Frequently Asked Questions

Finding the right therapist is one of the most important parts of therapy. It lays the foundation for building trust and feeling comfortable exploring personal experiences and difficult emotions. When choosing therapist things to also consider are training, years of experience, theoretical orientation, and the therapist’s specialty.

The right “fit” can be found using Psychology Today, web searches, or word of mouth. Sage House Therapy offers a complimentary 20-minute phone consultation to give us a chance to learn more about your concerns and reasons for seeking therapy so we can pair you with the best therapist for your needs. The consultation also gives you a chance to ask questions and learn how we will work with you to reach your therapy goals.

Meet our Counselors

Yes, everything you say and do in therapy is confidential. However, the law requires our therapists to contact the appropriate authorities if there is reason to suspect abuse or neglect or if you threaten to harm yourself or someone else. If you choose to sign a Release of Information Form, your therapist can be in communication with your care providers or a specific member of your medical or treatment team.

Depending on the nature of the issue, most clients will begin therapy by coming for weekly sessions. For all child clients (ages 14 and under) we recommend weekly sessions for the duration of therapy to ensure best practice. For all clients, of all ages, it is important to have consistency and frequency, especially at the beginning of therapy, to help build rapport and lay a solid foundation for the therapy work to come.

Once you start working with your therapist a treatment plan will be created and more specific treatment frequency and duration can be determined. Many people start coming to therapy weekly, then switch to bi-weekly and eventually once a month. Our goal is not to keep you or your child in therapy forever!

We also understand our clients have busy lives and making it to the therapy office is not always possible. For this reason, we offer online therapy sessions (Telehealth) in addition to in-person therapy. This service is provided through an easy-to-use, confidential, HIPAA-compliant video conferencing tool. We currently use Doxy.me for online therapy.

The answer is, it depends. For most young children therapy is a new experience and can provoke feelings of anxiety. We recommend the parents of young children plan to attend the first session with their child. The therapist will be able to assess the best plan moving forward. For most school-age children who are not struggling with separation anxiety, we recommend the child work independently with the therapist, while the parent remains in the waiting room.

For older children and teens we encourage independence from the parent and confidentiality is preserved so the therapy can be effective and a safe place for sharing. As the parent, you made be invited into the therapy session to discuss concerns or when the therapist deems it necessary. You may also be invited to participate in family therapy or parent-child therapy sessions depending on what might be most beneficial for your child.

Every client is unique and seeking therapy for different reasons. Some clients work with our Sage House Therapy clinicians to address specific, acute issues that can be resolved relatively quickly. Other clients may need to focus on deeper, life-long issues. In these cases, clients typically see our therapists for longer periods of time to allow for in-depth work and insight with the goal of lasting change.

As with most things in life, what you put into therapy is what you get out of it. Being open, authentic, and trusting of the process are all great starting points to getting the most out of your investment. We also ask that you commit to making the changes you wish to see and recommendations made by your therapist. If you are a parent bringing your child to therapy, we ask for your involvement, open communication, and willingness to provide feedback about the child’s behavior at school and home.

Therapy is a journey and it is not always easy. We may go to places you were not aware of or haven’t visited in a long time. Communicating with your therapist and fellow traveler on your journey is a key component to getting the most out of the experience. You may also keep a journal of thoughts and feelings and ask for homework assignments to do between sessions. Making sure to value your time in therapy is also key. By keeping your appointments and remaining consistent even when it gets tough, you are giving yourself the chance to experience lasting change.

Not at all! The only requirement is to give it a try and remain open-minded! Some of the greatest artists never had any formal training. There is even a local museum dedicated to the works of these artists.

Your therapy is your time so there is no requirement to ever do anything you don’t want to do! Art, play and sand tray cab is helpful for some clients and may provide another way of moving through a stuck place or exploring something more deeply. That said, each person will find a certain modality more helpful. For many of our adult clients, they start out with talk therapy and later, choose to explore with art and/or the sand tray. Often adult clients are surprised to find just how powerful (and enjoyable) art therapy is when incorporated into their treatment plan. As a client, you have the opportunity to share how you would like your therapist to work with your unique needs

Once you have scheduled your intake session, your will be invited to join our HIPAA compliant, online portal. Our Office Manager will send you a unique link to register for the portal. Once you have set up and logged into your portal you will be able to complete all the required forms. If you have any issues completing the forms or technical challenge accessing your portal our team is available to provide support!

