How do I know if I should seek individual therapy?

Psychotherapy is helpful for people feeling stuck, uncertain, unhappy, frustrated, lost, confused, concerned, worried, pressured, or overwhelmed.

Individual therapy can greatly improve the quality of your life and assist you in reaching personal, professional, and relationship goals.

Most people who have entered into therapy have found it beneficial for life transitions or coping with difficult experiences.

If you are unsure about entering into therapy, call me and we will discuss.

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How could Psychotherapy help me?

• Make well-informed decisions about important life matters, such as your career, relationships, family, and other areas

• Increase relationship satisfaction, intimacy, and communication

• Manage stress and chronic stress-related pain more effectively

• Mourn loss of a loved one or ending of a significant relationship

• Increase performance in sports, school, or career

• Overcome feelings of anxiety and depression

• Increase enjoyment and positive feelings in your daily life

• Ease transition of life changes, including following weight loss surgery or career changes

• Decrease suffering from previous painful life experiences or trauma

• Defeat addictive behaviors and maintain gains

• Make better use of your abilities Increase your awareness of your thoughts, behaviors, and choices.

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Is it normal to be nervous about contacting a psychotherapist?

Yes. Whatever has you considering psychotherapy is very important to you. If it were not, you would not consider investing your time, energy, and money.

You may worry about being judged or misunderstood, or that the therapist will not be able to help you. However, the decision to begin therapy is the first step toward feeling better.

In fact, people most often find that their nervousness subsides during the initial session when they realize that the therapist is listening to their concerns seriously, with respect and understanding.

You can further expect to feel progressively more comfortable with each session as we become more familiar

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How do I pick the right psychotherapist?

With the initial phone call you will begin to get a feel for the psychotherapist.

The initial session will not only allow the therapist to become more familiar with you, but will also allow you to get to know your therapist in person.

You will want to pay attention to how comfortable you feel with the therapist and how confident you feel that he or she understands you.

You should feel that your concerns are being treated seriously and compassionately.

If you do not feel comfortable after your first session, you may want to find another therapist.

Even competent experienced therapists may not be the right fit for everyone. Just as in any relationship, you want to feel compatible and a “click” with your therapist.

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Do you work with couples?

Yes. In addition to helping individual adults struggling to find happiness in their relationship or romantic life. I also offer therapy to couples working together to increase satisfaction in their marriage.

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Will couple’s therapy help our marriage?

Yes. Couples therapy has been shown to improve the quality of a marriage relationship and increase satisfaction. In therapy, I will help you to explore and strengthen your connection, identify and manage major stressors in your relationship, reestablish hope, and create goals/plans for your future together.

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How long will I need to be in therapy?

Depending on your goals, this will vary. Some choose to come in for a few quick sessions to work on small goals, areas where they feel stuck, or to prepare for an upcoming life transition, like marriage, a new job, or becoming a parent. Others come in to work on deeper issues which may take longer to address.

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How can I make the most of my therapy?

Psychotherapy works best when you are “working with” your therapist. It is important to share your thoughts and feelings as openly and honestly as possible. This can sometimes be difficult, as most of us naturally censor our thoughts and words without realizing it. This may be because we feel they are inappropriate, embarrassing, rude, or bad. It is important for your therapist to help you feel comfortable sharing your thoughts so that you can make the most of your time in therapy.

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Will my health insurance pay for psychotherapy?

Health insurance policies can be very confusing, especially regarding psychotherapy coverage. While Dr. Harvey does not directly accept insurance, many insurance plans will reimburse a significant percentage of your session fee for out of network services. The benefit of this option is that you are allowed more flexibility so that you can find a psychotherapist who is right for you. You may want to contact your insurance provider to inquire about your out of network mental health benefits.

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How often should we meet for a session?

Most people find that meeting once per week for a 50-minute session is sufficient to meet their goals. Often times this is modified on a case-to-case basis. You can discuss this with your therapist.