Office Policies
APPOINTMENTS
The first session we meet will be approximately 1 hour, and may not feel like therapy. I will be asking a lot of questions about your symptoms and what brought you in, and your background. This is to learn about you, and to start getting an understanding of your goals for therapy.
The standard time for psychotherapy following the first session is around 50 minutes. Any adjustments in these times will be discussed on a case to case basis.
Consistency in therapy is key! We will discuss together how often to have appointments, and it is important to stick to our agreed upon schedule of sessions. They can always be adjusted, as to what your needs are.
APPT TIMES / RESCHEDULING
Frequent cancellations and/or 3 no-shows within a period of 6 months may result in the termination of services and will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
After 2 weeks in a row of no shows / no contact, I will attempt to contact you. If 3 weeks go by with no communication from you, your day and time will not be held for you.
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION
If you need to contact me in between our sessions, please text or leave a message on my voicemail. I typically will only respond during normal business hours of 9:00am – 5:00pm Monday – Friday, but I will attempt to return your call or text within 24 hours.
My phone number is to be used for scheduling/notifying purposes only. While I take steps to ensure your privacy, I cannot ensure confidentiality through text and email. I request that you do not use these methods of communication to discuss therapeutic content and/or request assistance for emergencies.
Emergencies – call 911.
SEEING EACH OTHER OUTSIDE OF THERAPY
There may be a time when we run into each other outside of therapy. I will ignore you, and act as if I have never met you before in order to protect your confidentiality.
Please note – if you come up to me, you are breaking your own confidentiality by acknowledging me. This is your choice to do so!
I will not accept friend requests on any social networking site to protect your confidentiality and privacy.
EMERGENCIES
I am NOT your first call in an emergency, because I may not be immediately available. For your safety and immediate assistance, please use these services below.
Non life threatening behavioral or emotional crisis:
If you do attempt to call me and cannot reach me immediately by telephone, call the following community emergency agency:
Common Ground Sanctuary in Oakland County at 1-800-231-1127.
Life-threatening emergency that requires police involvement or hospitalization:
Call 911 or go to your nearest hospital emergency room. If you are feeling suicidal, do not call me, since I may not be available 24/7. Instead, it is your responsibility to seek out help immediately. Go to your nearest emergency room or call 911.
National Suicide Hotline:
This hotline has 24/7 coverage
1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Safety Concerns:
If I attempt to contact you by phone and/email and you do not respond and/or I have any reason to be concerned about your safety, I may contact your listed emergency contact at my discretion. I may also need to contact this person, and/or the authorities, if I become concerned about you doing harm to a specific person or place. Alternatively, generalized threats of harming children, the elderly, or disabled persons, triggers my obligation to report.
GRADUATION FROM THERAPY
Ending relationships can be difficult. It is important to have a termination process in order to achieve some closure. The length of termination depends on the length and intensity of treatment. I will not terminate the therapeutic relationship without first discussing and exploring the reasons and purpose of terminating.
One reason therapy will end is “graduating” from therapy. Once we feel that your symptoms have decreased, you have learned tools to help you through difficult situations, you have worked through and processed what you wanted to, and you have achieved your goals, we can discuss graduating from therapy. We will wean off (going to fewer sessions per month). “Refresher” sessions can also be scheduled.
Therapy can be terminated if I determine that the psychotherapy is not being effectively used or if you are in default on payment.
If you would like to request another therapist, I will provide you with a list of qualified psychotherapists to treat you. You may also choose someone on your own or from another referral source.
Should you fail to schedule an appointment for five consecutive weeks, unless other arrangements have been made in advance, for legal and ethical reasons, I must consider the professional relationship discontinued.