1st Session Info
What to expect when you first come to counseling: When you call for an appointment, the admin staff will find out if you are using insurance, and they will take the insurance information over the phone and check to see if you are in network before you attend the first session. If you are not using insurance, they will inform you of the cost.
When you arrive for your session, you will fill out new client paperwork, or you may print out the paperwork from this website and fill it out prior to the session to bring with you. Please arrive 20 minutes prior to the session so that the staff can collect your co-payment if you have one, fill out the paperwork if you haven’t already, and make a chart for you.
The first session is mainly about getting background information and the history of your life, so that I may get to get to know you better. Next, we will discuss what you would like to work on in the sessions so that I have an idea of what we will focus on. If you are not sure what you want to work on, I will help you determine that.
Clients can add other areas to work on as we go along if desired. The sessions are usually around 50 minutes in length. We will discuss the frequency at which you would like to have the sessions. Many clients prefer once a week so that they can make steady progress, and this is usually recommended in the beginning.
There are times when a client is in distress, and they feel they would like to attend twice a week at first. Some clients attend every other week, it depends on the needs of the client. As time goes on, and clients begin to feel better, many times they decrease the frequency, which is perfectly appropriate. I will monitor your progress as we go along.
If you are ready to begin the counseling process, I am committed and dedicated to helping you feel better. I have a creative approach to helping people get to the next level of feeling their best. I look forward to working with you.