What is the difference between a Licensed Clinician and a Registered Intern Clinician?
Registered Intern are therapists who have all graduated with their Masters in either Mental Health, Social Work, or Marriage and Family Therapy. However, they have not finished their Post-Master Requirements to be a Licensed Mental Health Therapist, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. The post-master requirements to be licensed in the state of Florida are: at least 2 years of post master internship, a specified number of clinical hours, a specified number of supervision hours, and a list of specific continuing education workshops. Thus, Registered Interns are under the supervision of a Licensed Clinician. Supervision requires that the Licensed Clinician and the Registered Intern meet on a regular bases to go over his or her cases. A Licensed Clinician has met all the requirements for the state to be fully licensed in their field of study and are no longer under supervision.
Should I take medication or go into psychotherapy?
Research has shown that the long-term solution to mental and emotional problems and the pain they cause cannot be solved solely by medication. Instead of just treating the symptom, therapy addresses the cause of our distress and the behavior patterns that curb our progress. You can best achieve sustainable growth and a greater sense of well-being with an integrative approach to wellness. Working with your medical doctor, you can determine what’s best for you. Furthermore, in some cases a combination of both medication and therapy is the right course of action.
I’ve never talked to anyone. I’m used to handling things on my own. Aren’t people who go to therapy weak?
On the contrary. People who ask for help know when they need it and have the ability to reach out. Everyone needs help now and then. You already have some strengths that you’ve used before, that for whatever reason isn’t working right now. Perhaps this problem feels overwhelming and is making it difficult to access your past strengths. In our work together, I’ll help you identify what those strengths are and how to implement them again in what is happening now.
What’s the difference between talking to you or my best friend or family?
The difference is between someone who can do something, and someone who has the training and experience to do that same thing professionally. A mental health professional can help you approach your situation in a new way– teach you new skills, gain different perspectives, listen to you without judgment or expectations, and help you listen to yourself. Furthermore, therapy is completely confidential. You won’t have to worry about others “knowing my business.” Lastly, if your situation provokes a great deal of negative emotion, if you’ve been confiding in a friend or family member, there is the risk that once you are feeling better you could start avoiding that person so you aren’t reminded of this difficult time in your life.
How does it work? What do I have to do in sessions?
Because each person has different issues and goals for therapy, therapy will be different depending on the individual. I tailor my therapeutic approach to your specific needs. In general, you can expect to discuss the current events happening in your life, your personal history relevant to your issue, and report progress (or any new insights gained) from the previous therapy session.
How long will it take?
Depending on your specific needs, therapy can be short-term, for a specific issue, or longer-term, to deal with more difficult patterns or your desire for more personal development. Either way, it is most common to schedule regular sessions initially, and then space them out as you see progress.
If I commit to therapy, what can I expect? How can I get the most out of therapy?
It is important to understand that you will get more results from therapy if you actively participate in the process. The ultimate purpose of therapy is to help you bring what you learn in sessions back into your life. Beyond the work you do in therapy sessions, if you are receptive to “homework”, I can suggest some things you can do outside of therapy to support your progress – such as practicing relaxation skills, journaling on a specific topic, reading a pertinent book, noting particular behaviors or taking action on your goals.
My partner and I are having problems. Should we be in individual counseling or come together?
At Cape Coral Therapists, we have a variety of counselors to meet you and your partner’s needs. Thus if you all want to work with one counselor together or if you all want an individual counselor and another counselor for relationships, we can provide it all. We tailored our services to meet your needs, so just contact us.