In counseling, you work with your psychologist to implement ideas and strategies in sessions and between sessions to address your issues.
If the issue you are dealing with is interfering with your life (e.g., work, school, relationships) and you’ve struggled to make progress in dealing with the issue on your own, it would probably be helpful for you to see a psychologist.
You should feel comfortable with your psychologist, both terms of feeling you can open up to them and in terms of liking their approach to addressing your issues. A good psychologist will work with you to find an approach that you are comfortable with.
I focus on helping clients make changes in their thinking and their behavior to address their issues. In doing so, I help clients break problems down into small steps and to make positive changes in a step-by-step manner.
Homework involves the client doing work between sessions on implementing one or more ideas that they have discussed with their psychologist during a session. Research indicates that clients who do homework make better and faster progress in addressing their issues.
Getting help allows a person to learn skills that they can use to address their issues in an effective manner. Many clients report that these skills serve them well long after they have finished counseling. In this sense, going for help is a sign of strength.
Psychologists help clients deal with everyday issues and stresses that we all deal with at one time or another. Increasingly large numbers of people are going for counseling to learn skills which will help them deal with these issues more effectively. In that sense, a person would be more likely to be labeled ‘crazy’ if they did not go for help.
A psychologist has completed a Master’s or Ph.D. in psychology and focuses on helping clients use psychological skills to address their issues. A psychiatrist has completed medical school, possessing an M.D., and will often prescribe medication to help clients with their issues.
Medication may be beneficial in addressing certain issues. However, many clients make significant progress without medication. Research indicates that if medication is used, the client should also work on their issues in counseling to have the best chance of making progress.
My sessions are 50 minutes long. This is typical of most psychologists.
I charge $220 per session for individual and couples counseling.
Many insurance plans reimburse clients for a significant portion of their session fees if they see a registered psychologist.