Frequently Asked Questions
If you still have questions, please feel free to reach out to me directly.
Therapy can be vulnerable and new, so it’s natural to be nervous. It can be hard to even describe the words around what you’re feeling. You may have been tongue-tied when trying to open up to friends or loved ones in the past. The fear around that can be overwhelming. Getting the counseling we need can be challenging. And, although it’s normal to be nervous, that doesn’t make it feel great. It takes a lot of courage to get into therapy in the first place.
Therapy is a space where you can be yourself and bring whatever feelings, thoughts, or insight you may have into session, including feeling nervous. I’m committed to finding a way to care for you and your anxiety about therapy. I make sure sessions are as comfortable as possible and know trust is something that takes time.
My own life journeys, experiences, and working with clients, has shown me that the challenges you’re facing are natural and part of life. Nothing you can say will cause me to judge you or be shocked in any way.
I know you might be emotionally drained from the ups and downs. We all suffer in different ways and we may have normal reactions to abnormally challenging experiences.
Whatever it is you’re going through, I provide a calm space where I’ll respect you and listen with focus and compassion. I’m here if you want to talk about this during your phone consultation and throughout therapy.
Take your time to read through the website. If you sense we may be a good fit based on what you’re reading and what I say resonates with you, you can schedule a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation.
During the phone consultation, you can ask questions about my approach, how I’ve helped others going through what you’re going through, and any other questions you have that are specific to you. You’ll also be able to speak to what’s bothering you and we can determine how I can support you.
It may be helpful to think of the first few sessions as trying out the waters together. During sessions, you’ll be able to see how you feel working together. My approaches won’t work for everyone.
What’s most important, is that you find someone you feel is the right fit for you-even if it’s not working together. We can explore that together. If we decide we aren’t the right fit, I’ll provide you with referrals to other clinicians.
If something feels overwhelming to discuss, this is natural. It’s difficult to talk about some things. During your sessions, it will always be up to you if you feel ready to talk about something or not. It’s my job to give you space to slowly start to work through the tough stuff.
Gradually, and at a pace that feels comfortable to you, you can share what you feel ready to share. You can also share that you’re nervous to open up about something and we can talk about that, too.
Whatever is present for you, whatever you are going through, bring that to session and we can explore that together.
Overall, you can think of the first session as a time for me to get to know you a bit more and the challenges that brought you here. I’ll invite you to share more about yourself and we can also talk about what’s worked or not worked for your mental health in the past.
Some questions that I may ask during a first session include:
· What’s present for you in your life right now that brought you here?
• What are your expectations in therapy?
• What do I need to know about you to understand your current challenges?
You can ask me any questions as well! You might be curious about my work or how I’ve helped other clients with similar experiences or in similar situations.
The most important part of a first session is to notice how you feel during and after the session. If you feel safe, accepted, and comfortable, we can discuss if you’d like to continue therapy.
You might be asking about this because you want relief from what you’re going through which is so very natural. The time it takes in therapy to feel better varies. Clients who work with me start therapy on a weekly basis, then taper to biweekly sessions once they start meeting their goals, and finally once monthly until personal goals are met.
The total duration of therapy varies from client to client. It can’t be predicted when clients will begin to feel relief because there are different variables involved in each individual’s unique experience(s).
I provide weekly individual sessions to clients at the start of therapy. After clients begin to experience improvement in their lives and feel they are accomplishing their personal goals, they move to biweekly sessions for a few weeks, then monthly maintenance sessions until termination/discharge in counseling.
I’ve found that consistency is very important in creating and maintaining a therapeutic space. At the beginning of therapy, biweekly and/or monthly sessions aren’t compatible with my approach to therapy.
My last appointments are scheduled at 6:00 p.m. CST Wednesday-Friday and 2:00 p.m. CST on Saturday.
No, I’m not considered a Christian counselor, however, welcome those who feel their religion or spirituality is important to them. I encourage you to freely discuss your religion and/or spirituality in session, if you so choose or feel it’s important.
I also welcome and offer a safe space for you if you don’t follow a particular religion or don’t consider yourself spiritual.
Online therapy has been researched for over two decades and shown to be just as effective as face-to-face therapy. The following are two articles pertaining to the effectiveness of online therapy:
Kocsis BJ, Yellowlees P. Telepsychotherapy and the therapeutic relationship: Principles, advantages, and case examples. Telemed J E Health. 2018;24(5):329-334. doi:10.1089/tmj.2017.0088
Luo C, Sanger N, Singhal N, et al. A comparison of electronically-delivered and face to face cognitive behavioural therapies in depressive disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. EClinicalMedicine. 2020;24:100442. doi:10.1016/j.eclinm.2020.100442
I follow HIPAA laws and ethics for the states in which I’m licensed to practice. The technology I use and my EHR system is also HIPAA compliant.
I’m licensed in Texas, Oregon, and Arizona, so if you are in any city in these states, you can receive services. If you are in any other state or country for travel, I’m unable to provide you with counseling services.
Other Counseling Services at Vita Counseling Center
We offer many counseling services at our Online Counseling Clinic for women in Austin, TX. Some counseling services Vita Counseling Center provides includes:
PTSD & Trauma Therapy for Women
Childhood Trauma Therapy for Women
Counseling for Healthy Boundaries
Contact our online mental health office or schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation to learn more about the many ways we can help you!
How I Can Help
Online Mental Health Clinic
Online counseling is safe, secure, and effective. Vita Counseling Center’s online mental health clinic serves women who live in Texas, Oregon, and Arizona. Get the support you need and deserve.