How do I know if therapy can help me?
Seeking out therapy is an individual choice, and there are many reasons why people choose to come to therapy. Sometimes it is to deal with long-standing psychological or emotional issues, or problems with anxiety or depression. Other times it is in response to unexpected changes in one's life such as a divorce or work transition. Many seek the advice of a counselor as they pursue their own personal exploration and growth. Working with a therapist can help provide insight, support, and new strategies for all types of life challenges. Therapy can help address many types of issues including depression, anxiety, conflict, grief, stress management, body-image issues, sexual issues, addictions, and general life transitions. Therapy is right for anyone who is interested in getting the most out of their life by taking responsibility, creating greater self-awareness, and working towards change in their lives.
Benefits of Therapy:
Attain a better understanding of yourself, your goals and values
Develop skills for improving your relationships
Find resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy
Learn new ways to cope with stress and anxiety
Manage anger, grief, depression, and other emotional pressures
Improve communication and listening skills
Change old behavior patterns and developing new ones
Discover new ways to solve problems in your family or marriage
Improve your self-esteem and boost self-confidence
Do I really need therapy? I can usually handle my problems.
Everyone goes through challenging situations in life, and while you may have successfully navigated through other difficulties you've faced, there's nothing wrong with seeking out extra support when you need it. In fact, therapy is for people who have enough self-awareness to realize they need a helping hand, and that is something to be admired. You are taking responsibility by accepting where you're at in life and making a commitment to change the situation by seeking therapy. Therapy provides long-lasting benefits and support, giving you the tools you need to avoid triggers, re-direct damaging patterns, and overcome whatever challenges you face.
What is therapy like?
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. People seeking psychotherapy are ready to make positive changes in their lives, are open to new perspectives and take responsibility for their lives.
Is medication a substitute for therapy?
In some cases a combination of medication and therapy is the right course of action. Working with your medical doctor you can determine what's best for you. 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 causes of our distress and the behavioral patterns that curb our progress. You can best achieve sustainable growth and a greater sense of well-being with an integrative approach to wellness.
Do you accept insurance? How does insurance work?
Currently, The Wellness Workshop accepts BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois insurance, however we will be happy to provide you with a superbill which you can submit to your insurance provider for reimbursement. To determine if you have mental health coverage, the first thing you should do is check with your insurance carrier. Check your coverage carefully and find the answers to the following questions:
· What are my mental health benefits?
· What is the coverage amount per therapy session?
· How many therapy sessions does my plan cover?
· How much does my insurance pay for an out-of-network provider?
· Is approval required from my primary care physician?
Is therapy confidential?
This is one of the most important aspects of a successful therapeutic experience.
An exceptionally high amount of trust is required when dealing with an individual's innermost thoughts and revelations. 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”. There may be times you need or want your therapist to share information or give an update to someone on your healthcare team (you’re your Physician, Attorney,Teacher, Partner), but by law your therapist cannot release this information without obtaining your written permission.
Confidentiality is maintained between the client and the therapist except for the following situations:
-Suspected child abuse or dependent adult or elder abuse. The therapist is required to report this to the appropriate authorities immediately.
-If a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person. The therapist is required to notify the Police and/or take reasonable action to help prevent any harm from occurring to anyone.
-If a client intends to harm himself or herself. The therapist will make every effort to work with the individual to ensure his or her safety. However, if an individual does not cooperate or is otherwise not responsive to these efforts, additional measures may need to be taken.