|
|
| 
|
Bergen
County
Essex County
Hudson County
Hunterdon County
Morris County
Passaic County
Somerset County
Sussex County
Union County
Warren County
New York City
Nassau County
Rockland County
Suffolk County
Westchester County
Individual Therapy
Marriage Counseling
Couples Counseling
Family Therapy
Child Therapy
Adolescent Therapy
Hypnosis
Group Therapy
Legal Evaluations
Psychological Evaluations
Medication
Cognitive-Behavioral
Psychodynamic
Interpersonal
Hypnotherapy
Play Therapy
Others
Psychologist
Psychiatrist
Nurse Practitioner
Marriage & Family Therapist
Social Worker
Counselor
Psychotherapist
Substance Abuse Counselor
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
Do I have to have a specific disorder to benefit from therapy?
Even those without serious mental illness, those who are simply going through a difficult time in their life, can benefit from having someone to talk to who is objective and nonjudgmental and who can help them explore their options. Almost anyone can benefit from therapy. Therapy isn't just for people with a serious mental illness. It is also very helpful for people with mild anxiety, relationship difficulties, sexual concerns, shyness, low self-esteem, unassertiveness, anger issues, loneliness, guilt, jealousy, life crises and changes, excessive worry, job and school concerns, marital issues, and many other personal concerns.
How long will I need to be in therapy?
There is no set answer to this question. Some problems can be resolved in just a few sessions. Others take much longer. Therapy should continue as long as you are making progress and until the problems that brought you to therapy are resolved to your satisfaction.
How often do I come for therapy?
While therapy is usually weekly, for some people it is advisable to come more often if their problems are more severe or they want to resolve their difficulties more quickly. Additionally, others come less often depending on their needs and progress. This should be decided in collaboration with your therapist.
Does therapy help?
Many studies have provided solid evidence of the success of psychotherapy. In the past, evidence of the benefits of psychotherapy was scarce, and most came from the therapists and patients themselves. Overall, individuals suffering from a wide variety of problems have benefited from psychotherapy. Furthermore, specific therapeutic treatments and medications have been determined to successfully treat specific conditions.
What should I expect in psychotherapy?
When seeking psychotherapy, you may choose from therapists of different licensed disciplines including: psychologists, psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, social workers, licensed professional counselors or substance abuse counselors. Once you decide which type of therapist is right for you, you will set up an initial appointment. During your first appointment, the therapist will conduct a full evaluation asking you a number of questions regarding your current situation, psychological and emotional history, medical history, medications, family history, and substance abuse history. In your first few visits, you and the therapist will create a plan for your therapy and decide on which goals you wish to reach. This plan will address your needs and concerns and will guide your meetings with your therapist.
As you continue meeting with your therapist, you will feel a trusting relationship building between you and your therapist. The relationship you build will foster your success in psychotherapy. You must feel that you can trust your therapist, and you must feel comfortable sharing with your therapist. Psychotherapy sessions are conversations between you and the therapist, in which you may share feelings and experiences. Your therapist may question, comment, or offer advice or opinions to you. During therapy sessions, your therapist may respond to your emotions in unexpected ways, like curiously questioning your anger instead of being angry in return. In this way, the therapist helps you recognize and understand your own feelings.
Regardless of why you see a therapist or which type of therapist you see, you can expect to gain an understanding of your diagnosis, insight into your situation, understand the consequences of your behavior, and, hopefully improve your functioning.
Will I become dependent on my therapist?
At the beginning of the therapy process, you may be slightly dependent on your therapist, as he or she can help you gain insight and see yourself in a different light. However, as therapy proceeds, you will learn from your therapist and you will develop your own psychological tools. This will eventually enable you to look at see things differently and fully manage your own life. Although at the beginning of therapy, the therapist may guide you in overcoming challenges and you therefore may be slightly dependent on your therapist, the goal of therapy is to help you develop ways of dealing with life’s obstacles on your own, so you can be an independent, healthy, well-functioning individual.
