1  Do I really need counseling or coaching?

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Everyone goes through challenging situations in life, and while you may have successfully navigated through other difficulties you have faced, there is nothing wrong with seeking extra support when needed. Coaching is for people who have enough self-awareness to realize that they need a helping hand, and that is something to be admired. You are taking responsibility by accepting where you are at in life and making a commitment to change the situation by seeking coaching. Coaching provides long-lasting benefits and support, giving you the tools you need to avoid triggers, re-direct damaging patterns, and overcoming whatever challenges you face.

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2  Why do people seek a Counselor or Coach and how do I know it is right for me?

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People have many different motivations for seeking counseling/coaching. Some may be experiencing a major life transition, such as unemployment, divorce, moving, etc. Some people need assistance with managing a range of other issues such as low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, relationship issues, spiritual conflicts, and creative blocks. Counseling/Coaching can help provide some much needed encouragement and help with skills to get them through these time frames. Others may be at a point where they are ready to learn more about themselves or want to be more effective with their goals in life. People seeking counseling/coaching are ready to meet challenges and are ready to make changes in their lives.

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3  What is the difference between psychotherapy/counseling and life coaching?

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Psychotherapy

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Psychotherapists examine everything that causes distress in people. The therapist looks at people's environments, emotions, physical, and behavioral health. These different influences give the therapist a complete picture of the reason people deal with occurrences in their lives in a certain way.  Mental health counseling is a broad term that describes various specialties. Many people have mental health concerns from time to time. A mental health concern becomes overwhelming when signs and symptoms cause frequent stress and affect your ability to function. Mental health concerns can make you miserable and cause problems in your daily life, such as at work or in relationships. In most cases, mental health concerns can be managed with coaching and, in some cases, a combination of medications and psychotherapy are necessary. In the occasional cases where medication should be taken into consideration, a mental health professional will refer to a psychiatrist for appropriate assessment and mediation prescription. The mental health professional, psychiatrist, and client work together to monitor medications and increase coping skills. In the majority of these cases, medication is short term (6 months to a year or two).

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Life Coaching

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The definition of life coaching is "helping people achieve goals." What this means is that the coach provides specific services to help you with overall or specific life improvement. Common life coaching topics include divorce, recovery, time management, organization, health and fitness goals, and making a career change. Life Coaching serves as a partner to you while you eliminate roadblocks and transform your life successfully. Life Coaching is an ongoing professional, mentor-like relationship which assists clients in identifying multiple strategies that promote taking action toward the creation and realization of their visions, goals, life purpose and desires. The Life Coach relationship is about designing a satisfying present and future, not getting over a past. The essence of Life Coaching is found in the intention toward what's right with you, rather than a focus on what's wrong. The process results in an expansion of the client's capacity to become and be their own "change master", well connected to their desired outcomes and living their life "on purpose." Clients are in charge of their own process. It is respected and supported by the Life Coach's belief that clients want what they say they want. Ben Dean, a pioneer in the field of Life Coaching, states coaches guide by emphasizing a "process of reflection and action, squarely aimed at self-empowerment."

 

Clients learn to:  not be incapacitated by painful situations, maximize pleasurable experiences, experiment with life fully, and get a large measure of life out of each moment. 

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Simply stated, Life Coaching facilitates the intention of clients who choose to build a life worth living and have the courage to live a life which reflects their authentic selves.  Of course, counseling incorporates life coaching.

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4  Is Counseling and Coaching confidential?

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Information about you and your therapist/coach will not be transmitted to anyone without your knowledge and express consent.  As a Life Coach, I am not bound by the same laws as a Licensed Professional.  However, it is ethically my responsibility to ensure that individuals, especially children and elderly, are safe and specific risks are reported to the appropriate authorities. Therefore, several exceptions to confidentiality can be made if any of the following conditions occur:

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Suspected child abuse or dependent adult or elder abuse.

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If a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person(s).  The Coach will notify the police and inform the intended victim.

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If a client intends to harm himself or herself, the Coach will make every effort to enlist their cooperation in ensuring their safety.  If they do no cooperate, further measures may be taken without their permission in order to ensure their safety.

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To further protect your privacy, I have a policy of not greeting a client whom I meet in public. Thus, should we happen to meet in public, I will intentionally not say hello to you, thereby sparing you the possible embarrassment of having to explain our relationship to anyone who happens to be accompanying you. You may, however, feel free to greet me in public, if you wish.  At which point, I will gladly reciprocate.

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The success of coaching is to a large extent dependent upon an honest and trusting relationship between the client and coach and you should feel assured that I am fully committed to preserving your privacy and earning your trust.

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5  How long will counseling or coaching take?​

 

People generally want their counseling/coaching to be as quick and effective as possible. Research generally shows that counseling/coaching will be longer than a few sessions to be helpful. Studies show that at least six to eight sessions are necessary for any benefit to be measurable. As you may expect, long-standing, difficult, complicated, or more serious struggles generally require a good amount of time and patience. Long-standing struggles and patterns don't change overnight, and "quick fixes" do not produce sustainable changes. We will work together to develop your plan of care and evaluate your progress together. It is important to consider the life goals you have not yet accomplished, your goals as they relate to your work, your relationships, or simply the day to day quality of your life because counseling/coaching can help you make choices that will affect your entire future. It can be thought of as an investment in yourself and your relationships. The positive effects of counseling/coaching last a lifetime. Only you can decide whether the potential gains will compensate for your investment in money and time.

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6  What are your fees?​

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7  What forms of payment do you accept?

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Payment should be made 24 hours in advance in order to secure each session. An invoice will be emailed upon scheduling. You will also be provided with a Credit/Debit Card Guarantee Form with initial paperwork prior to our first meeting that will be used for outstanding balance payment purposes only. You will be notified of an outstanding balance before your card on file would be charged. Communication is important in all aspects of our lives, including finances.  Therefore, we will effectively communicate in this area as well.

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8  Do you accept insurance?

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All fees are payable prior to services being rendered.  As a licensed mental health counselor, I can provide a monthly "SuperBill" that you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement consideration.  The potential reimbursement is based on your health plan coverage and would be paid directly to you.

9  What happens if I miss an appointment or need to cancel?​

 

If an appointment needs to be cancelled or rescheduled, 24 notice is required. Missed appointments or cancellations without 24 hour notice will be charged at the session rate.

In the case of an emergency, please notify me as soon as possible and consideration for a waiver of this fee will be made on a case by case basis.

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