I’m used to handling things on my own. Would I benefit from therapy?
Everyone needs help now and then. This one of the most frequent questions we receive. You already have some strengths that you’ve used before, that for whatever reason aren’t working right now. Perhaps this problem feels overwhelming and is making it difficult to access your past strengths. In our work together, we’ll help you identify what those strengths are and how to implement them again in what is happening now, and add new tools and skills to further support your goals.
How does it work? What do I have to do in sessions?
Because each person has different issues and goals for therapy, therapy will be different depending on the individual. We tailor our therapeutic approach to your specific needs and work collaboratively with you, guided by the current evidence and pulling from a number of techniques we’ve received specialized training in, to best help support your goals. Often, we may have you practicing and completing exercises both in and out of session to further reinforce new habits and skills that best support your growth, but we will be collaborating on treatment goals and approaches throughout our work together.
How long will it take?
Unfortunately, this is not possible to say in a general FAQs page. Everyone’s circumstances are unique to them and the length of time therapy can take to allow you to accomplish your goals depends on your desire for personal development, your commitment, and the factors that are driving you to seek therapy in the first place. We will often have a better sense of potential treatment approaches and an estimated timeframe after the initial evaluations, and will be revisiting treatment goals and expectations throughout our work together.
What is Behavioral Medicine?
Behavioral Medicine is a type of Health Psychology that utilizes behaviorally-based techniques to address medical and health conditions and overall wellness.
The Society of Behavioral Medicine (www.sbm.org) offers this definition: “Behavioral medicine is the interdisciplinary field concerned with the development and integration of behavioral, psychosocial, and biomedical science knowledge and techniques relevant to the understanding of health and illness, and the application of this knowledge and these techniques to prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation.”
Techniques can include interventions such as biofeedback, neurofeedback, cognitive behavioral therapy, medical hypnosis, relaxation and meditation training, which have been shown to benefit conditions such as high blood pressure, headaches, IBS, pain, surgical outcomes, sleep, and more.
Talk to your clinician to see if behavioral medicine techniques might be helpful for you.
I want to get the most out of therapy. What can I do to help?
We are so glad you are dedicated to getting the most out of your sessions. Your active participation and dedication is crucial to your success. After all, we only see each other for a session a week. It’s the work you do outside of our sessions that will really help you see your personal growth and development. Your willingness to be open to new ideas and approaches, and to try new strategies and techniques both in and out of our sessions will lead to the most effective and meaningful change, though we will take our work at a pace that’s right for you.
Ready to get started? Contact Us.