Brief Therapy

WHAT IS BRIEF THERAPY?

Solutions vs. Problems.  My therapy is solution-oriented.  You are the expert on your problems—you live them on a regular basis.  You don’t need me to tell you what your problems are.  My job is to work collaboratively with you to help you discover solutions to those problems.  We will discuss what you want rather than what you don’t want in your life.

Strengths vs. Weaknesses.  Most people are very aware of their weaknesses—being human, we all have many.  But you need not be reminded of them by someone who is trying to help you improve your life.  Brief therapy focuses on your capabilities so that you may bring them to bear on your concerns and reach your goals.

Future vs. Past.  Conventional wisdom suggests that therapy necessarily focuses on the past, where clues will be found to current behavior.   As a brief therapist, I stand that notion on its head—I believe that your present is influenced by your future.  Our focus will be more on what you want your life to look like rather than what it has been.  Therapy, like life, is best done in the manner that we drive our cars; while an occasional glance in the rear-view mirror is essential, you are better served if most of your attention is focused ahead on where you want to go.

Goals.  When done well, therapy is not a matter of simply talking.  Our conversation will be in service of your goals. The goals are yours, chosen by you, not by me.  A clear definition of the expected change tells us whether our work together is making the difference you desire.

As a brief therapist, I don’t set out to make therapy short.  But when the principles discussed above are followed, therapy typically doesn’t take very long.  Typically, I see clients for 3 – 5 visits.  Some come in for more visits, most come in for fewer, some only once.

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

Confidentiality.  All communication with my clients is confidential except in the case of emergency, legal mandate, or the suspicion of child abuse or neglect.  No one will have any right to any information passes between you and me.

Fees and Insurance.  Payment is expected at the time of service.  I am willing to establish a payment plan for you if you require one.

I do not accept insurance.  This is a decision I reached after much consideration.  The reasons are many and include:

1.  When filing insurance, the confidentiality that is so essential to the therapy process is compromised.  Once insurance information is submitted to the insurance company, neither you nor I have any control over what the insurance company may do with it.  I have known clients to be denied health and life insurance as well as child custody because they have filed a claim for mental health benefits.

2.  For a claim to be paid, you must be diagnosed with a mental illness.  While some of my clients meet the clinical criteria for a diagnosis, most don’t.  A filed claim may mean the worst of both worlds for you:  denied payment and a mental health history.

3.  Your insurance company becomes a third party involved in the therapy.  The company can decide how many visits you are allowed to have.  Some insurance companies determine what is discussed and what you and I can do together to address your problems.  And the company, not you, can decide when therapy is completed.