FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT ARE YOUR FEES?
Fees are discussed prior to first session. As a registered social worker, if you have access to benefits or insurance our session fees may be eligible for reimbursement.
IS COUPLE'S THERAPY SOMETHING ONLY FOR COUPLE'S CONSIDERING DIVORCE?
Unfortunately, many couples wait to seek therapy at the dire end of their relationship. In my Master’s thesis I explored this question by looking at what holds couples back from attending therapy earlier on. The answer I discovered is that many people feel it means “things must be very wrong” to attend therapy. This can lead to couples waiting until they are ready to sign divorce papers – and then give therapy a shot. What often happens in this case is that one partner may have already decided the relationship is a 'lost cause', and as a result the therapy process simply does not work as well (Cordova, et al., 2007;
Dunn & Schwebel, 1995; Johnson, 2003). Therapy can work when both partners have a shared interest and desire in improving the relationship and staying together. I encourage couples to seek therapy as early as possible when they are experiencing disconnection. Relationships are not easy, and even couples with the strongest relationships will experience difficult times. Couples therapy can assist you during these times, and also help to make it stronger for the next challenge you may face as a couple.
References
Cordova, J. V. (2007). The Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Help—Marital Therapy
Questionnaire. Unpublished questionnaire, Department of Psychology, Clark University,
Worcester, MA
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Dunn, R. L., & Schwebel, A. I. (1995). Meta-analytic review of marital therapy outcome research. Journal of Family Psychology, 9(1), 58.
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Johnson, S. M. (2003). The revolution in couple therapy: a practitioner-scientist perspective.
Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 29(3), 365-384.
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CAN I BOOK AN INTAKE SESSION?
Of course, please use my contact page or email me directly to arrange a time.
WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR FIRST FEW SESSIONS?
The first session is with both yourself and your partner. In this session, I will kindly ask you to share with me background of your relationship (strengths and challenges), your goals for seeking help and what has brought you into therapy at this time. Following our first session, each you and your partner will come in for individual sessions. The individual sessions allow me to gain a greater insight into your individual attachment backgrounds and perspectives of the relationship.
ARE THERE ANY REASONS WE MAY NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR COUPLE'S THERAPY?
I would recommend seeking couple therapy when both partners are open and committed to the process. There are a few barriers to being treated as a couple. Exclusionary criteria include: active/undisclosed affairs, ongoing domestic violence, and/or active substance addiction. I hold a 'no secrets' policy with couples. This policy this means that if a partner informs me of an undisclosed affair/issue that threatens the relationship and is unwilling to share this with his/her partner - therapy services cannot move forward.