probably would have by now and you would not be reading this. Often people are hesitant to come for therapy because of these experiences with friends and family, and they can't imagine any other way of talking about problems. The therapists at CCR will work with you to find solutions that are meaningful and effective for the long-haul. Advice is easy to come by, but real meaningful solutions are what you are looking for. Back to top.
12. Does the therapist do the same thing with every client?
We are all so different. Some people are very talkative and eager to discuss their concerns, while others are uncomfortable discussing their problems yet know that they need help. Very different therapy styles are necessary to work with differences in personality styles, and the experienced therapist will react and adapt to meet the needs of the client. Back to top.
13. How is therapy different from recovery or self-help groups?
Certainly many people have and continue to find recovery and other self-help groups helpful. These groups frequently provide a great deal of support and comfort. People often have a sense of belonging there. Therapy goes much further than group work can in that it is focused on the individual and is much more intimate. Treatment can be tailored, issues can be focused upon, and progress can be measured much more rapidly in individual therapy. It is not uncommon for a therapist to recommend group work as a supportive adjunct to individual therapy. Back to top.
14. If I already know what is wrong, how will therapy help?
Perhaps you know what is wrong , but you have not been able to resolve the problem yet. If you have not solved the issue by now, you might need some help. The therapists at CCR will work with you to discover the solution to the problem that you have already identified. Back to top.
15. If I am not sure what is wrong, how will therapy help me find out?
The therapists at CCR are well trained to help people find out what problems our clients are experiencing, and how to help them cope with and resolve issues that are presented to them. Back to top.
16. What if I am afraid I might learn something bad in therapy?
Many people come to therapy afraid of learning something negative about themselves. Instead, as you start to really understand yourself, you will probably find that the things which have been most puzzling, shameful, or embarrassing, made sense at one time. Or they may have been the best of a lot of bad options. Understanding this usually helps you think much more kindly toward yourself. Back to top.
17. Are parents to blame for every problem?
This is a curious misconception some people seem to have. While time is usually spent talking about our families in therapy, the purpose of this is not blame, but to understand. In light of the fact that we are born with no knowledge, we have to learn pretty much everything from our family of origin, at least during our formative years. Since we all learn different versions of life's lessons, it is helpful to discover the source of our beliefs and assumptions. After all, these are the guideposts by which we make every decision, have most every feeling, and take action.
Most parents do the very best they can, but children understand things in very different ways from which adults. For example, when an adult is bitten by a dog, he or she will probably know that only some dogs are dangerous. On the other hand, a child has limited experience, and is likely to become afraid of all dogs. This fear very well may carry right into adulthood. Now think about what could happen if your primary caretaker were unavailable, or mean, or irritable, or neglectful, or critical, or too demanding, or too busy during your formative years. Back to top.
18. What about confidentiality?
Confidentiality is a cornerstone of successful psychotherapy. Both state and federal laws govern confidentiality between the client and therapist, in recognition of the crucial fact that therapy is a private process involving the sharing of sensitive thoughts and issues. The law requires that mental health records are kept private. More importantly, doing so is the only way to create a private and psychologically safe environment which can help a person explore difficult aspects of their life.
There are some exceptions to confidentiality laws, including if a mental health professional feels you or someone else is in immediate danger, if child abuse is suspected, or if a court orders a therapist to testify. Additionally, if a client is being seen by one of CCR's students or interns, we use a team approach in which the client has agreed to allow the student or intern to discuss the case with his or her supervisory group on an as needed basis. Back to top.
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