Weston Psych Care Answers Frequently Asked Questions About Community Mental Health Services
Q: I've never seen a therapist. What can I expect in my first
session?
A: While all therapists have their own unique approaches to
the initial meeting, your meeting with a therapist will likely consist of a conversation about
what made you decide to seek therapy. You will be asked many detailed questions about the
nature of your problems, the history of this/these problem(s), the solutions you have attempted
on your own and most importantly, your goals for therapy. The meeting will likely be about
an hour long. You will have an opportunity to ask your therapist some questions as well. By
the end of the session your therapist will likely be able to provide you with a synopsis of
how he sees your problem(s) and provide you with a "road map" for how to proceed.
Q: How long does a therapy session last?
A: Typically therapy sessions are forty-five minutes in length.
Q: How long does a course of therapy take?
A: This is a difficult question to answer as it depends upon
many factors. The nature of your problems, your time commitment, and your therapist's approaches
typically dictate the length of therapy. Further, some people seek relief of symptoms whereas
others look for a more thorough understanding of their difficulties. in other words, the length
of therapy is like the length of an education: it depends on what your needs and goals might
be.
Q: How often will I meet with my therapist?
A: Again, the answer to this question depends upon a variety
of factors. Therapy sessions often take place on a weekly basis. Sometimes, depending upon
the nature of the therapy, your therapist might wish to meet with you more frequently. Patients
often fear that more frequent meetings mean that their problems are more severe. This is not
necessarily the case. Twice or three times weekly meetings are sometimes recommended because
the intensity helps the process move forward more effectively. As therapy progresses, you
and the therapist may feel that twice monthly sessions are indicated. Moving towards termination
of the treatment often means a decrease in the frequency of sessions as you learn to cope
with life's challenges with a new set of skills and level of understanding.
Q: Someone told me that therapy sessions can feel bad. I thought
therapy is supposed to make me feel better!
A: Talking about your problems and exploring your difficulties
can be a lot of work. It can be painful and fatiguing. We often say that getting better may
feel worse. Change can be profoundly uncomfortable at times. This is a natural part of this
process and is often indicative of "painful growth."
Q: Is therapy confidential?
A: With certain exceptions (see Limits
To Confidentiality PDF file ), your sessions are held in strict confidence. Even if you
opt to use your insurance, your insurance company is held to the same strict confidentiality
laws as is your therapist. if you need for your therapist to speak with another person, you
must provide written consent for such discussion. If another person calls the office with
any questions about you, they will be reminded of confidentiality requirements. Your privacy
is maintained under such circumstances.
Q: My son/daughter is going to have a meeting with a therapist.
What will be my involvement?
A: Parental involvement is unique to the therapist's style
as well as the nature of the problems. There are situations in which parental involvement
might be instrumental, whereas others might necessitate minimal parental input. Parents should
always take solace in the fact that the therapist will ALWAYS involve parents when situations
necessitate it. Parents always have the right to know what goes on in the therapy. However,
if they exert such a right when it is not recommended, it can often hamper the young patient's
level of trust when he or she might benefit from the privacy of therapy. This affects how
much the young patient will allow himself to relax and be open in his session.
Q: What insurance plans does your practice accept?
A: We are contracted with most major insurance companies. Among
them include:
A.A.R.P.
American Psych Systems (APS)
Beech Street
Benefit Management Company
Benesight
Best Choice Plus
Blue Cross/Blue Shield PPO and POS
CCN
Choice Behavioral
Choice Care
Cigna
Corp Health
Coventry Health
Dimension Health
Global Health
Guardian
Humana/Horizon
Magellan/Greenspring (Aetna, Bellsouth, PruCare)
Managed Care, inc.
Managed Care Concepts
Medicare
Motorola
Principal Life
private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)
ProAmerica
Total Claims Administration (TCA)
Tricare
United Healthcare/United Behavioral Health
University Behavioral Health
ValueOptions
Vanguard
Vocational Rehabilitation
Wellpoint
Our
list is constantly growing. Please call our office and we
will gladly verify your benefits. Once therapy is initiated,
our office will file your insurance claims.
If your question isn't answered here, please contact us with your question by completing
the form below!
|
