Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I really need therapy?
It’s a little different for everyone. Signs that you might need some help from a professional are when the way you feel begins to negatively impact your daily functioning, such as sleep, job performance, appetite, relationships with friends and loved ones, or your decision-making abilities. If you find that you feel “blue” a lot, or that things just aren’t getting better or seem hopeless – these are also indicators that it’s time to seek out a trained professional to help.
Why shouldn’t I try to just work through this on my own?
It’s easy to put off seeking out help for something that’s negatively impacting the way we feel. In fact, the decision to get help can actually be extremely difficult for many people. Often times, we dismiss feelings of anxiety, emotional pain, relationship stress, or depression as “just life” – even to the point of encountering real difficulty in normal day-to-day functioning. Deciding to take responsibility for your mental wellbeing is an empowering first step. It takes courage, but it puts you back in control of your feelings and sense of self. Even this small action step of reaching out can have a surprisingly positive effect on your outlook!
What does professional therapy provide?
Professional counseling gives you an opportunity to share safely and deeply with another person, and to gain new understanding and perspective. Life can be hard at times, and difficult circumstances may be beyond our control, but they don't have to be overwhelming. Therapy helps you set achievable goals and begin to make lasting changes to help you reach them. By getting to the root of the issues and learning techniques for changing your unhealthy behaviors, you become equipped to both regain control and practice healthy patterns for long-lasting improvement.
What happens in a therapy session?
Since the needs and goals of every client are different, therapy sessions vary in format and approach. Sometimes clients come with an agenda or specific things they’d like to talk about. Other times, people have a desire to share or process a recent event or feeling that they can’t shake. Progress in sessions is determined together with the client and the therapist based on the goals of the client at the time. Active participation and collaboration is important. In addition to in-session discussion and activities, a therapist might encourage an outside activity or assignment that is then discussed later, such as reading a book, or keeping a journal. Ultimately, the goal is to identify the areas where change or help is needed, set realistic objectives, and to equip you with resources and strategies for both near-term and long-term success.
Do I have to share things I don’t want to?
Certain topics or stories can be difficult to share, and that’s normal and OK. You don’t have to share anything you don’t want to, or that makes you uncomfortable. It’s important to build a trusting relationship between therapist and client, but our sessions always progress at a pace that you feel ready for.
How long does it take?
Because therapy is tailored to a specific person, and the goals and challenges that person is facing, there’s no pre-defined number of therapy sessions. Sometimes incredible progress is made in mere minutes, but it’s not uncommon for therapy to span several sessions over a period of weeks or months. Individual sessions are generally about 50 minutes in length.
What if I need to cancel my appointment?
If you need to cancel your appointment, please contact us at least 24 hours in advance of your session. Sessions canceled with less than 24-hour notice will not be refunded.
Are therapy sessions confidential?
Your privacy is important to us, and you can trust that our sessions, as well as any of your personal information, is always held in the strictest of confidence. Additionally, anything you transmit over our website is highly secure, and stored data is HIPAA-compliant.
Confidential information disclosed in private therapy sessions is legally protected. However, there are some exceptions to this, including instances of suspected child or elder abuse, when a client presents as dangerous toward himself or herself or another person, or when required by subpoena. If you’d like to learn more about our ethical standards and privileged communication exceptions, our office can provide additional information.
Does Wellspring only work with Christians?
No, Wellspring welcomes clients of any faith or no faith at all. Our goal as licensed professionals is to help our clients reach their own personal goals for therapy. Our desire as a faith-based practice is to provide a safe place for clients to pursue the spiritual aspects of their healing, if they wish to do so. Our clinical staff, as individuals, are personally committed Christians who seek to integrate biblical truths with the best contributions of the psychological sciences to provide the highest quality care to our clients.