Somewhere inside you have a voice beseeching you to listen.
I can help you to access it and listen.
The answer to both of these questions depend mostly on the problems that you address in your therapy. Some problems respond very well to a shorter course of therapy such as, "I want to be able to confront my boss without becoming angry or shutting down. And, I want to be able to do this in a professional manner, but in the past I have not been able to." A problem such as this may very well be handled in a few sessions.
Problems that are more generalized such as, "I am so unhappy and have no idea how to change this", may take a longer period of time to address and understand what may be causing your pain. There are many things that make your experiences and you unique. Likewise, there are many variables that make undergoing this kind of exploration unique and ultimately, gratifying.It is most important to understand that whether your problem is specific or general, that effectiveness may be reached within as little time as six sessions, or it could take six months or longer. Making the decision to go into therapy does not mean that you are signing up for life.
The first session allows you and your therapist to get to know one another. It also gives you the opportunity to see if I am the professional that you feel comfortable enough to do this kind of work with. It gives me time to understand what your specific needs are and relate to you how it is that I can help. It is important that you find the 'right fit' with the therapist that works with you.
There is no commitment for you at this point other than establishing whether or not you feel you want to continue based on what you have discovered in this first meeting.
Generally I work only with private pay clients. On occasion I will accept PPO plans and some insurance as an in network provider. Most, but not all insurance carriers allow you to see a therapist that you feel comfortable picking yourself. This would be something that you would take care of, finding out from your specific provider. Simply call your provider and ask if they will allow you to see a professional therapist of your choice. The downfalls of using your insurance is that most insurance carriers require that you are given a severe mental diagnosis. There is no assurance that this information will be kept confidential by your provider.
Typically, a session last for 50 minutes and sessions are scheduled on the same day at the same time every week. Depending on your specific needs, appointments may be scheduled twice per week.