When you come in for your initial appointment, which is referred to as an intake appointment, you will be asked to fill out our intake packet which will be provided to you as you check in on the day of  your initial appointment. Our intake packet can also be downloaded and printed by clicking here. If you choose to fill out the intake packet at the office on the day of your initial intake appointment, we suggest that you plan to arrive at least 20 to 30 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment in order for you to have plenty of time to fill out the intake packet. Additionally, when checking in for your intake appointment, you will be asked to provide your insurance card. If the client is a minor who has been named in a divorce decree or custody agreement, such documentation will also be needed for the initial intake appointment.   

After you check in and fill out the intake packet, you will meet with your counselor. During your intake appointment, you will be able to talk to your counselor about what brought you into counseling in order for you and your counselor to determine counseling goals which are relevant to you. If the client is a minor, the counselor will typically meet with the parent or guardian during the opening of the intake appointment prior to the counselor meeting with the minor. Meeting with the parent or guardian during the intake appointment is very important towards building collaboration between the counselor and the parent or guardian. Additionally, by meeting with the client’s parent or guardian during the intake appointment, the counselor will be able to gain a better understanding of the struggles faced by the client, client’s history and guarantee that the parent or guardian gain understating of the counseling process especially when it comes to confidentiality.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a common type of mental health counseling.  With cognitive behavioral therapy, you work with a trained counselor in a structured way, attending a limited number of sessions. By helping you become aware of inaccurate or negative thinking, cognitive behavioral therapy allows you to view challenging situations more clearly and respond to them in a more effective way.

Cognitive behavioral therapy can be a very helpful tool in treating mental illnesses such as anxiety or depression. But, not everyone who benefits from cognitive behavioral therapy has a mental health condition. It can be a very effective tool to help anyone learn how to better manage stressful life situations.