Frequently Asked Questions

How often someone goes to therapy can depend on their need. For example, most people start out going to therapy weekly. This allows that person time to integrate the information and practice using the skills they learned in the therapy session. Some people might need to go more than once a week when they first start therapy because perhaps they are having a difficult time managing their day to day. Once the symptoms that brought someone to therapy start to decrease, you can ask to reduce the number of sessions per month. Eventually, you can end going on a regular basis and simply reach out when the need arises. The good thing about already having met a therapist is that when something unexpected happens, you already have a relationship with someone who understands you and will be more willing to reach out for support.

There are many options for finding a therapist. For example, you might want to ask someone you know or trust how they found their therapist or if they can recommend one. Additionally, websites such as Psychology Today offer many options to choose from in your local area based on state or city. Therapists have to be licensed in the state where you live in order to provide you therapy.

Choosing a therapist is very important and you have every right to find the one that you feel the most comfortable with. Each of us have different needs, different preferences and therapists have different specialties. We recommend talking to 2 or more therapists before making your choice and asking them some questions that are important for you to make your decision. Even after you start meeting with a therapist, you can change your mind and look for someone who better meets your needs. It is important to make sure you have a good fit for approach and personality as the relationship with your therapist is an important one.

Someone generally knows that they need therapy or counseling because they have symptoms that prevent them from living a rich and fulfilling life. Some examples might be trouble with sleeping, managing stress and anxiety, dealing with chronic illness or pain, handling difficult life situations or transitions, panic attacks, distraction or dissociation, feelings of shame or guilt, debilitating phobias, compulsions or obsessions, as well as many other symptoms. It is important for you to let your counselor know what your symptoms are so that they can provide you with the right treatment for your needs. Even some symptoms that you don’t think are important could make a difference in getting you the best tools for you to improve the quality of your life.

Many people and professionals use the terms psychotherapy (or therapy) and counseling interchangeably. Technically, one could say the main difference is in both the approach and the length of treatment. Counseling often is seen more as short term and topic focused, for example, counseling for addiction, and may have more types of providers such as psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors, and peer counselors who provide treatment that come with differing levels of experience or degrees. Psychotherapy tends to be longer term (30+ weeks) and has a more broad based approach to addressing chronic mental health issues, existential, emotional, or attachment issues that take a longer time and a higher level of experience to resolve.

Counselors provide emotional and mental health support to individuals, families, couples, and other types of relationships to help improve the quality of life and those relationships. Counselors are trained to provide evidence based approaches to resolve issues with communication, self-esteem, changing habits, and other concerns.

CBT is a type of counseling, which stands for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. The word cognitive, in this case, means coming from the mind and is combined with examining behaviors. In other words, better understanding how thoughts, feelings and behaviors affect one another. This is an approach that has many years of evidence that supports using the techniques to reduce stress, anxiety, depression and improve sleep and other quality of life issues. Most counselors know how to teach CBT so you can use these techniques. If you are interested in learning these kinds of techniques, ask your counselor to tell you more about them and if they use them to help improve your life.

Many types of therapy are covered by health insurance. In order for health insurance to consider covering it, you and your therapist will need to review your symptoms to determine if they are negatively affecting your health sufficiently to receive a diagnosis and require medically necessary intervention. In that case, most insurance companies offer some financial support for this medically necessary care. To find out what your plan offers, call the customer service number on your insurance card and ask them about your coverage. When you contact a therapist, their office will take your insurance information and provide you with an estimate from the insurance company for the coverage or reimbursement. You may be required to do one or more of the following: pay a deductible, pay coinsurance, pay a copay, or use an HSA/FSA. Additionally, you might consider self-pay options as well. The requirements for the symptoms tend to be less stringent and it will not be documented on your medical records, since you are private pay. Talk with your therapist or their billing department to learn more about the process and how to make the best choice for your needs.

It may be worth it to you to get therapy if it feels like your life isn’t as fulfilling as you thought it would be. Additionally, you may have physical and emotional symptoms that affect your quality of life and your relationships. If you are struggling to get through the day or worry too much, then therapy may benefit you. Some people have things that they experienced in the past that feel unresolved or maybe find it difficult to change their habits in order to live a healthier life. If you’re not sure, ask some trusted members of your family, friends or community members if they have experienced therapy to see if it could help you. Also, you could call a therapist and ask them if they think therapy is a good option.

Probably the most popular or common type of therapy is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Whether it is for trauma, insomnia, or anxiety, CBT has been adapted for many ages, cultures, and mental health issues. However, this type of therapy is not the only type that is available. For example, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) or Radically Open DBT are two types of therapy for differing personality styles that are also popular. Some of the traditional psychotherapies such as Jungian, Adlerian, Freudian still exist along with newer types such as Expressive Art Therapy, Somatic Therapy, Play Therapy and EMDR, a trauma focused therapy. Many therapists are trained in multiple types of therapy and may provide what is called Integrative Therapy, where they use techniques from their training. What is the most important is not which type of approach works best for you, but that you have an excellent relationship with your therapist and that the approach they use benefits you.

How long it takes for counseling and/or therapy to work depends on the intensity and frequency of the symptoms as well as the approach. However, most therapies start to “work” almost immediately. For example, you may have been carrying around the burdens and stressors for so long that once you share what is troubling you, to an empathetic person, you may find that you already have more hope for the future. Of course, counseling can also be challenging and you might even, at times, feel even “worse” before you feel “better” on a consistent basis. The trajectory of your healing process will also depend on how much time and effort you can put towards implementing the changes and strategies that you gain from seeing a counselor.

People are looking for “success” in therapy and how they define that will be individualized. From the first time you meet with a therapist, you will start to develop goals and “paint a picture” of what success looks like for you. If you’re wondering if therapy “works” or “ends” then the answer is yes. It may take time and might even take more than one therapist or approach to therapy before the amount of support you need is lower, but the goal is to reduce or eliminate the need for therapy because your quality of life and your health have improved.

There are various types of ways to manage, reduce or eliminate symptoms of anxiety. Each person will have to try several different skills or learn tools that best help them manage their anxiety. Can I get therapy in Spanish in the United States?

Online therapy can provide equally beneficial treatment as in person therapy. Which one will work for you depends on your own preferences, what your insurance will cover and what is available in your area. Many people prefer traditional, in person therapy. However, more and more people see and feel the benefit of doing therapy online. The session will usually be “live” and each person will have a live audio/video connection to talk in real time. Some of the benefits of online therapy are reduced travel to sessions, being able to bring the therapist into your home to know you better, convenience, more daytime options (when therapists tend to have more availability), more therapist options as you don’t need to live in the same city, and many more benefits. If you are unsure which is best for you, try both and see what you prefer. It will be important to have privacy and a secure/stable internet connection to have the best experience.