What to Expect When Getting Started with Therapy
Taking the first step into therapy can feel intimidating. You may feel anxious, discouraged, and/or helpless and might not know whether therapy is right for you. Let us put you at ease—these feelings are completely normal, and therapy can help. We want to make this process as comfortable as possible for you.
Click here to learn more about finding the right counselor fit.
Here’s a step-by-step guide of what to expect:
Step 1: Initial Contact
Call or text us at (828) 761-3149, or click on the button below and reserve a free, 15-minute Exploratory Call. During this phone call, you’ll have an opportunity to ask questions, we’ll tell you about the theoretical frameworks and counseling models we use, and we’ll discuss how working together may help you. If you decide you’d like to work with us, we’ll set up an appointment for your first counseling session. At the end of this session, if you’d like to meet some other counselors, we’re happy to provide you with referrals to respected colleagues.
Step 2: Pre-session Forms and Information
Before your first appointment, we’ll send you a link to complete some online forms (which remain completely secure and confidential). These forms include:
Confidentiality Agreements and Consents to Treat
Professional Disclosure Statement
Standard Health Intake Questionnaire
Step 3: First Session: Either In Person or Online
During your first session, we’ll take the time to truly get to know each other—we want to hear your story. It’s so important that you feel comfortable and confident in our working relationship, and we encourage you to let us know what you need to make that happen. Our sessions typically last around 50 minutes, including a few moments at the end to wrap up and schedule any follow-ups. If meeting online is more convenient for you, we’re happy to offer that option.
If we’re meeting in person, we’re delighted to welcome you to our ADA-accessible offices. These gorgeous, light-filled spaces are designed to evoke a sense of security, expansiveness, and joy—feelings we hope you’ll cultivate within yourself as we work together.
We believe a sense of belonging is essential to healing and thriving, and we’re committed to creating that for our clients—from the moment you walk in the door to every interaction in your counseling session.
Our Offices
About Tele-health (Online Counseling Sessions)
Tele-health makes it easy for you to access counseling services with us even if we can’t meet in our offices. All you need is a computer or mobile device with internet connection. You effortlessly join the video session by simply clicking a link we provide. (There’s no software you need to download.) Sessions are protected with bank-level encryption and security – they’re completely safe, secure, and HIPAA-compliant. To find out more about tele-health options, please click here.
Step 4: Continued Therapy
Once we begin working together, we ask that you commit to at least eight sessions. Counseling sessions are typically scheduled weekly or bi-weekly. Because counseling is individualized based on your needs, we’ll be able to give you a sense of the total length of sessions needed to meet your goals after a few sessions. If you want to expedite the counseling process, we can provide you with homework to do between sessions, along with suggestions on books to read. Coaching sessions are generally scheduled on an as-needed basis.