Who will you see for psychotherapy?
I focus on adult individuals and couples. For adult individuals, my focus is treating anxiety and depression, and sex addiction. For couples, I offer premarital counseling and marital therapy. Appointment availability for couples is limited.
How does therapy work?
Because each person has different issues and goals for counseling, it will be different depending on the individual or couple. I tailor my therapeutic approach to your specific needs. In general, however, there is a three-phase approach.
First, the process of becoming the Client is called intake. It begins with the first session and stretches through the first few sessions. There is some paperwork involved along with diagnostic screening and tools. You are deciding if I am a fit for you, and I am researching and making notes on your case to collaborate with you on a treatment plan. This plan guides phase two.
In phase two, treatment really gets underway with your specific goals and how we decided to meet them in your treatment plan. Therapy can progress for a few weeks to a few months or longer, depending on your needs, goals, and other factors. The treatment plan evolves with therapy.
Third, the final phase is termination. Therapy naturally ends when the Client has met their therapeutic goals. Termination is the bookend to intake: it can stretch out over a few sessions as we prepare for our professional relationship to end and tie up loose ends, like working on relapse prevention. I will be sad to see you go but very happy that you’re empowered to live to your fullest potential.
How long will it take?
Unfortunately, this is not possible to answer in a general way. Everyone’s circumstances are unique to them. The length of time counseling can take to allow you to accomplish your goals depends on your desire for personal development, your commitment, and the factors that are driving you to seek counseling in the first place.
Short-term problems are best addressed using solution-focused approaches and may last between 3-8 sessions.
Entrenched problems or ongoing mood disorders, such as problems in relationship with spouse or partner, chronic depression, or social phobia, may take a few months, several months, or longer. These difficulties can benefit from cognitive-behavioral therapy alongside solution-focused methods, and you might experience relief in the short term in preparation for longer-term therapy. The exact time depends on a variety of factors, and I cannot predict it.
Couples counseling also follows the same type of answer as above. Basic communication training might be short-term whereas ongoing marriage conflicts may take several months or a year or more for measurable benefit that sticks. It depends on a variety of variables.
Counseling for sex addiction recovery usually cannot be addressed in a serious way without several months of regular therapy. It is a commitment to personal transformation. It is the development of new habits with therapeutic guidance and support. That does not happen overnight. I have seen Clients make good short-term progress and want to reduce therapy but find they need support once again due to a relapse. So, typically, sex addiction recovery is a structured process that might last up to a year or more.
What do I have to do in sessions? What do sessions look like?
Again, this needs an individualized answer and cannot be fully addressed here. Basically, the Client brings in whatever bothers them and works with the Therapist on techniques, interventions, and action plans (“homework” between sessions) to address the needs.
Sessions have a three-part structure. The first few minutes we set the agenda together with whatever issues need attention that day. Most of the session time is spent discussing or treating these issues or agenda items. The final few minutes are spent summarizing what we did, coming up with an action plan for the week, and scheduling our next session.
Clients tell me they like structure, but structure is the servant, not master. Structure guides the sessions, but sessions are flexible. I respond to the needs at hand. Sometimes a thought-provoking conversation is the key. Sometimes just my active listening to the Client venting or telling their story is the order of the day.
What is the best way to communicate with you?
Email is the best way to communicate with me. You may use the contact and appointment forms on my website. My phone number is at the top of the site and is the second best way to contact me. I do not text at that number.
What are your hours?
My standard availability for in-person appointments at the Apache Junction Location are:
Mondays 10am-6pm
Tuesdays 10am-6pm
Wednesdays 10am-6pm
Thursdays 10am-6pm
I schedule outside these times as client need arises. I am closed for business on Sundays and generally do not check my email or phone on Sundays or religious holidays on the Eastern Orthodox calendar.
How much does therapy cost?
Click here or use the menu above to navigate to my Cost page for a full answer.
More questions?
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Get in touch by sending me a message or asking your questions.