How is medication used in psychotherapy?
The use of medication can be very beneficial when treating a patient in psychotherapy. A psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner may administer medication to an individual. When a patient is in distress, medication helps alleviate symptoms such as anxiety, depression, sleep difficulties and others and can also help the patient participate more fully in the psychotherapy, which benefits the patient. A combination of medication and psychotherapy has been shown by research to be very beneficial; however, some patients prefer to use only psychotherapy or only medication and many experience great symptom improvement using only one type of treatment. Whether to use psychotherapy, medication, or both is a personal choice that you should discuss with your therapist or psychiatric professional. The prescribing professional and patient together decide whether to use medication, what dosage to use, and how long the patient will take the psychotropic drugs. If you are also seeing a psychotherapist, the two professionals can work collaboratively to help you overcome your difficulties.
What should I know about choosing mental health insurance?
Some insurance companies provide better mental health coverage than others and you should inquire about this when choosing your health care coverage. Choosing a plan with good mental health benefits will be cost-effective should you want to pursue psychotherapy or medication either now or in the future for yourself and/or your family. For example, HMOs usually apply limitations to the number of mental health visits per year, have a small provider networks, have networks that may not be high quality, and where patients often face the obstacles, such as going through their physician to obtain those mental health benefits. If you have specific questions, please call our office and one of our staff will help you with your specific choice of health benefit plans.
Today, insurance companies often use managed care companies to run their mental health benefits. These managed care companies have a network of therapists who have agreed to follow the specific guidelines set forth by the company. While these managed care companies can save employers money, they usually restrict therapists and patients who are often limited to specific treatments, compromise confidentiality, require detailed session reports, limit the number of sessions and require pre-certification for treatments. There is a great variety of managed care plans, some have adequate benefits while others have strict limitations.
When choosing health insurance, if you want to ensure good mental health coverage, you should find out your in and out-of-network benefits. You should clarify the stated benefits, such as the number of inpatient and outpatient sessions that are covered per year, the amount of co-payment, the yearly deductible you must meet and whether it is combined with your overall medical deductible. It is also important to know which providers are covered by your plan. They should cover all disciplines including psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, psychologists, social workers and licensed professional counselors. You should ask if your plan requires authorization for mental health treatment, and who determines the need for mental health treatment. Also, be sure to see that there are a good number of mental health providers in your area that are covered by your insurance, so you can find someone who suits your needs.
How can I get the most out of my therapy?
There are a number of things you can do to get the most out of your therapy. First of all, you should always attend your scheduled appointments. When first meeting with your therapist, you should be specific about exactly what you want to focus on. Set goals with your therapist and think about what you would like to discuss before each session. Remain open to the new experiences and behaviors, which you may encounter both within and outside therapy sessions. To maintain an open, productive relationship with your therapist, be sure to share your concerns and expectations. The success of psychotherapy relies on this open communication between therapist and patient.
Call Now for Your Free Phone Consultation
NEW JERSEY—NORTHWEST & CENTRAL
Hunterdon County, Morris County, Somerset County,
Sussex County, Union County, Warren County
800-870-8790
NEW JERSEY—NORTHEAST
Bergen County, Essex County,
Hudson County, Passaic County
800-213-HOPE (4673)
NEW YORK
New York City, Nassau County, Rockland County
Suffolk County, Westchester County
800-867-3268
Psychotherapy & Counseling
Adult ● Adolescent ● Child Psychotherapy
Marriage Counseling ● Family Therapy ● Psychiatric Services
Psychological and Psychiatric Evaluations ● Hypnotherapy
Experienced, Licensed Professionals
Psychologists ● Psychiatrists ● Psychotherapists
Marriage Counselors ● Family Therapists
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners
The Right Therapist Makes a Difference
Let us Match You with the Right Therapist
We Match the Treatment to the Patient
Not the Patient to the Treatment.A CENTER FOR THERAPY
