Frequently Asked Questions

How many therapy sessions would I need?

Think about this: how long did it take for your problem(s) to develop? One year? Five years? 10 years?

With that in mind, how long do you think would be a reasonable amount of time for us to address the issue(s) that took time to develop? How long do you think we would need to “undo” the problem(s)?

As you may have guessed, the number of sessions would depend on the issue(s) that you come into my office with.

See: How Many Sessions Do I Need?

How long does each therapy session last and how frequently would I need them?

A: Sessions are typically one hour on a weekly basis. As you progress in your mental health journey, sessions will be spaced out to every other week or monthly. However, whether weekly, biweekly or monthly, you will know what is best for you and what would be most helpful to support your mental health journey.

I'm in crisis, can I call you?

A: If you are in crisis or you know someone who is in crisis, please call 911 or go to the nearest Emergency Room. Bryan West Campus has an emergency department for mental health crisis, located at 2300 S 16th St, Lincoln, NE. 

How is a Marriage and Family Therapist different from other counseling professions?

A: Marriage and Family Therapists adopt a systemic approach when it comes to therapy. That is, we look at the system in which you exist in, which includes the environment you live in and the relationships you have. In the environment, there could be stressors or factors that may be impacting you as an individual that you may not be aware of. The relationships that you have with your family members, friends, colleagues, and others that you interact with can also have an impact on you. We take all this information and see it as a 'big picture' - recognizing that you don't live independently in your own world and that what you do to others impact them and vice versa.  

How can therapy help me?

A: Therapy can help you in many ways! Some of the ways can be: equipping you with the skills you need to manage your life, providing you a safe space to talk about the struggles you're going through, bridging relationships and improving communication with a partner or other family members (like between parent and child/teenager). Therapy is about learning how you can cope and adjust to your current situation while also creating a more meaningful life! If you have more questions about how therapy works and how it can help you, feel free to contact me with your questions!

How is therapy different from talking to friends?

A: Friends can be a great resource and support when you are going through stress! Sometimes, you may need something more than just talking to a friend. Therapy is a professional service provided by individuals who have gone through education and training to provide you with the support that can lead to the better outcomes. There are also times when you feel ashamed, uncomfortable or embarrassed to let others know what you're going through or you simply do not want your life to be plastered on a billboard for the whole neighborhood to know! Therapy is a confidential service, whereby what you tell the therapist in the room remains confidential; the therapist does not share your information with others except under circumstances of abuse or for supervision purposes. 

If I begin therapy, what should I do to gain the most from it?

A: Therapy is like coming to class to learn a new life skill. The more consistent you come, the better; the more you practice the skills at home, the better! It is like learning to play a new musical instrument. Sessions are set weekly to give you time to learn something new while also giving you time to practice at home. The more consistent you are with coming to classes and practicing at home, the better! Sometimes life can get in the way and you will miss sessions, this is OKAY. It is not a set back in any way! Skills learned from therapy are meant to be integrated into your daily life. Missing sessions will give you an opportunity to practice the skills you learn in therapy as well! With that said, the clients whom I've worked with who have been very successful are individuals who are intentional and motivated to reach their goals! They understand that learning a new skill is tough but is willing to try different things and be patient with the process! 

Isn't it better for me to solve my own problems?

A: There is a reason why you are considering to sign up for therapy; it could be that you have already tried solving your problems but have been unsuccessful so far or you are overwhelmed and lost. There is a misconception that seeing a therapist would mean that you would rely on the therapist to solve your problems. This is not the case! 

How I see therapy is like driving in a car. The client (that's you, potentially!) is in the driver's seat with full control of the car. The therapist (that's me) is in the passenger seat. You tell me that you're driving into a storm and you're worried about it. You're worried that the road is slippery; you're worried that you may hit others or others might hit you; you're worried that something unexpected (e.g. a tree falling onto the road, a traffic accident, etc.) may happen; you're worried that you may get lost because the rain has made it hard for you to see. What I would do is learn to understand your needs: do you need me to be silent? do you need me to give you support and encouragement? do you need me to pull out the GPS? or I would be direct in asking you, what do YOU need?

Let's say you need me to be calm and give you encouragement. I will sit calmly in the car with you and remind you that you're not alone and that you're going to be OK. Once we're out of the storm, I will ask you what was the most helpful thing through that storm, and you could say that my calmness was helpful in making you feel calm. We then know that in the future when you are faced with similar situation, you will want to be calm (or ask others to be calm!) as it would give you the best outcome. Once you're able to do it by yourself, you will no longer need me in the car with you and you will know how to ask others to be calm with you! Ta da! this is the magic of therapy. 

As a therapist, the most rewarding thing is to see my clients who were struggling, no longer struggling, and managing future struggles on their own while telling me excitedly, "I DID IT!!! I can't believe I could but I did, and I'm Okay!!"