What to Expect in Therapy
at Arden Way
Arden Way Therapy is a place where you get dedicated time to focus on yourself. You get to take off all of your many hats and allow yourself to just be you. You get to focus on what you're thinking, feeling, and experiencing rather than what everyone else needs from you.
Quick links:BEFORE YOUR FIRST SESSION
SCHEDULING
For your convenience, you can view my availability calendar, and book sessions on your own, to ensure you pick a time slot free in your calendar.
Your initial appointment can be booked via any button that says “Book Your First Session”. Follow up sessions can be booked via the Client Portal.
Here is the link to enter your Client Portal via the web anytime.
The most convenient way to navigate the Client Portal is via the app found in both the Apple Store and Google Store. Look for this icon.
Generally, at the end of each session, we will review our calendars and schedule the next appointment, but you always have access to my availability calendar to cancel or reschedule as needed.
INTAKE PAPERWORK
When you book your initial session, I get alerted to your appointment request.
Within the following hours, you will receive an email that invites you to set up your Client Portal account and sign a few forms.
The forms cover informed consent, privacy, practice policies, technology, AI-assisted documentation, social media boundaries, cancellations, and payment/insurance arrangements.
PAYMENT & FINANCIAL INFORMATION
When setting up your Client Portal, it will ask for your credit card information, and ask for your consent to authorize charges be paid by the card on file. You are able to update your credit card information anytime verbally with me, or directly through the Client Portal.
If we have determined that you have Out-of-Network benefits on your health insurance coverage, your payment information will need to added to Thrizer (the company that helps us make using your out-of-network benefits convenient).
If you want to check now about your out-of-network benefits, you can do that now.
What you need to have prepared
The only thing you really need to bring is an openness to the process.
You do not need to know exactly what you want to work on.
You do not need to come in knowing what you want to talk about.
You do not need to have everything figured out before you start.
We will uncover what's bringing you to therapy as we go along.
at Your First Therapy Session
Your first session isn't a test you have to pass. You don't need to know exactly what you’re looking for from therapy before you arrive.
I’ll take the lead. I have three goals for your first therapy session.
Learn a lot more about you
I will ask you a lot of questions.
help you feel comfortable
So you trust me enough to be the one you open up to.
Tell you a bit about me
So we can both decide if it feels like a good fit to work together.
We'll talk about what's bringing you in.
I'll ask questions to help me see a big, overview picture of who you are.
We'll talk about what it is that you want to be different.
I’ll share more about what to expect ahead, specific to my approach in therapy.
I’ll share any initial insights I may have.
We'll wrap up and collaboratively decide what days, times, frequency, focus, and other details will work best for both of us moving forward.
Your first therapy appointment will look a lot like this:
At Arden Way
Therapy at Arden Way isn't just me sitting quietly while you talk and hoping insight magically turns into change.
We'll slow down enough to understand the patterns you're experiencing, but we'll also look at what happens in real life—how you respond in relationships, how you make decisions, what happens when you're overwhelmed, and what you do when self-doubt takes over.
What Therapy sessions look like
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Therapy sessions involve a lot of talking. We often talk for a straight 45-50 minutes. But therapy is not just talking.
Many therapeutic techniques I employ weave right into our natural conversation. Techniques are not always obvious or formally structured—so it’s likely that you may not notice many of them.
This is why sometimes therapy can feel like you’re just talking. However, if at the end of a session, you are more aware of something, have a new insight, have something new that you want to try, or feel differently, that’s a good indicator that therapeutic techniques were present but just well disguised.
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Some people want me to tell them what to do. However, this is not how I approach therapy. You are the expert in your own life. My role isn't to tell you what decision to make. It's to help you understand yourself, consider your options, decide what is right for you, and put it into action.
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Because Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the main modality of therapy that I use, yes, there will frequently be homework. I find homework to be very valuable to the process. So, yes, after most sessions, I will suggest something for you to do between now and the next session.
Homework is never mandatory. It will always be meaningful and encouraged, but always your choice to do. There are no consequences from me for not doing it.
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Maybe. Learning about a person’s childhood offers significant context for their current habits, behaviors, relationships, and circumstances. But we won't spend time in the past simply because we're supposed to.
