Read our therapist’s profiles to determine which person’s approach and specialties feel right for you.

Most people can tell after an initial session whether they feel comfortable with a therapist’s style. Please feel free to speak up if you do not feel comfortable with the therapist, it will not offend us whatsoever. We want you to feel that you can develop an alliance of trust with your therapist – that is when therapy works best. We want to help you get to the right therapist.

Inquire about the therapist’s training, licensure status, and commitment to his or her professional development.

Ask what type of therapy is utilized. How is this different from other types of therapy? What should you expect?

Does the therapist have a treatment agreement? The treatment agreement will likely cover fees, appointments, cancellations, limits of confidentiality, etc.

Some people begin to feel better as soon as they make their appointment or at the time of their first session. There can be a sense of relief when you make the commitment to address an issue that is problematic. More often, however, people do not feel better immediately. Therapy is sometimes emotionally painful, because it involves an active effort to look at yourself and your life situations in a very deep and honest way, and to make some difficult changes. If the problems that bring you to therapy were easy to solve, you would have solved them without the guidance of a professional. Though the short-term distress of addressing problems and making changes may feel challenging, keep in mind that the potential long-term gains can feel well worth it. When therapy is successful, the positive gains in self-esteem, improved relationships and coping skills will far outweigh the distress of making changes.

As mental health therapists / counselors the scope of treatment is talk-therapy. Typically, therapists have their masters degree, and yearly cont. education. While, psychologists also provide counseling services they also provide psychological testing for schools, courts and other entities. Psychiatrists tend to limit their talk therapy / counseling services and are typically available for medication management. If your therapist feels that you may need medication, they will provide you with a referral to doctors that they may recommend. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor that specialists in behavior. If medication is necessary, typically in these clients, medication and talk therapy are used together. Medication therapy is not a replacement for talk therapy.

We accept many types of insurance, but each contracted therapist chooses which insurance panels they are on. You should contact your insurance company to see whether they will cover your costs and how much they will pay. While there may be certain advantages to accepting services only from a provider who is in your network, often the savings do not justify the loss of the ability to choose your provider.

Many companies require the insured to call and pre-certify the first session. Our clinic also collects co-pays at each visit. Thus, it is always best to contact your insurance company before coming in for your first visit.

Although our training is to treat you using sound therapeutic skills, there are times when a medication referral is warranted. If your therapist thinks that medication might be helpful, he/she will discuss a referral to a health professional who is trained in working with emotional and behavioral issues – most often, a psychiatrist. At other times, there may be medical issues your therapist believes should be addressed, since feeling good requires being physically as well as emotionally healthy. As with other aspects of treatment, whether or not you choose to accept your therapist’s recommendation is ultimately your decision.

Confidentiality is one of the most important parts of building trust in a therapeutic relationship. However, there are a few instances in which there are limits to confidentiality.

• If we believe that you are likely to harm yourself and/or another person, we may take action necessary to protect you or others by contacting law enforcement officers or a physician.
• If we have cause to believe that a child has been or may be abused or neglected, we are required to make a report to the appropriate state agency.
• If we have cause to believe that an elderly or disabled person has been or may be abused, neglected, or subject to financial exploitation, we are required to make a report to the appropriate state agency.
• Information disclosed about a person from whom you sought counseling in the State of Florida behaving toward you in a sexually inappropriate manner must be reported (your identity may remain anonymous at your request).
• If your records are requested by a valid subpoena or court order, we must respond.

Psychologists from both sides of the spectrum realize that both methods have value in treating patients, giving birth to a combined cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Developmental psychology scientifically studies the psychological changes that occur during a human’s life cycle. Whereas abnormal psychology is the study of the irregular occurrences of human thought, emotion and behavior.

Sometimes the chemistry between the therapist and client or the therapeutic modality just isn’t a good fit. Just as you sometimes have to switch medication, you may need to switch therapists or treatment moralities to achieve success. Therapy works best when you are open to it and are actually willing to participate in your own healing.