Frequently Asked Questions About Counseling & Therapy

  • Each person has different issues and goals for counseling, so it will be different depending on the individual. We tailor our therapeutic approach to your specific needs.

  • Not at all. People who ask for help know when they need it and have the courage to reach out. Everyone needs help now and then. In our work together, we’ll help you explore and identify your strengths and how to implement them to reduce the influence of the problems you are facing.

  • A mental health professional can help you approach your situation in a new way – teach you new skills, gain different perspectives, listen to you without judgment or expectations, and help you listen to yourself. Furthermore, counseling is completely confidential. You won’t have to worry about others “knowing your business.” Lastly, if your situation provokes a great deal of negative emotion, and you’ve been confiding in a friend or family member, there is the risk that once you are feeling better you could start avoiding that person so you aren’t reminded of this difficult time in your life.

  • Medication can be effective but it cannot solve all issues alone. Sometimes medication is needed in conjunction with counseling. Our work together is designed to explore and unpack the problems you are experiencing and expand on your strengths that can help you accomplish your personal goals.

  • We are in-network providers with a number of local health insurance plans including Pacific Source and First Health. Depending on your current health insurance provider or employee benefit plan, it is possible for services to be covered in full or in part. Please contact your provider to verify how your plan compensates you for psychotherapy services.

    We recommend asking these questions to your insurance provider to help determine your benefits:

    • Does my health insurance plan include mental health benefits?

    • Do I have a deductible? If so, what is it and have I met it yet?

    • Does my plan limit how many sessions per calendar year I can have? If so, what is the limit?

    • Do I need written approval from my primary care physician in order for services to be covered?

  • If you are unable to attend a session, please make sure you cancel at least 24 hours beforehand. Otherwise, you may be charged for the full rate of the session.

Courage does not always roar. Sometimes, it is a quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'I will try again tomorrow.' ​

– Mary Anne Radmacher

What evidence-based methods do you practice?

  • CBT is a psychological intervention that involves changing the way we think to lead a happier, more fulfilling life. CBT therapists work with clients to explore and shift thinking patterns and to replace them with more useful connections that improve their symptoms, responses, and quality of life.

  • DBT is a CBT-rooted intervention that helps clients learn to be mindful, manage emotions, improve relationships, and learn new ways to cope with (di)stress. It is a skills and evidence-based intervention from which many clients experience immediate positive changes.

  • EMDR is a type of therapy that supports clients in healing from disturbing life experiences. What is unique about EMDR is that it does not require talking in great detail about distressing events, but rather helps clients focus on changing the emotions, feelings, and behaviors that have developed in response to distressing events to help the brain naturally heal. EMDR is a very specialized intervention which requires extensive training and consultation for providers. Most of the providers at Drishti are EMDR trained! Learn more.

  • SFBT is a goal-directed therapeutic intervention that is strengths-based and future-focused, relying heavily on solutions, rather than problems. It is typically used over a shorter period of time or as a brief component of a larger therapeutic picture. SFBT helps clients look at and embrace goals and past successes to find pathways to feel better.