The lowdown
Let’s face it... This therapy thing can be different than what you’re used to. Sitting in a room with someone you’ve never met before, talking about your stuff... for many people, that can sound downright scary.
Fear not, fellow traveler! I’ll walk you through it, so that you’ll know exactly what to expect.
↳In your free 15-minute phone consultation, you’ll describe what you’d like to work on. Common examples:
Something frustrating or upsetting has happened, and you’d like help in dealing with it;
You’d like an objective perspective on a problem you’re trying to solve;
You’d like to improve an important relationship in your life;
You’d like to better understand yourself, figure out patterns getting in the way of being truly happy, or figure out where you’re going in life.
Something else.
Even if you’re not completely sure what you’d like to address, that’s totally okay. We can work with that, and it’ll likely take shape as we figure out what’s going on.
5 seconds to fill out this form —> free phone consultation.
Getting started
↳ In the free 15-minute phone consultation, feel free to ask me any question you’d like. Some examples: “What’s your approach to working with this issue?” “How much experience do you have in this area?” Hopefully you’ll get a good sense of whether I might be able to help. Assuming that’s the case, we’ll set a day and time for the first session. I’ll send you two quick forms to complete before the first session. These forms are truly exciting. [Please excuse the sarcasm.]
↳ At the scheduled time, I’ll greet you at my therapy office in downtown San Francisco. It looks vaguely like a living room. Minus the large-screen TV and your dog licking your face. Instead, it’s a comfortable couch (for you) across from a usually-comfortable chair (for me).
↳ I’ll start with 3-4 minutes of introductory stuff. I promise to make that part as non-boring as possible.
↳ I’ll invite you to discuss what’s been happening, what you’d like help with, what you’re looking to work on, etc.
↳ While I’m learning about you, you’re also getting a sense of me. Whether you feel comfortable with me, what my personality is like, whether I know what I’m doing... and most importantly, whether it seems like I’ll be able to help.
↳ I’ll ask some questions to get perspective on your situation. By the end of our 1st session (and definitely by the 2nd), together we’ll define your goals for therapy, and a plan going forward. That way you’ll know what we’re working towards.
↳ We’ll then continue at the same time the following week.
Getting results
↳ Throughout our work together, we’ll keep tracking your progress, discussing any roadblocks and how to address those roadblocks, etc.
↳ You’ll always have the opportunity to provide feedback as to what’s working and what’s not. I’ve found that helps clients get results.
↳ It’s my style to give you concrete tools and tips to implement in everyday life. Things to think about. Practical ways of approaching situations. Things you can actually use.
↳ As you make progress over time, we’ll figure out what makes sense in terms of weekly sessions, every-other-week, etc. Or if concluding our work together makes sense, before that happens we’ll quickly review what we covered, any insights you’ve gained, the tools and techniques that have worked for you, and how to handle any challenges ahead. That way, after we stop, you’ll still remember / use what we talked about.
Want info on where my office is located, when I’m available, how much it costs, how to get started… stuff like that? Check out my FAQ page here.
If you work in tech, check out “What should a techie look for in a therapist? These 8 Qualities.”
