How it Works
You might be wondering…
How does therapy actually work? Specifically, what will therapy at Relationship Matters Therapy be like?
Don’t worry!
We are here to explain it from start to finish!
Step 1: Contact!
There are a few ways to contact us, by phone, email, or directly scheduling your intake appointment or optional free video consultation.
If you call us and we don’t answer immediately, we are most likely with other clients. Leave a voicemail including your full name and best contact number, and we will get back to you the same day.
No matter how we make contact, the next official step to this process is scheduling your intake appointment, or the optional video consultation (which is at no cost to you)!
Step 2: Consultation – Optional for requests to work with fully licensed clinicians
Some individuals or couples prefer to speak with a therapist first with any questions prior to signing up for full services. This is what our optional consultation is for. This option is available with fully licensed clinicians; our masters level graduate interns do not take consultation calls so should you have any questions prior to working with an intern, please contact our main office number or email and we will ensure those questions are answered!
If you do not need a consultation and would like to directly schedule your intake appointment, move on to Step 3 of this page.
For the consultation, we’ll have a simple chat – so we can get a better idea of what brings you to therapy and for us to decide if we’d be a good fit in working together. Because we often work with couples, we find that video consultations allow us to speak to everyone involved right from the start.
If the video is not available to you, please let us know, and we can schedule a phone call instead.
If we decide to move forward, we’ll next discuss a good day and time to have our first (intake) session. Sessions are 50 minutes long, and your time will be the same each week. We do also offer 80 minute sessions for couples per the client request. Of course, if your schedule ever changes, we will be flexible with you!
Step 3: Documentation
Upon requesting and receiving approval of your intake session, you will be emailed a link from our secure, HIPAA-compliant program called SimplePractice. It will feature our practice name, Relationship Matters Therapy, and contain documentation for you to sign electronically.
This documentation covers such items as confidentiality and practice policies, and the program will store everything confidentially in your digital file. Signing and returning these documents allows us to hold our sessions, so please have these completed prior to your appointment.
Step 4: First Session
When you book your intake appointment you will receive a confirmation, as well as reminders via text and email; for virtual sessions, all confirmations and reminders will include the video link. For clients participating in telehealth, we will make sure you know where and how to log in and that you have your link well before each session.
Our first session will be all about building rapport and giving your therapist a chance to get to know you better. It will be an open space so you can describe in further detail what brings you in and what your goals are for therapy. We’ll also discuss your paperwork should you have questions.
For couples, your first session will be together as a couple. Sessions two and three will be individual as part of the assessment process. Then, you’ll come back together as a couple for session four, and all subsequent sessions will be as a couple. During session four, you’ll be given feedback, discuss your relationship strengths and weaknesses, as well as solidify your therapy goals to allow us to move forward.
If, after the first session (or, for couples, during the fourth session assessment piece), you’re not feeling the vibe with us, please tell us! Therapy should be a positive experience, and we want to ensure that you’re working with the right therapist for YOU.
Step 5: The work begins!
During your sessions, your therapist will function as a mix between the expert and the tour guide.
There will be times when they can provide you with information you don’t currently have – and other times when they will guide you to find the answers despite the obstacles getting in your way.
Your therapist will also provide empathy and excellent active listening. You’ll find times when you need to talk it out, and that’s what we are here for, too!
As our sessions go on, you’ll be able to pinpoint where you’ve grown and what you still need to work on.
We’ll continually evaluate progress and shift direction as needed to ensure you reach your goals.
Call us today at (817) 562-6089 or schedule your first appointment here!