Psychotherapy
Online Telehealth
APIT (Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology) allows the provision of telehealth to residents of the following PSYPACT states: Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Nevada, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Utah. This may apply to other states in the future as well, as they join PSYPACT. For instance, Virginia will be active in 1/21 and North Carolina in 3/21.
TYPES OF THERAPY
Traditional in office therapy is currently unavailable due to COVID-19 precautions. Video counseling or telehealth therapy is available for individuals, families, and couples and can be particularly helpful for professionals who travel for work, college students, remote residences, if unable to make it to the office for health or time issues, or particularly during this pandemic.
HOW THERAPY CAN BE HELPFUL
Most people entering therapy will get positive growth out of the experience, and various strategies can improve the outcome. However, there is also the risk that you may experience feelings that you have been hoping to avoid.
WHAT IS THERAPY?
Therapy is not something that is done to you. To get the most progress and the quickest results involves you taking an active role. This means:
~ Seeking clarification if you don’t understand something.
~ Taking notes in sessions if you find this helpful.
~ Committing to doing homework assignments and doing them in a timely fashion. This way you will be focusing on your behaviors or feelings throughout the week, where you can actually put new behaviors into practice.
The good news is that even if these feelings have been buried, they are still there and actually by focusing on them a little at a time, you can move past them. Some people worry about the pace of therapy, but you should remember that you are in control of your sessions and you can regulate how quickly material is revealed. Adults are encouraged to talk with the therapist about what they want or don't want in therapy. Children are often able to tolerate the emotions in therapy because play or games are often used while they are doing the therapy work.
QUESTIONS TO ASK AFTER SESSION:
· What issues do I want to work on today or next session?
· How have I been feeling this week compared to other weeks?
· What happened this week that my therapist should know about?
· What did we cover during the last session?
· Is there anything that bothered me about last session?
· Any unfinished business?
· Is there anything I am reluctant to tell my therapist?
· What did I do for homework?
HOW DOES THERAPY END?
As you make progress in therapy, sessions will be scheduled less frequently. You can always call to request an earlier appointment if you feel this is necessary. When you feel you are ready to end therapy, you should bring this up with the therapist so that we can plan for at least one final session in which we review progress made and strategies for maintaining success. If I feel we are not making progress, need to be referred to someone else, or are coming to the close of therapy, I will bring that up also. Any further contact after ending sessions is left up to the client, and always maintains the therapist/client boundaries.
655 Craig Road Suite 128 ~ St. Louis, Missouri ~ 314-989-9449 (Office) ~ 314-989-9333 (Fax)