Frequently Asked Questions

Is there parking?
Should I see a clinical social worker, a marriage and family therapist, a professional counselor, a clinical psychologist, a mental health nurse practitioner, or a psychiatrist for therapy?
What’s the difference between psychotherapy and counseling?
If I need therapy, does that mean I’m crazy?
Shouldn’t I just stop complaining and deal with my problems on my own?
Are we going to be spending a lot of time talking about my sex life or my relationship with my mother?
I went to therapy before and it didn’t end up helping. Why in the world would I consider it again?
What other options are there?

Is there parking? 		 
Yes. And it’s free. And it’s right behind the building.

Should I see a clinical social worker, a marriage and family therapist, a professional counselor, a clinical psychologist, a mental health nurse practitioner, or a psychiatrist for therapy? 		 
Usually the answer is any of the above. All of these people receive advanced training in how to assess, diagnose, and treat mental health and relational problems. Each is trained to provide psychotherapy to individuals, couples, families, and groups. While there are some differences in the initial training of these different kinds of mental health professionals, these differences are usually not as important as the professional’s skill and expertise and how well her or his style or approach suits you and the problems you are working on.

See also Different kinds of therapists

What’s the difference between psychotherapy and counseling? 		 
Spelling and pronunciation. In other words, the terms are used interchangeably most of the time. However, some mental health professionals will tend to use the word “counseling” for shorter-term, more narrowly focused treatment and “psychotherapy” for longer-term, more broadly focused treatment.

If I need therapy, does that mean I’m crazy?		  
First, I tend to think that the central question isn’t whether therapy is “needed,” but whether it can be useful. But yes, you are crazy. Sometimes.

We are all crazy some of the time, whether we “need” therapy or not.

The way I understand “crazy” is that feeling we all get when we are at the end of our rope, feel overwhelmed, out of control of our feelings or our circumstances. Sometimes this feels like rage, sometimes anguish or anxiety or despondency, and lots of other things, too.

We live in a world that is crazymaking — it’s a world that has a habit of giving us some challenges that knock us for a loop. Sometimes we can pick ourselves back up on our own. Sometimes, we can all really use some help. Sometimes, getting therapy can be one of the most helpful things there is.

Shouldn’t I just stop complaining and deal with my problems on my own?
Maybe. If that works, great. But if that idea sticks around for a while and you don’t see your problems getting better, then there is a good chance that you are being too hard on yourself.

A lot of clients come into my office feeling inadequate because they needed to ask for help. Almost every time I see this, I find that this feeling of inadequacy has become a problem of its own — making it much harder for the person to address any of the vexing challenges in their lives.

Often, the first step in making things better is giving yourself a break. Life can be really, really rough.

If you are considering therapy now, you have probably been carrying a heavy load for a long time.

Are we going to be spending a lot of time talking about my sex life or my relationship with my mother? 		 
Not if the problem you are coming for assistance with doesn’t have to do with sex or your mother. In the olden days, many psychotherapists thought that almost any problem could be traced to repressed sexual urges or conflictual relationships with parents. Today, we find that this is true in some cases. And in other cases–a lot of them–it isn’t.

In many cases, talking about the roots of your problems (whatever they happen to be) is part of the therapeutic process.

But in every case, therapy ends up being about working together figure out how you can best achieve the changes you desire and carrying out a plan to make change happen.

I went to therapy before and it didn’t end up helping. Why in the world would I consider it again? 		 
A couple of reasons:

  1. Maybe you had the wrong therapist. Therapy relies a lot on a good match between the interaction style of the therapist and the interaction style of the client. If the major reason therapy didn’t work well for you in the past is that you and your therapist were a bad fit, working with a different therapist might give you much better results.
  2. Maybe the time wasn’t ripe. You are not the same person you were last time you were in therapy. It turns out that we never stop changing or growing. If your last work with a therapist was a while ago, you might have changed in a way that allows you to make better use of what therapy has to offer.

What other options are there? 		 
Lots of people regularly find all the help they need without working with a therapist. People vary, problems vary, mileage varies. Of course, everything below can also be done in conjunction with therapy.
  • Spend time with family and friends
  • Get involved with your community, volunteering improves our own wellbeing
  • Join a support group for people who have challenges like yours — lots of support groups are online
  • Get outside, dedicate some time to experiencing nature
  • Look at a self-help book or two
  • Spend some time exploring your spirituality either individually through prayer or meditation or in a spiritual community
  • Talk to your doctor about what you are experiencing
  • Move your body – you can call it exercise if you want
  • See if you feel better if you change your diet
  • Get a massage
  • Get some aromatherapy
  • If you can afford to take a vacation, do it. And don’t make it too short.
  • Take a few long, slow, deep breathes.
  • Do some arts and crafts.
  • Sing
  • Dance
  • Pet your pet as much as it can stand. If you don’t have a pet, borrow one.