I’m nervous about starting therapy. Is that normal?
Therapy can be vulnerable and new, so it’s natural to be nervous. It can be difficult to imagine the words around what you are feeling. Maybe you've experienced feeling tongue tied when trying to open up to friends or loved ones in the past. The fear around that can feel overwhelming. Getting the counseling we need can be challenging. And although it's normal to be nervous, that doesn't make it feel great. It takes courage to continue towards getting the help you need.
Therapy is a space where you can be yourself and welcome all of the feelings you might have, including feeling nervous. Our therapists are committed to finding a way to care for your nervousness and ensure sessions are as comfortable as possible.
We’re here if you want to talk about it in your email to us.
How do I know if one of your therapists could be the right fit for me?
Take your time to read through our website. If you sense that we could help you, you can reach out.
In your email to us, you’ll be able to share what’s going on for you. Once we understand your needs, we will help you choose the therapist that is right for you. Or if you already have a therapist in mind, you may request them. You can also ask us more about your therapist. You might be curious about how they have helped other people like you before or what a typical session with them is like.
The first sessions are like an experiment to see how things go. During the sessions, you’ll be able to see how you feel working with your therapist. Every therapist's approach is not going to work for everyone. What’s most important to us is that you find the right fit for you. We can explore that together.
What if I don't want to talk about something?
If something feels overwhelming or even terrifying to discuss, that's actually very normal. It can often feel difficult to talk about some things.
During sessions it will always be up to you if you feel ready to talk about something or not. It’s our job to give you space to slowly start to work through the tough stuff. Gradually and at a pace that feels comfortable to you, you can share what you feel ready to share. You can also share with your therapist that you are nervous to open up about something and they will be able to talk about that too. Your feelings are welcome as are your feelings about how you feel. Your therapist is here to help you with whatever is going on for you.
I’m scared that if I open up, my therapist will think I’m too sensitive.
If you open up to your therapist, they will not think you are too sensitive. They will think you are courageous and human. We know this because many of our clients have had the same fear (that people would think they are too sensitive).
Through our own life journeys and working with many clients, we know how ‘normal’ your experience is.
You're not being dramatic or "too much." Nothing you can say will cause your therapist to judge you. We all suffer in different ways. We may have normal reactions to abnormally challenging experiences - we are humans trying to human.
Whatever it is you're going through, we provide a calming space where your therapist will respect you and listen with focus & compassion.
Does what we talk about in therapy remain confidential?
Your privacy and trust are of utmost importance!
You might already know that you want to share sensitive information about your loved ones and you don't want them to find out what you've said. So we want you to know that unless you are in danger or someone else is, your story is confidential and your time in the session is protected. You can rest assured that you can talk about anything without fear of that information getting out. If you have specific questions about how confidentiality works, you can ask in your email to us or at anytime.
How long will therapy take?
You might be asking about how long therapy will take because therapy is hard to fit into your busy schedule. If this is true for you, we want you to know that on average, our new clients start seeing improvements after the first a few sessions. By that point, they feel a little more calm and hopeful that healing is possible.
The total duration of therapy varies from client to client. Some of our clients find 6-12 weeks to be enough to resolve immediate challenges. While other clients feel more supported by longer term therapy.
You can work together with your therapist to find the length of time that works for you.
What can I expect during the first talk therapy session?
Overall, you can think of the first session as a free-flowing conversation through which you and your therapist can start getting to know each other. Your therapist will invite you to share more about yourself and you can also share what’s worked or not worked for your mental health in the past.
Some questions that your therapist may ask during a first session include:
- What brought you to therapy?
- Have you gone to therapy before? How did that go?
- What do I need to know about you to understand your current challenges?
You can ask your therapist questions as well. You might be curious about the therapist's experience or how future sessions work. The most important part of a first session is that you see if you feel your therapist is a good fit for you. If you feel calm, heard, and cared for with your therapist, you can discuss if you’d like to meet again.
How does a neurofeedback training session work?
For most of our clients, training sessions use 1-2 electrode sensors on the scalp and 1 electrode clip on an ear to allow brainwave signals to be read by the therapist. The therapist and client will work together to individualize the settings to maximize the client's felt benefit. The settings used can be thought of as 'bowling lane bumpers' training the brain to remain in more regulated mental spaces, strengthen neural networks, and increase the client's sense of ability to handle life well.
During the training, the client attempts to maintain a calm yet alert state of focus while playing a simple video game informed by the client's brainwaves. The video game settings are adjusted by the therapist during the session to maximize the impact of training.
Do you guarantee neurofeedback results?
The existent body of research points to approximately 80% of neurofeedback clients experience significant improvement in targeted symptom(s). Neurodivergent Therapies' clients, thus far, have at least matched if not exceeded this efficacy level. Training protocols are established incrementally to ensure the client can adjust to changes gradually with the therapist's guidance.
How many neurofeedback sessions will I need?
We cannot predict the exact timeline for everyone, but there are some averages we use to help gauge efficacy. Clients typically begin noticing pleasant effects within 3 training sessions with significant impact occurring within 10-15 training sessions. Treatment plans usually require 25-40 sessions to complete a full training protocol. These numbers will vary by individual and will be discussed with the client during the initial session as well as throughout treatment.
How can I get started?
Email us at [email protected] to get started. You can share a little bit of what’s going on for you and ask us any questions you may have.
Through understanding your needs we will help you choose the best therapist for you and schedule you in for your first session.