Allyson Ende, PsyD is a licensed clinical psychologist.
Please call (715)348-2828 or schedule an appointment online with the link below for more information about whether psychotherapy may be right for you.
Allyson Ende, PsyD is a licensed clinical psychologist.
Please call (715)348-2828 or schedule an appointment online with the link below for more information about whether psychotherapy may be right for you.
Psychotherapy is not easily described in general statements. It varies depending on the personalities of the psychologist and patient, and the particular problems you hope to address. There are many different methods I may use to deal with those problems. Psychotherapy is not like a medical doctor visit. Instead, it calls for a very active effort on your part. In order for the therapy to be most successful, you will have to work on things we talk about both during our sessions and at home.
Psychotherapy can have benefits and risks. Because therapy often involves discussing unpleasant aspects of your life, you may experience uncomfortable feelings such as sadness, guilt, anger, frustration, loneliness, or helplessness. On the other hand, psychotherapy has also been shown to have benefits for people who go through it. Therapy often leads to better relationships, solutions to specific problems, and significant reductions in feelings of distress. But, there is no guarantees as to what you will experience.
Our first in-person meeting is what’s known as an intake session. It’s different from a traditional therapy session because this will be a time for me to gather your case history, and together we’ll talk about why you have decided to pursue therapy and what your goals are for our time together. It’s also an opportunity for you to get to know me, to ask me any questions you may have, and to see how you feel in my office and with me. At the end of the session, we can decide together if it feels right to move forward in scheduling another session.
Therapy involves a large commitment of time, money, and energy, so you should be very careful about the therapist you select. If there is a specific issue that you are wanting to work on, you may wish to inquire as to whether the therapist has experience and/or special training in that issue. For example, if you suffer with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder you would want to choose a therapist with training in Exposure and Response Prevention. Personality also plays a large role in how successful therapy will be. You can get a small sense of how well you would fit with a particular therapist through an initial telephone conversation, but many times the first 2-4 sessions will answer many of your questions.
If you have a health insurance policy, it will usually provide some coverage for mental health treatment. You can contact your insurance company directly to find out what your benefits are or I will be happy to check your benefits after you provide me with your insurance information. Self-pay options are also available.
The duration of therapy looks different for everyone. You and I will keep checking in throughout our work together to determine if it feels appropriate and timely to end therapy.