Finding the right support for your child and family can be hard, scary, and overwhelming at times. Our goal is to partner with you, so you don’t have to do it alone. Parents can feel uncertain about how to talk to their child about seeing a therapist. It can feel overwhelming and awkward as both a child and a parent.

Common Parental Concerns

Some common concerns parents have regarding talking to their child about seeing a therapist are:

• My child will think that there is something wrong with them. How do I let them know they aren’t a “bad” kid?

• For parents of young children: My child will have separation anxiety. Will my child be able to work with the therapist if I am not in the room? How do I help soothe their fears?

• For parents of pre-teen/teens, my child will never agree to therapy. What if my child “shuts down” and won’t talk? Will they view this as a bad thing if I am the one who suggests it? How can I explain therapy so that they will have an open mind?

If you have had any of these concerns or questions as a parent, congratulations! You are completely normal and in the right place. Below we will share some tips for how to have a productive conversation around starting therapy with your child.

Don’t Bring Up Therapy During a Fight

We understand raising a child is hard. You are here because you need support, but telling your child you want them to start therapy in the middle of a fight with raised voices, slamming doors, and “I won’t listen to you!” is not going to be productive. Your child may even view it as a punishment for something that they have done. This can lead to your child starting therapy feeling hurt and resentful.

Instead, wait until both you and your child are calm and feeling good. Avoid times of the day that you know your child might be anxious or stressed.

Talk About the Problem Without Assigning Blame

It may be tempting to begin this conversation by identifying the problem. Instead, talk to your child about what has been happening in an open, non-judgmental way without laying blame. It can help to acknowledge your role or the family’s role in the problem, even if your child is the one with the most presenting concerns and symptoms. This helps your child to not feel isolated or like a “bad” kid.

Try to avoid making assumptions or telling your child why you think this is happening. It helps to stick to naming what you can see. You can also use “ I wonder. . .” statements to bring up feelings in a non-judgmental way. For example if your kid is anxious about going to school you could say, “I notice that you don’t want to get in the car when it is time for school. I wonder if something at school feels scary or overwhelming. I don’t always know how to help you with your worries.”

Once you have outlined the problem, then you can move on to talking about therapy.

Explain What a Therapist Does in a Therapy Session

It is important that your child understands the therapist's role. For younger children, you can use the analogy of a “feelings doctor”. You can share with your child that a therapist helps people with their big feelings just like a doctor can help a person with a high fever or runny nose. The therapist is a safe person to tell big feelings to.

For older children and teens it is important that they understand the difference of a therapist from parents, teachers and friends. Unlike parents and teachers, therapists don’t make rules or tell you what to do. You can tell them anything without worrying about getting in trouble. Unlike friends, therapists don’t care what you say to them. You don’t have to be “cool” or say the right thing. A therapist is there simply to help.

Talk About How Therapy Will Work

Preparing your child for what therapy is like will help ease their anxiety and fears. Keep things simple so that you don’t overwhelm them. For younger children, you could say something like, “When you meet with your therapist you can talk, draw, play about anything you want. The therapist is there to listen to how you feel and what you have to say. They will also help me better understand what is going on and how to help.”

Tell them what the therapy session will look like. You can let them know there will be a room with art supplies and toys and that you will be in a waiting room nearby. If they seem anxious about you not being in the session, remind them that the therapist is a safe person and that you will be close by the entire session.

For pre-teens/teens the discussion about therapy may center more around confidentiality and how the therapy can provide a space for your child to explore feelings and thoughts they might not feel comfortable expressing to others.

Be Honest and Positive

The best advice we can give is be honest. Lying to a child can be a slippery slope. Try and explain things in simple terms so that your child doesn't expect one thing and then see another when they come to therapy. Be positive about therapy, if you, as a parent, are supportive of therapy, your child is more likely to pick up on that and be willing to start therapy themselves.

If appropriate, you may wish to share your own therapy experiences with your child or teen. This can help normalize therapy and allow your child to see that it is okay to get support from a therapist when needed.