Now that the summer months are coming to an end and Fall is setting in, many people decide to initiate therapy for the first time while others may return after a sabbatical. Busier work schedules, children returning to school and changes in weather can cause increased stress in personal, marital and family relationships sparking people to seek the assistance of a counselor or therapist. Problems with depression and anxiety are also exacerbated during this time of year which is another reason why I am choosing to highlight what people can expect when they come to me for help.
First Contact- the
therapeutic relationship starts when someone first contacts me by phone or sometimes by email. If I am unavailable when someone contacts me I will get back to them within the same day, usually within a few hours. My goal is to talk to the person on the phone so I can get them to summarize what the presenting problems are and why they decided to seek help at the current time. If their presenting problems are something that I can assist them with then I will schedule an appointment for them to come in. If their presenting problem is something that falls outside of the scope of my practice, I will try to refer them to another professional that may be able to help.
At some point in the phone conversation I will explain to them my process of conducting an evaluation with all new clients that I see whether they are individuals, couples or families. The evaluation is approximately 3-5 sessions depending on the nature of the problems and how many people are present. During the evaluation, I would be gathering info about the nature and history of the problem. I would also be asking questions about family history and previous therapy experiences. At the end of the evaluation, I then give my thoughts as to what I believe is going on and what direction I believe would be most helpful. The evaluation also gives the client(s) a chance to get some idea of who I am and, if we decide to continue, whether they would be comfortable working with me.
The evaluation that I conduct is no different than an evaluation a medical doctor would perform. If someone consulted a doctor for pain in their lower back, the doctor would want to first run a series of tests in order to find out exactly what the problem was before treating it. The evaluation gives me a chance to learn about the nature and causes of the underlying problems rather than using conjecture and
running the risk of misdiagnosis.
Next month I will discuss and outline what to expect during the initial office visit. I will also talk about some of the fears and reservations that delay or prevent people from seeking professional help from a counselor or therapist.
Sincerely,
Nathan M. Comerford, MA, LLPC, NCC
Nathan M. Comerford is a psychotherapist in
Farmington Hills, MI who has been helping people with their relationship issues, emotional difficulties and
mental health problems for the past 8 years.
Thought Perspectives Counseling
31275 Northwestern Hwy., Suite 120
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
Phone:
(248) 932-7799
www.thoughtperspectives.com
- If you or someone you know needs to speak to someone regarding relationship issues, emotional difficulties or mental health problems, help is a phone call away. Schedule an appointment today!
Just call (248) 932-7799 to set up an appointment with
Nathan Comerford, MA LLPC NCC.
Visit www.thoughtperspectives.com for more information on counseling and psychotherapy!
Visit the "Ask the Counselor" Blog at:www.thoughtperspectives.com/blog
- This is a question and answer blog where Nathan answers questions concerning mental health topics.
- If you have a question, you can send it to: questions@thoughtperspectives.com to have it answered by: Nathan Comerford, MA, LLPC, NCC.