FAQs
How do I know if a therapist is a good fit for me?
It is always recommended to treat first appointments like an interview, when you are getting to know a potential new therapist, and they are getting to know you. You might not feel a good click with every therapist and that’s OK. With the right therapist you will feel safety, stability and calmness enough to share your concerns in confidence. A good fit feels right.
Therapy hasn’t worked in the past, why would it work now?
Every therapist is different and every time in your life is different. Sometimes a past therapist hasn’t been a good fit for you, and sometimes you weren’t ready.
What should I expect at a first appointment?
A first appointment often has paperwork, and you and your therapist will get to know each other. Therapy is a process and there are no instant solutions. It may take a few appointments to feel like you are making headway towards your goals.
How long will it take to feel better from therapy?
For many clients, finding a therapist one is comfortable with and can talk to openly, honestly, and safely is enough to improve a client's feeling from the first session. Beyond that, it depends on the goal of the therapy. If it is an issue with a relationship or a short-term problem, it will need resolution. If it is to gain freedom from trauma or disturbance, it may require some weeks, months, and sometimes years, but often the progress feels progressively better and better.
Who should be seen by a resiliency based trauma-informed therapist?
Being seen by a resiliency based trauma-informed clinician can be beneficial to anyone, not only people who have experienced trauma. A clinician with this foundation views the world through a lens that asks the question “what happened to you/in this situation?”, instead of “what is wrong with you?”
What is trauma?
Trauma is an event that is outside of someone’s control that causes the brain and the body to feel overwhelmed. It is a normal reaction to a horrible event, however the symptoms, the body and the brain’s response, can sometimes interfere with our ability to live the life that we would like to.
How do I know if I have EXPERIENCED trauma?
Trauma impacts everyone differently and their response has nothing to do with their mental or emotional strength, just like the event was outside of someone’s control, the reaction is as well. Some common symptoms include difficulty sleeping, nightmares, hyper-vigilance, constantly fearful, intrusive thoughts, anger, sadness, feeling detached and numb.
What is the difference between a therapist and a psychiatrist?
While therapists and psychiatrists both deal with people's psychological issues and problems, their backgrounds and approaches are very different. Usually therapists are academically trained in psychology, social work, or other mental health fields.
Psychiatrists are trained as medical doctors, gaining their experience in psychology and mental illness during internship and residency typically at a psychiatric hospital after graduating from medical school. With a background in physiology and medical disorders, psychiatrists most often prescribe medications as the principal therapeutic modality. Therapists cannot prescribe medications without a medical license.
What is therapy?
Some people refer to psychotherapy/therapy as “talking treatment” because it is generally based on an individual talking to a therapist. However, psychotherapy is much more than talking about your problems. A trained therapist will help you tackle specific or general problems by giving you the tools to be able to cope more effectively. In therapy, therapists apply scientifically validated procedures to help people develop healthier, more effective habits. Therapy is a professional relationship between a therapist and a client. Therapists are trained to understand what you say and how you say it. They pay close attention to body language, voice tone and content to fully understand what you are trying to say. While family or friends can help you feel better or even provide good advice for change, this is not therapy. You can tell your therapists things without having to worry about how they might respond to it and not have to worry about your information being told to others or in any way affecting your job, family or relationships.
Is what I talk about confidential?
The Vermont Center for Resiliency maintains strict confidentiality and privacy concerning anything and everything discussed or experienced in therapy and counseling sessions, including even that you are attending therapy, without your explicit and written consent.
Information will only be disclosed without your consent if required by law, or if there is a danger of harm to self or others, or if child or elder abuse is suspected. Your therapist will talk more about confidentiality during your first appointment.
Can an individual and therapist have a relationship outside of therapy?
No. The therapist-client relationship is a special professional relationship in which the therapist is in position of authority and influence with respect to the client, as the client seeks intimate guidance from the therapist. It is not an equal, nor an "arm's length" professional relationship as may be the case with lawyers, doctors, and other professionals. The therapist-client relationship necessarily involves the therapist learning and knowing intimate feelings and details of a client's life and relationships while revealing little detail of the therapist's life and circumstances.
That said, often a friendliness and a genuine liking, develops within the therapist-client relationship in sessions as both work diligently towards the common goal of solving or mitigating the client's problems and issues. It is also important to note that the Burlington/Vermont community is very small, and often you may see your therapist out in the community, you may even interact in similar circles. It is important for you and your therapist to talk about and plan for instances that you might see each other outside of the office.
Will my therapist be angry if I switch to another practitioner/is it OK to switch?
No. It is inappropriate for the therapist to be angry or express anger if you decide to switch therapists or terminate therapy. If the therapist becomes angry, it is reason enough to switch therapists. If you consider switching therapists, it is a good idea to discuss your feelings and circumstances with the therapist, as your feelings may actually be resistance to the therapy and your own progress. It is also possible that your therapist may be able to change part of their style, if you talk to them and let them know that something is feeling like it is not working.
Which is better, therapy or medication?
Generally, medication has shown to be clearly beneficial for about 1/3 of clients who struggle with such conditions as schizophrenia, depression, bipolar, or panic disorders. The other 2/3 report mixed experiences between the benefits and the side effects, or no benefit. Even among those who feel a benefit from medication, they often have the goal of terminating medication at some point, rather than assuming medication to be a life-long solution. Unfortunately, life-long use, over-use and even abuse of medications has been encouraged by the commercial and political interests.
The effectiveness of therapy is much more difficult to quantify, as the many variables such as therapist, modality/type, nature of symptoms makes therapy efficacy difficult to evaluate quantitatively. In most research performed however, it is shown that most people benefit from therapy, often beyond the elimination or mitigation of symptoms. Unlike medication, which targets symptoms, therapy and counseling address the underlying causes of the symptoms. To the degree that internal unconscious conflicts may be resolved, clients may enjoy a fuller experience of life, in addition to relief from symptoms.
What does therapy cost?
Our rates are $120 per 53 minute session. However payment/finances should not be a barrier to therapy and we have a very flexible sliding scale, please call and talk with a clinician if you have any questions.
How can I pay for my sessions?
The Vermont Center for Resiliency accepts cash, checks, and credit/debit cards.
What kind of insurance do you accept?
We accept most insurances, including Medicaid and Medicare.