Frequently Asked Questions

If you feel as though you are suffering more days than not, and/or you are struggling to do the things you need to do day-to-day (e.g., work, school, relationships), then we strongly encourage you to seek therapy. You don’t need to suffer or figure this all out by yourself.

Even if you feel as though you’re getting through life OK, therapy may help you to set and strive for meaningful goals, change unhealthy relationships, try new behaviors, and cope better with stressful situations day-to-day.

Three things:

1. Your readiness and openness to trying something new
2. Having a good relationship with your therapist and working with the right therapist for you
3. Following through with ideas and strategies discussed in therapy in your day-to-day life

If you are struggling with particular symptoms (e.g., anxiety, depression, trauma-related symptoms, etc.), we can work on ways to reduce the impact or eliminate some of those symptoms, thus bringing about relief. While taking medicine involves following the doctor’s instructions, psychotherapy requires a high level of commitment and willingness to work on things you discuss with your therapist. Human beings are complicated, and “curing” anything, whether medical or psychological in nature, is a bit of a misnomer. However, numerous psycho-therapeutic strategies have been found through research to reduce or eliminate many of the most distressing symptoms that bring people to therapy. When you meet your therapist, the two of you will discuss the strategies they think would benefit you, and why they think so.

The length of therapy depends upon the symptoms and difficulties you’re experiencing, how these are impacting your life, the energy and time you wish to devote to therapy, the type of therapy we engage in, and the benefits you experience as the result of therapy. Some clients come to therapy to deal with very specific or time-limited problems, and experience benefit after 4-7 sessions. Other clients come to therapy to deal with more impactful or lasting symptoms or problems, and 2-6 months of therapy is more realistic. Still other clients find that because of the nature of their symptoms, history, and/or current situations, long-term therapy (6-12 months, or longer) is beneficial. It’s also very common for clients to reach their main therapeutic goals and then come in for maintenance sessions for a time – which may be a session every 1-3 months, to touch base, re-assess, tweak the strategies being used, and get support. Still other clients feel ready to terminate therapy after meaningful progress toward their goals, and may or may not return to therapy in the future.

Once we’ve have discussed the reasons you’re seeking therapy and we’ve had a chance to assess things, we are happy to answer your questions about how long you think our therapy will likely last.

We usually prefer to start off with weekly sessions, since we’ve found that this helps to front-load some strategies to help you right off the bat. Often, over time, the frequency can be decreased to once every two or three weeks. At the end of our first session, we’ll share with you our thoughts as to the frequency of sessions that will be the most helpful, given your specific situation. Then, we will decide together what makes the most sense, given all the relevant factors.

Many clients don’t realize the high level of confidentiality they have in the psychotherapy setting. What we discuss during our work together is kept secret and confidential by your—this is both a legal and an ethical standard we must follow as providers. If you are age 18+, and have not authorized us in writing to speak with someone, we will not disclose to that person whether you are in therapy with us or not, nor will we disclose anything about our work together. If you are a minor, your parents or legal guardians have some rights with regard to your mental health record, which we will discuss when we meet for our first session. There are limited exceptions to confidentiality—typically involving issues around your safety, others’ safety, or threats/abuse toward children or at-risk adults. Any other exceptions are discussed in the paperwork you’ll read through and complete, and will be highlighted by your therapist, as well.

Psychologists cannot prescribe medications in Colorado. There are a few states and federal government agencies that will license/allow psychologists to prescribe psychotropic (i.e., mental health) medications, provided certain educational and training requirements are met. If you wish to discuss medications to help your mental health symptoms, you should pursue an evaluation with your primary care physician or a psychiatrist. Many clients find that therapy helps their symptoms, without needing medications. Clients who do take medications often find that their symptoms improve further when therapy and medications are combined.

It can be difficult to discuss concerns about your therapy with your therapist. You might feel uncomfortable disagreeing with or questioning your therapist, or you may doubt whether your concerns are valid. Your concerns ARE valid—do not hesitate to share your thoughts, questions, or concerns with your therapist. Feedback helps your therapist to better help you, which is why your therapist became a therapist in the first place!

Yes! Whether your previous therapy experience was bad because of the timing, the therapist, or the fit between you and the therapist, it’s worthwhile to give it another go. You will know when you find the right therapy experience, even if it takes some time to find it. Therapy is transforming, and it’s rare to find a place where we truly feel accepted and supported. It’s worth it to put in the energy to find that place.

Some clients find that weekly outpatient psychotherapy does not provide what they need in order to make meaningful changes in their lives. It may be that, in such cases, a more intensive type of treatment makes the most sense—for example, intensive outpatient treatment or inpatient treatment—both of which are typically done through certain hospitals. You may find that other therapeutic activities, in conjunction with your therapy at Ardern Psychology, could really help you progress toward your goals. For example, attending a support group, seeking somatic therapies (e.g., acupuncture), animal-assisted therapy, prescription medications, etc., may all augment your work in psychotherapy.