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When should I seek therapy?
How long will therapy take? What can I expect at the first session? How does therapy work with Adolescent clients? What is Confidentiality? What is the difference between therapy and coaching? How does coaching work? Therapy or Coaching? When should I seek therapy? There is a famous saying in recovery that "insanity is doing the same thing over and over, but expecting different results". Many people seek therapy when they have exhausted their resources or skills in dealing with a particular problem, situation, or relationship. They have tried everything they know how to do, but are not getting the positive results they are looking for. Some common symptoms that prompt people to seek therapy are:
How long will therapy take? There are many studies that say the average number of sessions for individual therapy is between 10 and 12. However, the amount of time actually spent in therapy depends upon the goals you have set for therapy, the type of therapy that you have chosen, and your motivation to achieve those goals. Some therapeutic goals are very concrete and tend to apply to a specific situation or problem. An example of this might be someone who is feeling stressed out and wishes to learn specific stress-reduction techniques. In this case, the client might choose to take a time limited (4-6 week) psycho-educational group or class that focuses on teaching the specific skills he/she would like to acquire. Other goals may focus on a specific problem or symptom, but may be much more far reaching. For instance, in the example above, a client who is feeling stressed out might also want to get support in making life changes to address the situations or people in his life that are causing him to experience the stress, or might be interested in changing long term patterns in himself or his relationships that cause him to take on more than he feels comfortable with. This goal is more involved than simply learning a few new coping skills, and as such would probably best be served in an individual or longer-term group therapy situation. In each of these situations, the clients may be experiencing symptoms of stress, but their goals and therefore the type and length of therapy they choose would be very different. At the Pacific Wellness Center, the length of therapy is discussed during the assessment phase of therapy and is a vital component in creating the treatment plan. back to top What can I expect at the first session? When you arrive for your first session, you will be asked to read and sign legal documents related to your rights and obligations, consent to treatment, and issues of confidentiality. The first session also begins the assessment process, in which we work together to identify problem areas and the goals you would like to achieve. An important part of this process is the development of the collaborative partnership between you and the clinician. Asking for help is a very difficult and courageous thing to do, and it is important that you feel comfortable working with the Wellness Center clinician. Reciprocally, our responsibility is to ensure that we can meet your stated needs and to begin to formulate a plan to do so. If we feel that your needs fall outside of the purview of the services we provide, we will make every attempt to refer you to resources that we feel would be more appropriate. You may wish to use the "registration forms" link to download and complete the intake packet prior to your first session. This will give you some general information on our process and save you time during your initial session. back to top How does therapy work with Adolescent clients? During the first session, we ask that both the adolescent client and his/her parent or guardian be present so that we can get a better understanding of what the needs are, and so that we can begin to formulate the most effective treatment plan. A key component of this session will be to outline the boundaries of privacy and confidentiality between the clinician, the adolescent client, and the parent. It is important for the adolescent client to have a safe and private space to work on his/her goals. Therapy will not work if the client is unable to form a therapeutic relationship with the clinician based on trust. Similarly, it will not work if the client is censoring his discussion due to fear that the clinician will report rule-breaking behavior to his or her parents. Information of this kind often pertains to substance use or sexual activity. The clinician will however, work with the adolescent client on appropriate self-disclosure to parents, as the formation of a trusting collaborative between teen and parent is an invaluable component to successful therapy with adolescents. There are some instances in which the clinician is bound by law to break confidentiality, such as reports of physical or sexual abuse, harm to self or harm to the person or property of another, or if the clinician feels that the client is in any immediate, serious danger. Most sessions following the first one will consist of only the adolescent client and the Wellness Center clinician, but the clinician will meet periodically with the parent and adolescent client together to assess the course and progress of therapy, and to address specific parent-child issues that may come up in the process of therapy. back to top What is Confidentiality? The term confidentiality refers to the private nature of the relationship between a client and his/her psychotherapist. This means that in general, what you talk about with your therapist will not be shared with anyone else. However, there are some specific exceptions in which the clinician is allowed or required by law to break confidentiality. These are:
What is the difference between therapy and coaching? Psychotherapy and coaching both strive to support people in reaching their goals, but they do have some fundamental differences. Psychotherapy (Counseling) tends to be based on a medical model, which includes diagnosing and treating mental health issues. The course of therapy will usually include an effort to gain understanding of the root causes of problems, and tends to look at deeper issues. Coaching is derived from personal and professional growth theories, and does not attempt to manage any underlying emotional or mental health problems that might be present. Coaching is problem and solution focused; you identify a specific problem that you are presently experiencing, and create a course of action that will address that problem and lead to a more desirable outcome. back to top How does coaching work? Coaching is generally conducted through weekly 30 minute coaching sessions (either through the phone or in person), supported by homework assignments and interim email communication. During the coaching sessions themselves, we will usually have a set agenda, which will help us to track your progress, identify successes and roadblocks, and allow us to use this information to identify the next step in your plan. Homework assignments may consist of specific action steps needed to reach your goal, such as creating a list of things you like about yourself, or they may be more abstract, such as daily journaling on your confidence levels. Email support is used to problem solve, set the agenda for the next coaching session, ask questions, report progress, foster accountability, celebrate successes, or any other way that we decide it would be helpful in reaching your goals. back to top Therapy or Coaching? A key component in deciding whether to pursue coaching or therapy is to identify your goals and needs. If you are looking to treat a chronic mental health or emotional issue, such as major depression or bi-polar disorder, you will probably be better served working in a therapeutic relationship. If you are a parent looking to improve a specific area of your parenting, or a teen who is hoping to increase your confidence and self-esteem, coaching will probably be a better fit in terms of making immediate progress. It is important to note that many people benefit from both therapy and coaching. You may have an underlying emotional issue that you are working on in on-going therapy, and simultaneously address an immediate, specific problem with a coach. back to top |
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