• Should I consider entering psychotherapy?

Many people think psychotherapy is something only for those who have a serious mental health issue, such as depression or debilitating anxiety. However, many individuals with problems or issues of a smaller magnitude may also benefit from therapy. Some individuals enter therapy with a vague sense of emptiness or uneasiness and the feeling that their lives are unfulfilling. Others enter therapy seeking assistance in clarifying and pursuing their short-term and long-term goals, which often include the themes of career and relationships. Psychotherapy offers the help and support of a professional who has been trained to assist you in dealing with these issues. As you contemplate the above question, you might also ask yourself: “Have I been unsuccessful in resolving a particular issue in my life using my usual approach or resources?” If the answer is yes, you might very well benefit from psychotherapy.

• What is goal-oriented psychotherapy?

In goal-oriented therapy, a clearly defined goal is always the focus. The duration of the therapy may be short-term or long-term depending on the magnitude of the goal and the starting point of the client. I find that maintaining a clear goal enables the client and me to remain focused and to more readily observe progress than does an open-ended approach to therapy. The way the therapy generally works is as follows. An initial assessment period may take one to three sessions, during which time information is gathered and a clear goal is identified by the client with my assistance. We then contract to address this goal for a certain number of sessions. (Typically 10 or 12 sessions. Of course, the client may choose to discontinue prior to this number of sessions, or at any time.) The initial goal may or may not be met at the end of the initial set of sessions. However, the ending of a set of sessions offers a valuable opportunity to assess progress and growth, change course, or discontinue therapy. Goal-oriented therapy may incorporate various approaches and techniques, as described below.

• What happens in therapy?

There are many different methods I may use to deal with the problems that clients hope to address. For example, I may present information about a particular disorder to clients in order to educate them about the nature of their problem. When dealing with stress or anxiety, I often teach the client relaxation techniques that have proven to be effective. At other times, clients benefit from active listening and support as they deal with intense emotions. Effective therapy calls for an active effort on the part of the therapist and the client. In order for the therapy to be most successful, the client has to work on things we talk about both during our sessions and in between sessions.

Psychotherapy can have benefits and risks. Since therapy often involves discussing unpleasant aspects of one’s life, clients may experience uncomfortable feelings like sadness, guilt, anger, frustration, loneliness, and helplessness. On the other hand, psychotherapy often leads to better relationships, solutions to specific problems, and significant reductions in feelings of distress.

• How long will I be in therapy?

The duration of therapy may be short-term in nature. For example, some clients enter therapy for support during a crisis and feel ready to stop within a matter of weeks. Also, some clients enter therapy with a specific goal in mind, which is met relatively quickly, and then discontinue therapy or opt to continue in pursuit of another goal. Clients with more challenging issues may need therapy of a longer duration. A good number of individuals remain in therapy as long as they are seeing ongoing progress as measured by feeling better, achieving goals, resolving issues, etc.

• Should I consider taking medication?

As a psychologist, I cannot prescribe medication. That is the domain of psychiatrists: M.D.’s who have completed a residency in psychiatry. Sometimes a combination of psychotherapy and medication is the treatment of choice for a given problem. In other cases, medication is indicated as a short-term support to therapy for those individuals who are having significant difficulty meeting the demands of their day-to-day lives. Clients I see in therapy who may benefit from medication are referred to a psychiatrist for an evaluation. The psychiatrists with whom I consult approach medication conservatively; that is, it is prescribed at the lowest effective dosage and with the idea that it will be discontinued as soon as possible. Individuals are maintained on medication only when the benefits clearly outweigh any potential drawbacks. While I will offer my opinion and call upon the expertise of a psychiatrist in regard to this matter, the decision to take medication or not is the client’s.

• Will therapy be covered by my insurance? Can I afford it?

I am an in-network provider for Medicare, Oxford, United, American Behavioral, GHI (Value Options), and Multiplan (which covers a number of insurance carriers, including some Aetna and Cigna plans. Check your insurance card for the Multiplan logo.).  This means that clients under these plans usually have to pay, at most, a small co-payment per session or a reasonable percentage of the session cost. If I am not an in-network provider for the insurance you carry, you may still only be responsible for a small percentage of the fee, depending on your insurance. My office can work with you in determining your insurance coverage.

You should know that once the approved number of psychotherapy sessions have been used, a therapist's requests to managed care organizations for additional sessions may or may not be granted. When this occurs (as well as when clients begin therapy on a fee-for-service basis), I try my best to find a fee and a payment schedule that will work for each client. In support of this, the fee charged is based on a sliding scale, that is, taking into consideration the individual's total household income and number of dependents (as well as other financial issues presented by the client).

I also offer an initial in-person 25 minute consultation free of charge. This courtesy, offered by some psychotherapists, allows clients the freedom to shop around and find a therapist with whom they feel the most comfortable and compatible, and without burdening them with a sizeable financial investment prior to beginning the work of therapy.

• Should gender and sexual orientation be factors in choosing a therapist?

More important than the  gender or sexual orientation of a therapist is the nature of the relationship between the client and therapist. Studies have shown that a comfortable working relationship is one of the factors most highly associated with successful therapy outcomes. For that reason, I recommend always inquiring about a potential therapist's experience and expertise in dealing with issues that are relevant to you.

As a therapist, I have a lot of experience, both personal and professional, with issues common to the gay and lesbian community, such as coming out, relationship issues, and discrimination. I have also worked with both women and men dealing with emotional and physical abuse issues.

• Have other questions?

Feel free to contact me via email or phone, and let me know if you’d like to schedule a free initial consultation on the phone or in person. If you’d like to speak on the phone, leave me a message or an email indicating the best times to call you. If you’d like to meet in person for a free 25 minute consultation, no strings attached, let me know and I’ll contact you with available times to meet. Or, if you simply have a general question about my services and are not necessarily interested in a consultation, feel free to email your question to me and I’ll respond to the best of my ability. During the initial consultation, I’ll provide you with important information about the structure of therapy, fees, and other details in writing, verbally highlighting the main points of the document. I’ll ask you to briefly outline the issues troubling you, I’ll let you know if it’s something I feel qualified to address with you or not, and if not, I’ll make the appropriate referrals. The initial consultation is an important time for you to assess whether or not you feel comfortable with me and with the guidelines I have provided. After the initial consultation, there’s no time pressure to decide about whether or not to continue. It’s an important decision, and you should take as much time as you need to make it.

I look forward to speaking with you.