New to therapy?

Reaching out for professional support can be daunting. Our role is to facilitate the therapeutic process by providing a warm, trusting, and non-judgmental environment. We will work to establish a positive therapeutic rapport to foster growth and change.

The Diagnostic Interview

At ICA, your process begins with a Diagnostic Interview. In this initial meeting, a Licensed Clinician will ask certain questions which will allow us to have a better understanding of who you are and how you may benefit from therapy. This 1st session may last up to 90 minutes. Questions may explore the reason for seeking therapy, current symptoms and concerns, and how they are impacting your life.

During your Diagnostic Interview, we encourage you to:

  • Breathe and Release

  • Share your doubts and fears

  • Be open to your own internal insight

  • Ask questions and share any concerns

  • Reflect on experiences that have been impactful

  • Be patient with yourself and the process

Please review and complete the client forms before your initial appointment so you may you feel more prepared.

The Therapy Sessions

In therapy sessions, the clinician may further discuss your current situation, your personal history, and what you want out of therapy. Therapy can be a stabilizing and growing experience to help address specific or interpersonal concerns that have begun to impact your mood and behavior. In addition, life experiences and intrusive feelings may become overwhelming, such the death of a loved one, break up of a relationship or symptoms and behavior have led to an inability to live your life in a productive manner. Therapy sessions provide the time and emotional space to focus on receiving support, compartmentalizing complex situations, problem solving and skills acquisition, to reduce the stressors and assist in moving forward.

Things that have come up in-between sessions as well as past experiences may be the topic of focus. The primary goal remains the same; assisting you in a process of personal discovery and change.

We embrace and utilize a variety of evidenced based treatment modalities. Your therapist will assess the best approach to meet your individual needs. We do not subscribe to just one school of thought or an isolated list of methods for your therapy experience. The techniques within the process vary depending on the problems that you are experiencing as well as what works best for you as an individual. It is also not like a medical doctor visit where symptoms are assessed, and a course of treatment is prescribed. Instead, it is a two-way process during which active participation on your part is needed both during and outside of sessions.

Therapy is not a “quick fix”, rather it is a process. Embrace the ritual of giving yourself this identified time where your goals and needs are the focus of the interaction.