You will never be pushed to talk about something you do not want to talk about. You can decide to never talk about it, or ask that we hold off on the topic for now.
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These are sometimes the most fruitful sessions I have. When there aren’t immediate concerns to talk about, it frees up our time and focus to dig deeper into things that you’ve noted as important before but often dismiss as not-as-important as what’s top of mind.
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Crying happens. Therapy encourages you to get more closely in touch with your emotions. Some emotions bring a person to cry. We’ll continue the session and possibly reflect on how you feel after crying. Maybe you’ll feel some relief.
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You will never be pressured to change something you aren’t ready or willing to change. If you don’t want to change something, I respect your decision. We may explore why or what changed, if you previously thought you wanted to change something.
Therapy is tool offered to you to work on what you want, and consent, to work on.
WHAT AM I COMMITING TO?
How Long Does Therapy Take?
There isn't a predetermined number of sessions that everyone needs. Some people come to therapy with a specific problem they want to work through; others are working through longstanding patterns that take more time to understand and change.
We'll regularly evaluate whether therapy is helping, what is changing since starting therapy, and what still needs attention.
You are not committing to therapy indefinitely. You have the option to end therapy at any point, for any reason.
The goal isn't to keep you in therapy—it’s to help you make meaningful changes and eventually feel confident navigating your life with the tools you've developed.
What if I don't feel comfortable with my therapist?
Feeling comfortable with your therapist matters. Therapy requires you to be honest about things that can feel vulnerable, uncomfortable, or difficult to talk about. So, you should feel that you can be yourself without worrying about being judged.
If something about our work together doesn’t feel right, I encourage you to tell me. You don’t have to quietly tolerate something that isn’t working for you. We can talk about what you’re experiencing and decide whether something needs to change.
And sometimes, you may realize that we simply aren’t the right fit. That’s okay, too. A good therapeutic relationship matters, and if I believe another therapist or type of support would better meet your needs, I’ll tell you that.
You should never feel trapped in therapy or feel like you have to stay because you’ve already started. The goal is to find support that genuinely helps you.
How often should I go to therapy?
There isn’t one schedule that works for everyone. Many people begin therapy weekly to build momentum and make meaningful progress. Depending on your needs and goals, we may reduce to meeting every other week or less often as you become more confident using what you’ve learned on your own.
As the skills you learn become more natural, and you feel you’re getting closer to your goals, you may need less frequent support.
How Do I Know If Therapy Is Working?
Some people may feel a life-changing difference after a particular problem has resolved. More often, people notice that therapy is working more gradually. Maybe you start to notice that someone’s criticism doesn’t hurt you as deeply, or you stop thinking about it more quickly.
Maybe it has gotten easier for you to get out of bed in the morning and/or you’re no longer racing to every single commitment on your calendar each day.
Over time, people sometimes tell me they notice themselves using ideas from therapy in the moment.
Therapy “working” does not necessarily mean that you’ll never feel anxious, overthink, second-guess yourself, or fall into old patterns again.
It will probably look more like noticing what's happening sooner, responding differently, recovering faster, and trusting yourself more.
Read more on what real healing looks like, [to be added].
what we might work on
This is the part I get really excited about. Because Arden Way is a private-pay practice, our work isn't shaped around an insurance company's definition of medical necessity. We can focus on what you actually want to change in your life.
Some of the common things I work on in therapy with people are:
The emotional cost of looking like you always have it all together
Reducing people-pleasing and fear of conflict
Learning to trust your own judgment
Learning how to manage your stress
Developing emotional regulation skills
Patterns of overthinking
Chronic Anxiety
Making decisions with greater confidence
Challenging self-doubt and limiting beliefs
Navigating life transitions
The burden of perfection
Building and respecting stronger boundaries
Understanding why you keep repeating patterns you already recognize
Telehealth Specific
TELEHEALTH SETUP
For telehealth appointments, you can use your phone or computer. Clients usually prefer using their computer, so their hands are free and can relax a bit more.
You will receive automated reminders before your appointments with the appointment link included. You can also always access the appointment through the calendar in the Client Portal.
