Is therapy right for me?

There are many reasons why people come to therapy.  Psychotherapy offers the unique opportunity to get confidential, non-judgmental support to explore your feelings and thoughts, and it can provide new understanding of yourself and your relationships.  Sometimes it is to address long-standing issues or patterns of behavior.  Other times, it is in response to changes or events such as a divorce, a new baby, a move, or a career change.  Making the decision to start therapy can be difficult, and it is normal to feel anxiety in the process.  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 change.
 

How can therapy help me?

Psychotherapy can provide many benefits. Therapists can provide support, problem-solving skills, and enhanced coping strategies for issues such as depression, anxiety, troubled relationships, unresolved childhood issues, grief, stress management, body image issues and creative blocks. 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 and anxiety
• Managing anger, grief, depression, and conflict
• Improving communication
• Changing old behavior patterns and developing new ones
• Discovering new ways to solve problems in your family or marriage
• Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence

What is therapy like? 

Every therapy session is unique and caters to each individual and their specific needs. It is standard for therapists to discuss the primary issues and concerns in your life during therapy sessions.  Therapy sessions typically occur weekly and last fifty minutes. Therapy can be short-term, focusing on a specific issue, or longer-term, addressing more complex issues or ongoing personal growth.  For therapy to be most effective, you must be an active participant, both during and between the sessions. People seeking psychotherapy are willing to take responsibility for their actions, be honest with themselves and the therapist, and work towards change and greater awareness.  
 

Is medication a substitute for therapy?

In some cases a combination of medication and therapy is the right course of action.  It is well-established that medication alone is not the best long-term solution to mental and emotional problems. Though medication is sometimes needed to alleviate certain symptoms, therapy can treat causal issues and behaviors. When medication is indicated, I routinely collaborate with my psychiatrist colleagues or my clients' general practitioners to provide integrated treatment.

Do you accept insurance? How does insurance work?

Though Kiffany does not accept insurance directly, you can obtain receipts to seek reimbursement directly from your insurance provider.  To determine if you have mental health coverage, you need to call your provider and ask the following questions:

• What are my mental health benefits?
• What is the coverage amount per therapy session?
• How many therapy sessions does my plan cover?
• How much does my insurance pay for an out-of-network provider?
• Is approval required from my primary care physician?

Is therapy confidential?

In general, the law protects the confidentiality of all communications between a client and psychotherapist.  With the exceptions outlined below, no information is disclosed without prior written permission from the client.

• If a therapist learns of suspected child abuse or dependant adult or elder abuse, the appropriate authorities must be notified.
• If a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person, the therapist is required to notify the police.
• If a client notifies the therapist of specific plans for self-harm, the therapist must take some action to ensure the client's safety.