Practice Info

The following information is provided to let you know how we do business at Spring Garden Counseling.

Hours

Weekdays 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Evenings by appointment

Length of Sessions

Counseling sessions are 50 minutes in duration unless advance arrangements are made. If you are unable to keep an appointment, please call to cancel or reschedule at least 24 hours in advance.

The Counseling Process

Making the decision to seek counseling requires courage. However, some of the anxiety in making such an important decision can be relieved with enough information and an understanding of how the process works. Here are some aspects of counseling and therapy as I practice it:

• Counseling requires your active involvement and efforts to change your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
• We will work together to specify the goals, focus, methods, risk and benefits of treatments.
• I take an educative approach to people's problems and encourage you to learn more about the kind of therapy I do.
• I will only use well established, researched and respected therapies.
• You will have to work both in and out of the counseling sessions so that your counseling goals can be met.
• There are no instant, painless, or passive cures.
• As with any powerful intervention, there are both benefits and risks associated with counseling and therapy.
• Periodically, we will evaluate our progress and, if necessary, redesign our treatment plan, goals and methods.

Confidentiality and Ethical Practice

One of the most important and fundamental aspect of the counseling relationship concerns the confidential nature of the information that you share with me. Generally, I will tell no one what you tell me. The privacy and confidentiality of our conversations and my records is a privilege of yours and is protected by state law and my profession's ethical principles (ACA Code of Ethics) in all but a few circumstances. There are two circumstances in which I cannot guarantee confidentiality, legally and/or ethically: (1) when I believe you intend to harm yourself or another person; and (2) when I believe a child or elder person has been or will be abused or neglected. In rare circumstances, Professional Counselors can be ordered by a judge to release information. Otherwise, I will not tell anyone anything about your treatment, diagnosis, history, or even that you are a client, without your full knowledge and usually a signed Release of Information Form.