Do you take insurance? Do you specialize? Is there any hope for our marriage? Is counseling only about “how I feel”? Can people change? “Do you work with blended families?”.

Do you take insurance?

We are in-network for several local and national insurers and can also bill other
insurers directly on an “out of network” basis – clients are then responsible for
costs not covered by their insurance company. For those who do not have insurance
or wish the anonymity of not billing the insurance company, we offer a discounted
private-pay rate.

We encourage you to contact your insurance company to determine if we are in your
health plan’s network and if not, to inquire about out-of-network benefits which
may be available.

We accept flexible medical spending and health savings account debit cards as well
as all major credit/debit cards.

Does counseling last for years?

No. Solution-focused, cognitive therapy is considered among the most rapid in terms
of results obtained. The average number of sessions clients receive 16. Other forms
of therapy, like psychoanalysis, can take years.

What enables solution-focused, cognitive therapy to be briefer is its highly instructive
nature and the fact that it makes use of homework assignments. Solution-focused,
cognitive therapy is time-limited in that it helps clients understand at the very
beginning of the therapy process that there will be a point when the formal therapy
will end. The ending of the formal therapy is a decision made by the therapist and
client. Therefore, solution-focused, cognitive therapy is not an open-ended, never-ending
process.

Is counseling only about “how I feel”?

No, most definitely not. Feelings are important (sometimes critical) and need to
be acknowledged but beyond that, feelings are often driven by what we think and
how we interpret the events happening to us.

Even at times when we feel anxious or depressed or panicked, we can often put these
feelings aside if an emergency arises or a loved one requires our help. Where does
the anxiety or depression or panic go in those moments?

Solution-focused, cognitive therapy is about honoring feelings but at the same time,
it doesn’t leave a person only feeling “understood” or “listened to”. It provides
tools to change how you react to certain situations that can create the feelings
that often plague us.

If you consult medical sites on the Internet and type in depression, anxiety, anger
or stress management, prolonged grief, trauma, weight control, panic, you will often
find cognitive therapy listed as a treatment of choice.

Do you specialize?

Yes and no. As noted in other areas of our site, we specialize in marriage and family
therapy as one of the only 12% of counselors trained specifically in the study and
treatment of relationship issues. At the same time, we are also generalists working
with a wide spectrum of problems because a solution-focused, cognitive therapy approach
is not issue-specific but one of solid principles that apply to a variety of difficulties.

We would also note that we will not treat people outside our own competency and
will refer clients when there are other services better suited to their needs.

Do you work with childhood and adult trauma?

Therapy offers a way of regulating panic and how we re-traumatize ourselves. It
provides resources to gain back a sense of control. It allows us a safe space to
talk where you are able to set boundaries. It creates structure to deal with the
event and reframes experiences so that you see yourself as a person who has survived
rather than as a victim.

We work regularly with clients to alleviate symptoms and help them understand what
happened to them from an adult perspective.

Can people change?

That depends entirely on you, however for perspective, our clients tend to be people
who:

• are motivated to want life to be different.
• are sick and tired of feeling sick and tired.
• want to be pro-active in taking back control of their lives.
• know it take’s hard work and time to achieve meaningful results.
• are willing to take risks if these makes sense to them.
• aren’t content with surface change and temporary relief.

It is the individual or couple’s willingness to pursue personal change - even in
the face of internal uncertainties, fears, or external resistance - that makes all
the difference.

Is there any hope for our marriage?

Marriage counseling and couple counseling changes the equation by introducing new
variables. You’ll have more awareness of patterns and working assumptions, knowledge
of key differences in how you and your partner see the world, systems information
that can help you with new strategies and specific ‘data’ about why you resist moving
your relationship forward and what is holding you back.

Doing more isn’t necessarily working more effectively. A lot of couples will give
up thinking they have done their best when all they have really done is practiced
the same patterns - with more intensity. But does it make sense doing more of what
hasn’t or is no longer working … expecting different results?

Marriage counseling and couple counseling that provides active and direct feedback,
information you can use immediately, opportunity for supportive conversations, and
common sense principles that can work.

Is there something we can do to make a great relationship even better?

Absolutely. There is a great deal of researched information and practical knowledge
that can help couples refine their skills and develop even greater closeness. We’d
be glad to refer you to useful resources and provide you with experiences and guidance
for enhancing and deepening your relationship.

Have you experience dealing with affairs and infidelity?

Yes. Emotional affairs or physical affairs can happen. Marriage counseling and couples
counseling can provide a process to understand what happened, express hurt, clarify
issues and rebuild trust. Affairs do not have to be the end of a marriage or relationship.
Marriage counseling and couples counseling can help.

We are retiring soon. What can you do for us?

Your closeness in time and space will be different than when careers, family and
various interests kept you apart more often. Couples invest major time in anticipating
financial challenges and creating strategies around savings for a financially secure
retirement. Shouldn’t the relational side of the retirement equation deserve equal
time or, at least, some thoughtful consideration and deliberate planning?

What about blended families and family therapy?

Blended families often create challenges for their members because there are so
many combinations and each situation is unique. Family therapy works with soon-to-be
stepfamilies who want to be more pro-active in dealing with change.

Blended families face many issues that should not be minimized or ignored. Unrealistic
expectations can lead to stress, pressure to assimilate or frustration. Here are
issues stepfamilies often must deal with that family therapy addresses:

• What is the role of the stepparent who is often an ’outsider’ initially?
• Who decides the rules and how they are enforced?
• How are Christmas, graduations, vacations organized?
• How can I work better with the children’s biological parent?
• How can we stay close as a couple with competing demands and loyalties?

Family therapy assists blended families to know more of what is happening so they
can take steps to make this a solid and positive transition for everyone.

Do you work with teens and young adults?

Yes, we have experience helping teens and young adults through these challenging
transitional years. Whether it is dealing with the anxiety, depression, or panic
of life changes, learning to communicate more effectively with peers and parents,
or exploring educational and career goals, we assist teens and young adults in discovering
core strengths, developing a strong sense-of-self, and realizing their own goals
and dreams.