Initial Evaluation

The initial evaluation is primary an information-gathering session for the therapist or psychiatrist. He or she will need to learn more about you to evaluate your concerns and obtain a proper diagnosis. Arriving at a possible diagnosis is the first step towards guiding treatment, and is essentially the most important part of the process. Most people who have decided to talk to someone about their feelings or concerns, have some idea of what is going on in their lives and they are in touch with their feelings of depression, anxiety, or fear.  As mental health professionals focused on restoring and empowering you and your sense of well-being, we look at every person as a unique individual who is experiencing pain and needs help. We understand that the best person to tell your unique story is you. We are not here to judge or tell you what is “wrong” with you. The job of a therapist and psychiatrist is to listen, address your immediate needs, and understand your development better. Talking about your innermost thoughts and feelings can be a little scary and intimidating in the beginning, but most people who undergo therapy leave feeling relieved, hopeful, and even peaceful. Time spent with the right mental health professional provides you with the chance to explore new ways of thinking, being and feeling.

Consultation

The decision to seek help and select the right therapist or psychiatrist for you is an important decision and the initial consultation provides you with the opportunity to meet with a psychiatrist or therapist, explore your difficulties, and talk in detail about what is troubling you.  It is important for you to share what happening in your life at present, examine when your difficulties began, and how you think they have come about. This initial stage allows us to observe what themes may emerge, consider what underlying dynamics might be giving rise to the symptoms or problems you are experiencing and provides you with a taste of the process that takes place in therapy. You can see how you feel about talking with one of psychiatrists or therapists, discuss what your hopes and expectations are, determine for yourself whether you wish to continue beyond the initial consultation.

Some helpful questions to ask yourself: 

Are they properly qualified and experienced?

Could I be completely open with them?

Would I feel comfortable telling them intimate details of my life?

Do I like their manner towards me?

Psychotherapy

Throughout the process of psychotherapy, talk therapy, or counseling, we will examine the most constructive methods of dealing with the problems or issues within your life. Whether you’re undergoing significant changes in your life, dealing with the loss of a loved one, a mental health concern, or battling addiction, these issues are often the cause of a great deal of chronic pain and anxiety, and psychotherapy can be a supportive process. At the onset of treatment, you and your therapist or psychiatrist will decide upon specific changes or goals that you would like to focus on. These goals are often presented and broken down into a step-by-step process that is placed into a formal treatment plan. Psychotherapy also provides people with a clear understanding of a specific mental disorder, offers coping mechanisms that the person may find more effective, and treatment may involve the combination of psychotherapy and medications. 

Psychotherapy is most successful when an individual enters therapy on their own and it is most effective when an individual is willing and able to adopt new ideas and alternative approaches to things.

Psychodynamic Therapy

The psychodynamic perspective, originated by Sigmund Freud, examines the significance of childhood experiences and how those experiences influence an individual’s views on relationships, preferences, and essentially one’s personality.  Psychodynamic therapy examines how certain incidents that have occurred in childhood are linked to behaviors in adulthood. 

As the oldest approach to modern therapy, the goal is to change an aspect of one’s personality or identity to “integrate key developmental learning” that may have been missed during earlier stages of one’s emotional development.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is used to treat drug and alcohol abuse, anxiety, depression and other issues. CBT attempts to change people’s attitudes as well as their behavior while focusing on a person’s beliefs, attitudes, and how those factors relate to one’s behavior. It is a combination of psychotherapy and behavioral therapy and offers a more customized approach that addresses the specific needs of each patient.