Individual Therapy
About This Service
Individual therapy focuses on a single client. During individual therapy, the therapist assists the client in identifying and addressing life issues and making healthy choices. The goal is improved mental health and a return to a state of intellectual and emotional well-being. Individual therapy is the most common form of therapy offered. Clients who attend and participate in individual therapy often focus on improving their:
* Understanding of themselves, including how and why they think, feel, and act the way they do
* Knowledge of their mental health issue(s), including common thinking, feeling, and choice patterns
associated with their mental condition(s)
* Awareness of the impact of their mental health issue(s) on themselves and those closest to them
In order to do this, clients frequently:
* Identify and replace unhealthy thoughts and thinking patterns with healthy thoughts and thinking
patterns
* Learn more about the role of feelings in decision-making and harness the power of feeling to
improve their lives
* Make better choices so they can improve their mental health and increase their ability to live the
lives they want to live
Scheduling and Payment
Optimum Living Psychology, PLLC accepts both self-pay and insurance benefits. OLP, PLLC is contracted with most major insurance carriers. Scheduling an appointment is easy.
SELF-PAY: To schedule an appointment, self-pay clients should call the office and be prepared to provide their:
* Full name
* Date of birth (DOB)
* Address
* Phone number
* Email address (if they would like the New Client Packet to be emailed to them)
* Reason they are seeking services, summarized in a word or two, such as depression or anxiety
INSURANCE: To schedule, clients who have insurance benefits should call the office with their insurance card in hand and provide the following:
* Full name, date of birth, address, phone number, email, and brief reason for seeking services
* Insurance carrier's name (such as Medicare, FL Blue, United Healthcare, Cigna, etc.)
* Plan name
* Primary insured's name (the name of the person who has the policy) and DOB
* Member number
* Group number
* Provider phone number (often listed as Provider number or Behavioral Health number)
The First Appointment
The first appointment, also known as the initial session or intake, is an evaluation. It involves the client and provider discussing the reason the client is seeking treatment, the client's current symptoms, and the goals the client has for treatment. The goal is to provide the client with an initial (starting) diagnosis as well as a general sketch of the recommended treatment.
The first appointment starts with a review of the completed New Client Packet to make sure all forms have been appropriately filled out. If the client has any questions about the forms, the provider will answer these questions at this time. Once the initial paperwork is reviewed, the provider will ask the new client to identify in a sentence or two the reason he/she is seeking treatment. From there, the information provided in the paperwork will be reviewed and additional questions will be asked. At the end of the appointment, the provider will provide the client with an initial (starting) diagnosis and discuss the recommended treatment.
Prior to scheduling a follow-up appointment, the client and provider will discuss the fit of the professional relationship. Many factors go into determining if the relationship is a good fit. Some factors are:
* Location of the office and accessibility for the client
* Theoretical orientation and treatment approach
* Provider’s experience with the mental health issue(s) at hand and current scope of practice
* Client preference
If you and the provider determine a good fit exists, then the next step is to schedule a follow-up session.
Follow-Up Sessions
Follow-up sessions are the appointments that come after the initial evaluation or intake. The number of follow-up sessions is determined by a client's diagnosis, the severity of his/her problem, and progress made. Treatment can be brief, ranging from four to eight sessions, short-term, ranging from three to six months, or long-term, greater than six months.
The length of an individual session can also vary. The most common session length is forty-five minutes. A forty-five-minute session allows time to:
* Review previously assigned homework
* Identify the issue(s) or set of concerns the client would like to work on
* Discuss therapeutic approaches to identified issues and concerns
* Create and agree upon a new homework assignment
* Identify the takeaway lessons from the session
* Discuss the positive strides made inside and outside of the session
FAQ - How Do I Get the Most Out of Individual Therapy?
The number one most commonly asked question after a client enters therapy is: How do I get the most out of therapy? It's a good question.
While therapy is a collaborative process, the outcome of therapy is largely determined by how much time and effort you, the client, put into getting better. This is because most of life is lived outside of the therapy office.
While this may seem like a tall order at the start, rest assured, if you follow the Top Ten Strategies for Getting the Most Out of Therapy, you will be well on your way to making the improvements you wish to make.
The Top Ten Strategies for Getting the Most Out of Therapy
1. Schedule and attend sessions regularly
2. Arrive on time to sessions
3. Be present during therapy by focusing on the topics at hand
4. Be open and honest when talking with your therapist
5. Be clear about what’s most important for you to work on at any given time
6. Ask questions if there’s something you don’t understand
7. Listen to feedback and give yourself time to understand and use it
8. Do your homework
9. Practice your new strategies and skills at home throughout the day
10. Use your previously learned skills and strategies on an ongoing basis
Other Frequently Asked Questions
For answers to the most frequently asked questions, please see our FAQ page.