Frequently Asked Questions
Starting with new therapists, it can take a while to get comfortable; we do our best to make it as easy as possible, whether you're new to therapy, or have talked to a professional in the past. It's usually a time of transition, crisis, or deep conflict that causes people to seek help, which can add to the stress of starting work with someone new. On the other hand, maybe you're feeling stable enough to finally take on some of the bigger, deeper issues in your life, and you're excited! The following are some of our most frequently asked questions, and will hopefully be helpful. Please call or e-mail and let us know how we may be of help to you!
1. How much will it cost?
If you have health insurance, we will be happy to check the details of your benefits before your first visit to make sure you are covered to see us. You are ultimately responsible for all fees, and co-pays must be paid at the time of service. We can accept cash, checks or major creidt cards.
If you are paying out of pocket, we have a range of fees, and want to make services accessible to you. If we do not offer fees within your budget, we will be glad to refer you to agencies that do. Our goal is to help you take action when you're ready to get started!
If you are covering the cost of your own counseling, you may want to talk with your counselor about pre-paying for a package of sessions at a discount rate. This can help you manage the cost, and also allows you to plan how many sessions you want to work together.
We recognize paying for counseling is an investment; we find out everything we possibly can about how to make it work well for you, and are committed to your progress. Our objective is to help you obtain the results you are looking for, using the most effective methods we have available.
2. Can I be seen immediately?
We try to match you up with a Portland Counseling Center therapist based on your individual needs. It can sometimes take a day or two, but if you need immediate care please let us know, and we will try to find a match for you! If you are in serious crisis, or if your health and safety are at risk, the best thing to do is to go to the nearest emergency room. You can explain to them that you are going through a mental health emergency, and they will decide what kind of short-term treatment will be the best for you.
3. Can you accommodate my schedule?
Sessions can be scheduled during the day, in the evenings, and on weekends, although not all of our therapists are available at those times. In order to obtain the best results, we highly recommend and believe in the effectiveness of regular visits. Research has shown that a regular meeting time is one of the most important components of therapy. Please take a look at your schedule and think about what an appropriate, consistent time for you to schedule your therapy would be. Try to have a few good options ready for us to work with when you call!
4. Where are you located?
We have an office space on SE 12th and Division, and in downtown Portland, OR at the corner of SW 10th and Taylor. Both locations are public transit, bike, and car accessible. Tell us which location you would prefer, or if you are open to either!
5. How often can I come in?
The frequency of your visits is up to your and your therapist to decide. Assume that you will need to plan for a series of regular weekly visits to get off to a good start. We work with you on getting the results you are looking for in the most efficient way, and most people see us over the course of a few months. Regularity is a very effective tool in therapy. It can also take some time for you to get used to trusting and opening up to your counselor, and sometimes people feel worse before they get better. Often people are coming in for problems they have been struggling with for quite a while; so you may experience prompt relief, but to sustain the change will take a bit more effort. Let us know if you feel as though you need more than a weekly visit, and we will take that into account when we match you up with someone.
6. What happens during couples or marriage counseling?
We use a series of structured interviews at the beginning of couples work, so there is an initial evaluation period of four sessions. We will meet with you both as individuals and as a couple, and then decide from there what the best course of action is.
The method we use with couples is like a giant toolbox of ideas, activities, and theories that tailor the therapy to each couple, instead of assuming that the same approach will work in every situation. We will use a variety of techniques to assess your learning styles, communication patterns, level of trust, intimacy, and conflict. Occasionally it is useful to accompany couples work with individual therapy, but not in all cases.
7. What if I don't improve?
If you don't improve after your first few sessions, we will help you plan the next step of treatment. This might mean that you and your therapist identify a different approach to take together, you may want to try a different therapist, or a group setting that might be appropriate; whatever step you feel needs to be taken. We work actively and in collaboration with you, and would love all the feedback you can provide- especially if it's about something that's not working for you! We even ask for your written feedback, so that we learn the best way to be helpful to you, as a unique and complex individual.
Here is a link to a very helpful article,"A Buyer's Guide to Psychotherapy", by Frank Pittman MD; this supports our view of what is helpful in therapy and offers some valuable information on how to choose the person who is the best fit for you.