Frequently Asked Questions

Answers To Mental Health Questions

At Weston PsychCare, we are invested in creating a comfortable,safe and confidential environment. We have assembled a group of warm, compassionate and experienced psychotherapists with rich and diverse training.

Our psychotherapy services will help you address a wide variety of challenges, strengthen your interpersonal and familial relationships and promote insight into the decisions you make.

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.