THE THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIP
Therapy
cannot magically change your life. The relationship between the therapist and you is the single most important factor to determine
the success of treatment. Feeling comfortable with the therapist provides you with an opportunity to trust the therapist's
abilities and allows you to get the most out of treatment. I invite and expect all of my clients to talk with me regarding
the therapeutic relationship.
If you have never been in therapy before, you
may feel some initial discomfort about what happens during the course of the therapy hour. Feel free to ask any questions
about the therapeutic process, the course of treatment or any other question pertaining to the process of psychotherapy.
COURSE OF TREATMENT
After I have come to better
understand you, your issues and the environment in which the problems occur, a treatment plan will be established. We will
have an opportunity to discuss the treatment plan and I will take into consideration any feedback you may have throughout
the course of treatment. Offering your views and feedback empowers you to have an active role in your treatment. It is important
for you to understand that depending on the client and the issues that it may take several sessions before an adequate treatment
plan can be developed. The treatment plan will be revised as needed to meet your therapeutic needs. Psychotherapy requires
your active involvement in order to change the thoughts, feelings and/or behaviors that may be contributing to the problems
that are bringing you to therapy. If at any time you feel uncomfortable about your treatment plan and/or the procedures used
during therapy, I encourage you to discuss this with me.
Sometimes, in successful
psychotherapy, you may begin to feel worse for a time before feeling better. This tends to happen as you begin to confront
the issues that might have been avoided for so long. I understand this is not an easy or pleasant task, but confronting these
issues is worth the effort. You can work towards resolving the pain and the behaviors caused by these issues.
There
is no absolute guarantee that any particular psychological treatment will be successful. If you do not experience some positive
changes within approximately 6 weeks, please discuss this with me.
If you haven't had a recent physical evaluation by your physician, I encourage
you to do so. There are a variety of medical problems that can profoundly effect your emotions and behavior. In establishing
an appropriate treatment plan, it is helpful to rule out any medical conditions that may be impacting your behavior.
