Call Us (303) 721-0005 .:. Skype

FAQ/Frequently Asked Questions About Counseling Connection Experience

Frequently Asked Questions About Counseling Connection Experience

 

Is therapy right for me?  Frequently Asked Questions About Counseling Connection Experience

Seeking out therapy is an individual choice.  There are many reasons why people come to therapy. Sometimes it is to deal with long-standing issues, or problems with anxiety, depression, or other emotional concerns. Often couples want to deepen their marriage, get past old hurtful patterns, and have a close relationship again. Other times people seek therapy in response to unexpected changes or difficult emotional situations such as a divorce, job loss, or the ‘empty nest’ experience when children leave home. Many seek the advice of a counselor as they pursue their own personal exploration and growth.

Working with a therapist can help provide insight, support, and new strategies for all types of life challenges. Therapy can help address many types of issues such as relationship or marriage problems, divorce, job loss, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, trauma, grief, loss, stress, self-esteem issues, and general or upsetting life transitions. Therapy is right for anyone who is interested in getting the most out of their life by taking responsibility, creating greater self-awareness, and working towards positive change in their lives

 

Do I really need therapy?  Frequently Asked Questions About Counseling Connection Experience

Everyone goes through challenging situations in life, and while you may have successfully navigated through other difficulties you’ve faced, there’s nothing wrong with seeking out extra support when you need it. In fact, therapy is for people who have enough self-awareness to realize they could use a helping hand. Successful therapy requires courage to make changes. These are attributes to be admired!  You are taking responsibility by accepting where you’re at in life and making a commitment to change the situation by seeking therapy. Therapy provides long-lasting benefits and support, giving you the tools you need to communicate your needs, change damaging patterns, and overcome whatever challenges you face.

 

How can therapy at Counseling Connection, LLC help me? Frequently Asked Questions About Counseling Connection Experience

A number of benefits are available from participating in psychotherapy. As a therapist I can provide support, techniques that help provide you with emotional relief, problem-solving skills, and enhanced coping strategies for issues such as depression, anxiety, panic attacks, relationship troubles, grief, loss, stress management, self-esteem issues and blocks to your individual growth.

Therapy can be a tremendous asset to managing personal growth, interpersonal relationships, family concerns, marriage issues, and the difficulties of daily life. I can provide a fresh perspective on a difficult problem or point you in the direction of a solution. The benefits you obtain from therapy depend on how well you use the process and put into practice what you learn. Some of the benefits available from therapy include:

  • Attaining a better understanding of yourself, your goals and values
  • Developing skills for improving your relationships
  • Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy
  • Learning new ways to cope with stress,  anxiety, or panic attacks
  • Managing anger, grief, depression, and other emotional pressures
  • Improving communication and listening skills
  • Changing old behavior patterns that don’t work for you, and developing new ones that do
  • Discovering new ways to solve problems in your family, marriage, or relationships
  • Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence
  • Deepening your marriage connection
  • Finding new joy in life

 

What is therapy at Counseling Connection, LLC like? Frequently Asked Questions About Counseling Connection Experience

Every therapy session is unique and caters to each individual and their specific goals. Together we will work on the primary issues and concerns in your life during each therapy session.  Each session last 50-60 minutes.   I will make recommendations about the frequency of therapy sessions, but at Counseling Connection you will make the final decision about the frequency that works best for you.

Therapy can be short-term, focusing on a specific issue, or longer-term, addressing more complex issues or ongoing personal growth. There may be times when you are asked to take certain actions or do some type of ‘homework’ outside of the therapy sessions, such as reading a relevant book or keeping records of certain behaviors.

It is important to process what has been discussed and integrate it into your life between sessions. For therapy to be most effective it is helpful if you are an active participant, both during and between the sessions. People seeking psychotherapy are willing to take responsibility for their actions, work towards self-change and create greater awareness in their lives. However, it is understood that you will not always be able to complete the outside exercises. Being honest with me about what you do and don’t do, and especially about what you are willing and unwilling to do, is all that is necessary.

Here are some things you can expect out of therapy at Counseling Connection, LLC:

  • Unconditional positive regard, respect and understanding
  • Compassion and support
  • You will be heard
  • New perspectives
  • Help reducing emotional pain
  • Real strategies for enacting positive change
  • Effective techniques for improving your life
  • Practical guidance when you want it

 

Is medication a substitute for therapy? Frequently Asked Questions About Counseling Connection Experience

In some cases a combination of medication and therapy is the right course of action. Working with your medical doctor you can determine what’s best for you. It is well established that the long-term solution to mental and emotional problems and the pain they cause cannot be solved solely by medication. Instead of just treating the symptom, therapy addresses the cause of our distress and helps us change the behavior patterns, beliefs and thinking that have impeded our progress in the past . You will achieve sustainable growth and a greater sense of well being by integrating counseling with medication, if medication is needed.

