The client portal is a benefit to clients because it is a confidential way to communicate. It makes it easy for you to complete your initial paperwork, offers clients the ability to schedule their appointments online, provides access to pay your bill, change your address, and communicate with me securely.
You may be nervous about meeting the first time. That is a normal feeling before starting therapy. I will do my best to help you feel comfortable. The first appointment is the initial evaluation. I gather a lot of information that helps me determine what issues are going on that need to be the focus of treatment. We talk about the goals you have for counseling, your strengths, and the different types of counseling I provide. The first session lasts about 60 minutes. After that, appointments range from 50 – 60 minutes per session. We will discuss the frequency of sessions that I recommend, and then you can decide if the plan I recommend works for you. Typically, I recommend that we meet weekly for 4-6 sessions and switch to bi-weekly meetings thereafter. The counseling relationship is an important part of your treatment and weekly meetings (in the beginning) allow us to become acquainted and develop a strong working relationship.