1.) How can counseling help me?

 

When you feel overwhelmed, helpless, or hopeless, a counselor can help guide you through this difficult season of life. There are many types of problems that may interfere with your ability to function that can be addressed and overcome in the counseling setting. A counselor can help you to identify what your goal is, what the barriers are to achieving this goal, and steps to accomplish the goal. All of this information is provided to you on a treatment plan. Some of the most common mental health issues that bring people to counseling include:

 

• Depression

• Anxiety

• Grief and Loss

• Trauma

• Family Conflict

• Addiction

 

2.) How do I know if I need professional help?

 

• When you feel overwhelmed, helpless, or hopeless and cannot figure out how to feel differently.

• When things have gotten bad enough to effect your level of functioning in important areas of life, such as relationships, work, or school.

• When your marriage is falling apart and you and your spouse cannot figure out how to fix it.

• When you have a mental health issue that you have tried to work on or fix yourself, without success.

• If you are turning to unhealthy coping methods to cope with life stressors and you have decided that you want to learn healthy coping skills to use instead.

 

3.) What can I expect during my first session?

    

    The first session with a counselor will be different from future sessions in that it is spent gathering information. A Biopsychosocial Assessment, which is an assessment used for gathering information from the client, will be completed at the initial session. This assessment gathers relevant information such as what brings the individual to counseling, the individual’s family history, trauma history, and substance use history, etc… This allows the counselor to better understand the whole picture. 

 

4.) Will my sessions be confidential?

 

    Yes, your session will be confidential. The limitations to confidentiality include: (1.) You tell the counselor that you are going to hurt yourself or someone else, (2.) You tell the counselor about child or elderly abuse, (3.) A release is signed allowing the counselor the release information, (4.) The court subpoenas information, and/or (5.) You engage in a group counseling setting where the counselor cannot promise that the other group members will keep confidentiality the way that they should. Parents can request their child’s records, but the counselor is not required to turn over the clinical notes, as children have the right to confidentiality too.

 

5.) How long will I need therapy?

 

    The length of therapy needed varies from person to person. Many mental health issues are able to be addressed and overcome in therapy in as little as 3-6 months; however, there are also people who will need to be in therapy longer, such as 6-9 months or even years. In all cases, the length of therapy ties in to the motivation, commitment, and progress of the client.

 

6.) What treatment methods do you use?

 

    Every person is unique. There is no “one size fits all” for therapy. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is often used; however the treatment approach used at Clay Community Counseling is individualized and tailored to the individual’s unique circumstance. Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is commonly used with individuals who come in seeking counseling after experiencing trauma.

 

7.) Do you prescribe medication?

 

    As a Licensed Mental Health Therapist, I am not able to prescribe medication; however, if medications are needed, I would be happy to refer you to a competent medical professional who can prescribe medication be part of an ongoing medication management process.

 

8.) Do you take insurance?

 

    I do not accept insurance at this time; however, after a session I can provide you with a receipt that you can submit to your insurance to seek reimbursement. At this time, I will accept payments in the form of cash or credit card (Mastercard, Amex, Discover, or Visa).