Q: I've never been to therapy, what is it like? A: This is a question that we get a lot. It may be easy to envision therapy being like what we see in movies such as Good Will Hunting, Couples Retreat, or Donnie Darko, however as entertaining as those movies are, therapy in real life looks and feels much different. At your first appointment, your therapist will take time to get to know you and your strengths as well as unpack what you hope to address, change, or improve. At this time they will develop a plan with goals and benchmarks to begin working towards. From there, your therapist will recommend a frequency of your visits, most likely on a weekly basis until the desired outcome is achieved. During these visits or 'sessions,' as we like to call them, your therapist will collaborate with you in a team effort to utilize your natural and developed strengths to address the concerns you originally brought to therapy. Just as many of the problems and difficulties we face do not develop overnight, changes and relief are typically gradual. We believe the most successful treatment is when all persons in the therapy room join together and walk side-by-side towards optimal change and happiness.
Q: The last therapist I had didn't work out; will therapy with you also not work? A: Successful treatment is a combination of a lot of things, including fit with your therapist. With many concerns or struggles, there are a variety of different ways to approach it. At Desert Sky, we work with you to ensure that we find successful outcomes. Throughout the process, we regularly check in on your progress and re-calibrate if necessary to ensure that we are offering the best care.
Q: I've been struggling for a long time; can I really find relief? A: In short, yes. The therapists at Desert Sky have successfully treated a myriad of different concerns, many of which have been problematic for years or even decades.
Q: How much does therapy cost? A: Cameron Brown, PhD LMFT charges $120 per session. LMFT- Associates Heather Frazier, Megara Escobedo, and Michelle Gentry charge $110 per session.
Q: Why is therapy so expensive? A: The therapist at Desert Sky has attended some of the best training institutions in the field as well as invest heavily into ensuring that he is at the cutting-edge of best treatment practices by regularly attending large, national and state training conferences. These educational and on-going training investments are costly, but they ensure top quality care and improved outcomes for you! Additionally, as a point of reference, the average cost of a visit to a primary care physician (family doctor) for a runny nose or cough is $160 and typically you spend only about 20 minutes with the doctor.
Q: How long will therapy last? A: The duration of therapy is dependent on a lot of different factors such as the type of concern, the frequency of therapy, and your investment in finding success. However, the average length is approximately 10-15 sessions.
Q: Do you take insurance? A: We presently do not take insurance.
Q: What forms of payment do you accept? A: We presently accept credit or debit from all major credit card companies. Additionally, we can make arrangements to accept payment from employers, ecclesiastical leaders, or family members. Q: Are our conversations in therapy private and confidential? A: Confidentiality, or keeping your information private and secure, is a top priority. For management of records, we use secure and private software that is used by tens of thousands and recommended by national organizations. In short, we take your privacy seriously. At our first session we will speak more about this and the few exceptions, as mandated by the state of Texas, to strict confidentiality.
Q: How frequently do we meet for therapy? A: Consistency is key in treatment. Although frequency can vary on scheduling, presenting concern, and other contextual factors, you will most likely meet with your therapist once per week. However, we understand that calendars and other circumstances can complicate this. Speak with your therapist about scheduling; they are willing to work with you.
Q: Do you prescribe medication? A: No, we do not prescribe medications.
Q: Will you write a note endorsing a therapy animal? A: No, we do not write notes endorsing a therapy animal.