Next Steps

WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS?

Thanks for reaching out! Here’s what you can expect next…

I will reply to your email within three business days and let you know my availability for new clients. I am currently accepting clients for my wait list.

If it’s feeling really urgent to start therapy ASAP, please don’t stop looking for a therapist! Shopping around for a therapist is normal! There are online directories like Psychology Today’s Therapist Finder. If you want to use your insurance, your insurer can give you a list of people in network. 

Questions to ponder before meeting a potential therapist 

1. How urgent is your need right now? What are you seeking relief from? 

2. What am I looking for in a therapist? There are a few dimensions to what makes a therapist a good fit.

a. Training and experience 

How can this therapist help you? What is their experience with the challenges you’re having? Are you looking for a specific type of therapy (brainspotting, IFS, DBT) or are you open?

b. Personal characteristics 

Maybe you are queer and want a therapist who is also queer; maybe your therapist's gender is important to you, or whether or not they are a parent. While therapy is not friendship, knowing a little about a therapist can help you feel safer to dive in.

c. Therapeutic style 

How the therapist shows up in the room. Are they assertive, directive, laid back, almost silent for the whole session? For example, I have a pretty expressive face, am direct, and joke around with my clients. When I'm teaching DBT skills I will use examples of how I have used the skills (this is pretty typical of DBT therapists, and if we work together long enough you will definitely hear me talk about how DBT helped me overcome my anxiety related to plane flights and dental work). Other people want more of a blank wall therapist who keeps a neutral face, or who doesn't share their reactions. You might want a therapist who will explain everything in technical neuroscience terms. Think about what has worked or hasn't for you in therapy before, if you've been; if not, think about what teachers you had that worked for you or didn't.

d. Logistics

Does the therapist take your insurance, if you want to use insurance benefits? Are you needing to ask for a sliding scale, and if so what rate is manageable for you? Are you looking for in person? Online? Is your schedule flexible, or do you need an appointment on a specific day or at a specific time? (This may mean you have to wait longer for an opening.)

4. Last on this list, but really the most important: what would you like to be different as a result of having done therapy at this time?

Sometimes this changes along the way (I am always happy when people I work with realize they can ask for more from life than they initially thought they could!) but having a beginning idea of where we want to get to is helpful. Therapy is a big investment of your time, money, and energy; I respect that and want you to see concrete changes in your life.