Therapy can be beneficial in many different ways. Therapists can not only provide you with the emotional support and knowledge/skills needed for you to better handle your current struggles, but also provide you with a different perspective on the issues you have been dealing with.

Therapy often helps decrease symptoms associated with a wide range of emotional, behavioral and interpersonal struggles.

Some specific benefits of therapy include learning new/healthier ways to manage feelings, improving communication skills, bettering interpersonal relationships, enhancing self-esteem, gaining more insights into self and current issues, and decreasing distress related to trauma.

This is such a great question! There is no doubt that COVID has fundamentally changed the healthcare field, especially how services are delivered. Telehealth has become more and more popular and common now for many health providers to deliver their services to patients.

When it comes to counseling, let us look at what the researches say.

The following is quoting from Dr. Meg Seymour’s research on this topic:

“In 2018, a meta-analysis compared the effectiveness of online and in-person therapy for depression and several types of anxiety, such as social anxiety. The researchers combined the results from 20 studies, which included more than 1,400 therapy patients. They found that online therapy was just as effective as in-person therapy for treating anxiety and depression.

Another meta-analysis, from 2019, combined the results of 40 studies to look at the effectiveness of online therapy for treating depression. Most of the studies compared people receiving online therapy to people not receiving therapy, as a way to show that the online therapy itself does make a difference.

One study that directly compared the effectiveness of the online therapy to in-person therapy found that the two methods of therapy were equally effective at reducing depression. The people who stayed in therapy the longest had the greatest benefit in reducing their depression.

Some research has studied the effectiveness of online therapy for treating PTSD. A 2018 paper reviewed over 40 studies and found that both online and in-person therapy reduced PTSD symptoms. The paper reviewed CBT as well as therapies such as Cognitive Processing Therapy. Not only did online therapy work for reducing PTSD symptoms, but patients were equally likely to stick with either method of therapy. Also, those who had online therapy were just as satisfied with their experience as the in-person therapy patients.”

So the BOTTOM LINE is:

Research has found that online therapy can be effective at treating anxiety, depression, and trauma. There is no difference in patient satisfaction depending on whether therapy is online or in-person, and for either method of receiving therapy, the outcomes are better the more sessions someone attends.

If you are interested in learning more about the effectiveness of online therapy, please CLICK HERE to read more: https://www.center4research.org/does-online-therapy-work/

Generally speaking, the first session in therapy is considered as an assessment session where I will gather information from you to learn more about you and what is bringing you to therapy.

The following sessions will focus on identifying the goals you would like to achieve in therapy, and explore therapy approaches that might work well for you. I will work very closely with you to help you choose a therapeutic approach(es) that could help you reach your goals.

All the following therapy sessions entail using different approaches to help you address your concerns. Your progress in therapy will be evaluated regularly throughout the treatment process. At any time in therapy, if you ever have any questions or concerns regarding your treatment, I will always be there to address it with you.

Generally speaking, the first session is considered as an assessment session where I will ask you questions on your history and current symptoms to get to know you.

During the first session, you will also have the opportunity to review office policies, ask any questions you may have about me as a therapist and the therapy process so that you know what to expect.

Sessions usually last about 50 minutes in length. However, longer sessions can be arranged for additional fee depending on the type of therapy approach used, presenting issues in a particular session or presence of safety concerns. Your therapist will discuss with you in detail regarding the length of your sessions.

Typically, sessions occur once a week in order for therapy to be most effective. Later in treatment, sessions will occur less frequently when there is progress. However, if finances are an issue, we can discuss about it to see if scheduling can be more flexible if it is clinically appropriate.

The length for treatment can vary from a few weeks to a few years depending on your therapy goals, the complexity of your issues, frequency of attendance, the type of therapy you are seeking, and how much effort is put in in the process on your part.

When creating therapy goals, I will discuss with you how to measure your progress, and how you will know when you will be ready to end therapy.

Please check out the fees and insurance page for all questions related to finances.

Therapy is teamwork. The more committed and motivated you are, the more likely therapy will be effective.

Speaking honestly and openly not only about your thoughts and feelings on life events but also on the therapy process is crucial. I sincerely value all feedback from my clients so that we can ensure therapy is helpful for you.

Sometimes, in between sessions, you may be asked to reflect on what is discussed in sessions or to practice skills learned in sessions.

Consistent attendance is paramount for achieving progress and reaching your therapy goals.

Most of the time, change is not an event; it is a process. Therefore, be patient with yourself in this process. If you have a hard time with any of the expectations, please do not hesitate to address it directly with me. I am always here to help you.

I am so glad that you are considering starting this journey with me!

Please go to the CONNECT page and fill out the form. Once I receive your inquiry, I will get back to you within one business day!