The usual session is 50 minutes. We try to accommodate our clients’ schedules by offering daytime and evening appointments; however, we tend to keep a full client schedule, so appointment times are subject to availability.

Since your primary physician, cardiologist, or dentist (among others) serve hundreds of clients by typically scheduling them on a monthly, quarterly, or even annual basis, cancellations can be filled by a waiting list of other patients. SpeakEasy, like some other mental health practices, is different. Providing you with an appointment based on upon an unexpected opening in our schedule is not recommended for effective treatment.  Our therapist will only schedule you if there is a consistent weekly or biweekly opening for you. Our therapists then save a session specifically for you so cancellations, regardless of notice time, do not leave space for another client.  As far as possible, we ask that you try to reschedule or have the session remotely if you cannot attend; however, we do understand occasional cancellations due to a planned vacation or extenuating circumstance. Multiple cancellations, however, will prompt a discussion about your therapy needs going forward.

My cancellation policy reflects my view that effective psychotherapy is a serious commitment. You’ll find that except for scheduled holidays and vacation, I also don’t cancel sessions (except for the rare emergency or snow day) or book somebody else over your session time.

If you need to reschedule your appointment time and give us enough notice, I’ll often be able to offer an alternative time, though I can’t guarantee this.

For no-shows or appointments canceled on the same day, there will be a $50.00 fee.

A number of benefits are available from participating in therapy. Therapists can provide support, problem-solving skills, and enhanced coping strategies for issues such as depression, anxiety, relationship troubles, unresolved childhood issues, grief, stress management, body image issues and creative blocks. Many people also find that counselors can be a tremendous asset to managing personal growth, interpersonal relationships, family concerns, marriage issues, and the hassles of daily life. Therapists can provide a fresh perspective on a difficult problem or point you in the direction of a solution. The benefits you obtain from therapy depend on how well you use the process and put into practice what you learn. Some of the benefits available from therapy include:

• Attaining a better understanding of yourself, your goals and values
• Developing skills for improving your relationships
• Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy
• Learning new ways to cope with stress and anxiety
• Managing anger, grief, depression, and other emotional pressures
• Improving communications and listening skills
• Changing old behavior patterns and developing new ones
• Discovering new ways to solve problems in your family or marriage
• Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence

Because each person has different issues and goals for therapy, therapy will be different depending on the individual.  In general, you can expect to discuss the current events happening in your life, your personal history relevant to your issue, and report progress (or any new insights gained) from the previous therapy session.  Depending on your specific needs, therapy can be short-term, for a specific issue, or longer-term, to deal with more difficult patterns or your desire for more personal development.  Either way, it is most common to schedule regular sessions with your therapist (usually weekly).

It is important to understand that you will get more results from therapy if you actively participate in the process.  The ultimate purpose of therapy is to help you bring what you learn in session back into your life.  Therefore, beyond the work you do in therapy sessions, your therapist may suggest some things you can do outside of therapy to support your process – such as reading a pertinent book, journaling on specific topics, noting particular behaviors or taking action on your goals.

It is well established that the long-term solution to mental and emotional problems and the pain they cause cannot be solved solely by medication. Instead of just treating the symptom, therapy addresses the cause of our distress and the behavior patterns that curb our progress. You can best achieve sustainable growth and a greater sense of well-being with an integrative approach to wellness.  Working with your medical doctor you can determine what’s best for you, and in some cases a combination of medication and therapy is the right course of action.

Confidentiality is one of the most important components between a client and psychotherapist. Successful therapy requires a high degree of trust with highly sensitive subject matter that is usually not discussed anywhere but the therapist’s office.   Every therapist should provide a written copy of their confidential disclosure agreement, and you can expect that what you discuss in session will not be shared with anyone.  This is called “Informed Consent”.  Sometimes, however, you may want your therapist to share information or give an update to someone on your healthcare team (your Physician, Naturopath, Attorney), but by law your therapist cannot release this information without obtaining your written permission.

However, state law and professional ethics require therapists to maintain confidentiality except for the following situations:

• Suspected past or present abuse or neglect of children, adults, and elders to the authorities, including Child Protection and law enforcement, based on information provided by the client or collateral sources.
• If the therapist has reason to suspect the client is seriously in danger of harming him/herself or has threated to harm another person.