Every appointment will have a unique URL for security purposes. No need to save old emails with old URL’s—they won’t work.
When setting up for a telehealth appointment, please avoid:
Driving
Being around other people
Substances that alter your state of mind
Inappropriate clothing
What to Expect from Online Therapy
Some people prefer online therapy and some prefer meeting with a therapist in-person. If you decide you are comfortable holding our sessions online, here is some of what you can expect:
Sessions are conducted through secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth technology
You will need to be physically located in New York for every telehealth session.
You should join from a private location where you can speak freely without being overheard.
If the connection fails, I have backup plans in place to continue the session.
I elaborate on these and more in the Use of Technology Informed Consent that you can review ahead of time here.
How Privacy and Technology Work in Therapy
Therapy is confidential within the limits of New York law. There are limited legal and safety-related exceptions, which are explained in your informed consent. You can read the exceptions in detail here.
Your Client Portal is the preferred method for communication due to encryption that protects your private information. Administrative communication may also happen through email/text, if you prefer.
Does Arden Way Therapy use AI?
Yes. Arden Way uses AI-assisted documentation tools within SimplePractice to support clinical note-taking. Audio is used to generate a transcript and draft documentation, and the therapist reviews and finalizes every note. Learn more about how AI is used and your rights regarding consent here.
More Logistics
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Arden Way Therapy is a private-pay practice. Private pay is sometimes referred to as self-pay, or out-of-pocket. This means that you are responsible for the full cost of the service at each appointment. If you are able to utilize any benefits from insurance, it will be in the form of reimbursements.
Standard individual therapy sessions are $155. Brief sessions of 5–37 minutes are $100, and the initial one-time intake assessment is $180.
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We may not be the right fit, and that’s okay.
Therapy works best when you feel comfortable enough to be honest and challenged enough to grow. If something about our work doesn't feel right, I want you to be able to say so.
And if I believe another therapist or type of service would better meet your needs, I'll tell you that too.
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This practice is not in-network with insurance. Many clients use out-of-network (OON) benefits—PPOs and some POS plans often include OON coverage; HMOs and EPOs usually do not.
I partner with Thrizer to file OON claims for you. Provide your insurance info and they submit claims. OON benefits often require meeting a deductible first; after that you may pay a reduced session fee instead of covering the full rate and waiting for reimbursement.
Check eligibility here.
If you don’t have insurance or OON benefits, private-pay is available.
When Therapy Comes to an End
How do you know you're ready to end therapy?
There isn't one definition of being “done” with therapy.
You may feel ready to end when the concerns that brought you to therapy have improved, you're handling challenges differently, or you feel increasingly able to use what you've learned independently.
There is also the option, and often recommended, to decrease the frequency of sessions before ending completely. We can meet once monthly or so, if you want to taper off of more frequent support.
Completing therapy doesn't mean you'll never need support again. Life changes, circumstances change, and old patterns can sometimes resurface. You can always seek therapy again if you reach a point where additional support would be helpful.
What if I want to take a break?
It is absolutely okay to take a break. You can choose to pause or stop therapy at any time. If you know you're planning to take a break, let me know so we can discuss what makes sense for scheduling and your return. Generally, if I do not hear from a client for 3 months and we don’t have a pre-arranged agreement in place, the client will be considered discharged from my caseload.
What happens in the final sessions?
In the final sessions of a course of therapy, we take time to review your progress, identify what has changed for you, review important concepts and insights that you want to remember, talk about how to get back on the schedule in the future if needed, and plan or wrap up any other details we agree to be beneficial.
If you decide to end therapy by simply not returning, that decision will be respected and you are always welcome to reach out again in the future. When possible, though, I encourage clients to have a final session so we can intentionally review their progress and bring the work to a meaningful close.
What if I realize I'm ready to stop therapy before my therapist does?
This is a likely scenario. You are welcome to communicate this to me. It will give us the opportunity to review what has improved for you and explore if there are other areas you’d prefer to focus on before you stop coming.
If you decide you're ready to stop therapy, I will respect that decision. You're always welcome to reach out again in the future if you need support.
Ready to start?
Fill out my inquiry form and book your first appointment .