 

Do you accept insurance at Counseling Connection, LLC? How does insurance work? Frequently Asked Questions About Counseling Connection Experience

Counseling Connection LLC is an out-of-network provider. This means that I work with your insurance provider indirectly through you, the client.  You pay the full fee for a session each time you come, and submit to your insurer the paper work that I will provide, along with your insurance company’s claim form.  You then receive a reimbursement for a portion of the session fee from your insurance provider, according to your policy.  The amount of reimbursement differs with each policy. Often the insurance company’s claim form can be found on their website or by calling the phone number on the back the insurance card.

 

How may my treatment and my privacy differ at Counseling Connection, LLC vs. in-network providers? Frequently Asked Questions About Counseling Connection Experience

As an out-of-network provider, Counseling Connection LLC is able to tailor a counseling plan that best works for you and your specific circumstances, instead of a ‘one size fits all plan’ that the insurance company dictates.  Insurance companies may dictate what diagnoses they will cover, what types of counseling they will cover, what treatment plans must be used, and when counseling will be terminated.

If you choose Counseling Connection, LLC, I can maintain your confidentiality and privacy in ways that in-network providers cannot. In-network therapists are usually required to share your private, confidential case notes, or treatment plans with the insurance companies.   The insurance company may terminate your treatment far too early.

For these reasons many people, insured or not, choose to pay out-of-pocket to avoid having the companies dictate their treatment, have access to sensitive information and terminate the treatment before the person is ready to terminate.

 

Individual Therapy   Frequently Asked Questions About Counseling Connection Experience

Individual therapy is a collaborative effort between you and your counselor. Our goal at Counseling Connection, LLC is to provide an open, supportive, and confidential environment for you to address the issues that are concerning you. Therapy often includes techniques to increase awareness and the capacity for self-observation, change behavior and unhelpful thinking, develop insights, and learn skills to make changes, and may incorporate tools to lower unhelpful emotions related to your issue or issues.

During the first meeting with me, you will be asked to describe your concerns and what you hope to gain from counseling. The number of sessions depends on the issues that you want to address, the severity of the issues, your ability to make changes with support, over time, and your current coping mechanisms. Sessions generally last 50 to 60 minutes.

To schedule your first appointment, call Counseling Connection, LLC at (303) 721-0005.

 

Marriage Counseling  Frequently Asked Questions About Counseling Connection Experience

Therapy is incredibly helpful for improving communication and understanding, and building a more enriched and satisfying relationship. Many couples come to counseling seeking more love and intimacy, better communication, and a more satisfying sexual relationship. Marriage counseling helps to create a neutral space to explore those emotionally charged divisive issues that generally end up in either withdrawal or fighting at home.  Together we will work through difficult issues and you will learn techniques to continue working through issues as they arrive in the future. Couples get closer and experience deeper intimacy as they work through their issues and understand each other better.

Common marriage counseling issues include threats of divorce, communication problems, infidelity or cheating, sexual problems, issues with money, drug and alcohol use, work commitments, lack of emotional intimacy, power struggles, and parenting or family problems.

 

Premarital Counseling Frequently Asked Questions About Counseling Connection Experience

Premarital counseling can be helpful for couples considering engagement, for couples who are already engaged, and for newly married couples. Premarital counseling at Counseling Connection, LLC typically lasts for 8 weekly sessions.  You will experience a deeper intimacy with your partner as we discuss what a healthy relationship looks like, and how you can keep your relationship healthy, beliefs, values and priorities, personality styles, effective, loving communication, family planning, parenting values and styles, friends and relatives, finances, careers, home life, health habits, and sexual intimacy. Counseling can be helpful for couples marrying for the first time, as well as those who have had previous marriages.

 

Distance Counseling/Phone therapy/Skype/FaceTime  Frequently Asked Questions About Counseling Connection Experience

Telephone,  Skype or FaceTime counseling is an option at Counseling Connection, LLC.  If time or distance from the office is a problem, consider distance counseling. Distance counseling is helpful in all normal counseling situations, but is not appropriate when you are suicidal or in an extreme crisis.

Distance counseling services are similar to face-to-face counseling at Counseling Connection, LLC.  You will be working with a licensed professional counselor, with years of experience.  Sessions begin with an assessment of the problem and continue like face-to-face sessions. Paperwork is down-loaded from the web site and sent to me by email or regular mail.  Credit cards are accepted for payment.

 

To schedule your first appointment, simply call the Counseling Connection, LLC office at (303) 721-0005.