HOW I WORK

Unlike most counselors, I will give you lots of feedback during the first session.  My goal is always to outgrow my job, and I want you to have a taste of what my feedback, guidance and encouragement feels like before you decide whether to come back.  I often give my feedback on a digital file sent to your phone or email.  All this takes time, so I give a bit more than an hour to the first session.  If you want a lot of feedback in the first session, we can schedule it for an hour and a half at an additional cost of just $80.

         For those who come back, the next few sessions continue to be as much diagnosis as therapy. I listen to you tell your story of how you and others have tried to solve your problems before I try to offer many new solutions. We build together a base of understanding from which we can plan your life. We collaborate to reexamine your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in the situations which are giving you problems.

            Counseling helps you to learn more effective ways to cope with those situations, and with similar situations in the future. Together, you and I will identify the goals of therapy, and discuss how you can reach those goals.  The terms for working together are spelled out in the "Permission to Treat" below, which you will be given to read in the waiting room, and to discuss with me privately as you wish before we go back to my office to begin working together.