Q: What is relational, or systemic, therapy?

A:  Without getting too complicated, systemic therapy is an understanding of how a person functions in connection to everything around them.  Although we each are on our own journey it is quite heavily influenced by the people around us: our parents, our significant other, our children, co-workers, hair dresser, and the list goes on!  A systemic therapist will take into account not only your journey but the influence these other people have made on your view of life and your approach to the problems you are facing today. 

Q: What’s the difference between Family Therapists compared to Social Workers, Mental Health Counselors, Psychiatrists, and Psychologists?

A: While all Family therapists are system therapists who look at how a “system” - i.e. the group of people involved, are functioning. We focus on the function between people to find healthy ways of relating. This is particularly useful when working with couples, families, or even organizations. Social workers have a focus on resources that are available for an individual, psychologists and mental health counselors focus on underlying individual challenges, and psychiatrists focus on the chemical balance within an individual. All of these practices have the knowledge to work with many different challenges and our hope is that in understanding their philosophical foundations it can provide guidance on your decision making about the right fit for you.

Q:  What is the difference between individual and systemic family therapy?

A:  In its simplest form, individual therapy observes an individual's personal experience while the approach of family therapy takes into consideration interactions within your family and your social environment.  Systemic therapy can be used to work with individuals, as well, since our curiosity will be about the relationships any person who comes to therapy experiences.  Yes, we investigate an individual's experience and history but we also discuss how that experience has been shaped by the relationships each person has had in the past as well as the ones they continue to maintain.

Q: What is HIPAA?

A:  HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) is United States legislation that provides data privacy and security provisions for safeguarding medical information.  The purpose of this act is to protect a client's Personal Health Information (PHI) from being used/taken by outside parties.  This includes keeping/respecting your confidentiality, only sharing your health information with who you authorize, and maintaining any information obtained through sessions/interactions to the highest standards of security.  HIPAA rules must be applied by any state licensed therapist and these rules regulate how we communicate outside of a therapy session, how we conduct therapy, and how we store your information.  

Q:  What should I look for in a therapist?

A: Therapy is not an easy process and it's important that you feel comfortable with who you are going to meet with.  It's important to be sure that the therapist you work with is someone you are comfortable with.  While you should not look for a "friend" in your therapist you should feel as though your opinions are respected and you trust them.  A good therapist will challenge you and you should feel comfortable enough to be open to getting uncomfortable.  Take advantage of any free consultations therapists offer to get an idea of how they would work with you.  Most importantly, ask questions!   If they are good, this will be a deeply personal and enriching experience.  Your therapist should impress you enough to be worthy of this honor.

​Q:  Is Hope in Healing the right choice for me?

A: At Hope in Healing, we specialize in work with couples and families and we work on specific individual issues including anxiety, stress, and grief. We approach therapy as an opportunity to unpack what we currently carry, discard what is not needed, and reorganize what we continue to keep into a manageable experience that allows us to thrive. We honor the challenge of finding a good fit for your needs. And sometimes that means we may not be a good fit. Our purpose will be to ensure that we are a good fit for you and then provide services that help you excel.

Q:  My partner/child is the one with the problem.  Do I need to attend therapy?

A: Systems Family Therapy approaches therapy through connection and relationships.  We work to discover how relationships in a person's life have been useful or hurtful in a person's development.  As systems therapists we encourage family members to attend in order to get a richer perspective of the problem that exists in the family and how to best handle it.  Many viewpoints can help provide clarity in the challenges being faced.