What is therapy?

Therapy is learning about yourself and getting to know yourself better. You gain an understanding of how you think and behave. Therapy is not about finding someone to give you advice or tell you what to do. You have enough of those people already in your life from parents to bosses! Rather than tell you what to do, therapy is more about learning different skills and ways of looking at things.

Am I a good candidate for therapy? 

You don't need to have a major psychiatric diagnosis or problem to see a therapist. It is a common misunderstanding that someone has to be “crazy” to see a therapist. If you are having a hard time managing a problem, feel unhappy or struggling with an issue that is getting in the way of being able to work at the level you once did, function at school, or develop and sustain relationships, you may find therapy very helpful. 

What will treatment look like?

The initial appointments are focused on assessment which means gathering information about you to get a chance to better understand your problems and how to help. During this time, you and I will explore what problems need help solving and develop goals together. We will discuss options for treatment and recommendations. After an assessment is completed, a typical session involves a lot more back and forth between you and I. Typically, a plan for the session is developed at the beginning to prioritize what problems need helping solving or areas of concern.

How long are the appointments and how often do we meet?

Assessments can last 45-60 minutes. Ongoing therapy sessions vary from 45-60 minutes typically. We will decide together what works best for you and clinical recommendations based on the severity of what is reported. Appointment frequency is also based on appropriate "dosage" of therapy where increased symptoms, more severe psychological issues getting in the way of living may benefit from more frequent sessions.

The frequency and length of appointments changes and is not a forever plan. Often times at the beginning of therapy, we may decide to meet more frequently to start feeling better fast, gather momentum, and build a therapeutic relationship.

Difference between psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker?

Therapy is typically provided by a licensed clinical social worker, counselor or psychologist while a psychiatrist or physician assistant prescribe medication. If you are already taking medication or decide that this is the next best course of action, I can coordinates care with another provider who is prescribing medication.

Medication

The decision to take medication is a personal choice and no one is forced to take medication if they are receiving therapy. There have been a number of studies showing that in some cases CBT can be more effective and have longer lasting results than medication alone and in others where medication combined with CBT is more effective. In situations where a client struggles with a severe condition or psychiatric issue known to have strong biological components medication can help stabilize an individual and really foster learning and growth in therapy. Other clients prefer more holistic approaches with psychiatrists who assess the role of diet, vitamin deficiencies and other factors such as lifestyle in mental health issues which can get in the way of feeling better. I can work with you to explore these options to best meet your needs.

Who has my information and can it be shared?

All sessions are confidential between you and I. Confidentiality is one of the components that makes this relationship and treatment so different than a coffee date with a friend. If you would like information to be shared with your treatment team or a loved one, consent is necessary.  Therapists may discuss certain cases with trusted colleagues for consultation and get feedback but information provided is a much “stripped down version without identifying information.” As a rule of thumb, your therapist is not talking about you to friends or family.

Will coming to therapy alone get me better?

Therapy is about collaboration. While I wish I were omniscient, I don’t know what you are thinking and therefore, it is helpful to consider what your goals are for the session or what problems need help solving. Another key factor in therapy is something called “therapy to go” where you may have things to think about or a few minutes of practice to work on between sessions. This leads to not only faster results but longer lasting results. I wish I can say that going to therapy is like seeing your dentist where you just need a cleaning 2x a year but the reality is that it takes more work than that for a healthy mind.

When does therapy end? Once I start, do I have to be in therapy for life?

Therapy doesn’t have to last a lifetime. The length of treatment is specific to the client and their situation. While some clients even benefit from one visit or more short term of less than 8 visits, other problems require more sessions. Often times as a client improves and able to solve more problems and use skills, sessions can be more spread out. Sometimes clients return for therapy “boosters” to look at a new problem or review skills.

If you think that therapy sounds like it would benefit you and I seem like a good fit as a therapist for you, please schedule an appointment, give me a call at (732) 492-8430 or email me at jennifer@jstonetherapy.com for a consultation.