What if I know I need help but don’t know what kind of therapy I need?
That is very common. You do not need to know whether CBT, EMDR, DBT, Brainspotting or another approach is right for you before contacting us. Your clinician will learn about what you are experiencing, your history and your goals and can recommend an approach based on your individual needs.
How do I know if my problem is “serious enough” for therapy?
There is no minimum level of distress required to benefit from therapy. Some people begin therapy because anxiety, depression, trauma or another concern is significantly interfering with their lives. Others seek support with relationships, stress, parenting, self-esteem, identity, life transitions or personal growth. You do not need to wait until a problem becomes a crisis to ask for support.
Do I need a mental health diagnosis to start therapy?
No. People seek therapy for many reasons that do not necessarily involve a psychiatric diagnosis. Therapy can provide support for stress, relationships, parenting, life transitions, personal growth, self-understanding and other everyday challenges.
What if I’ve tried therapy before and it didn’t help?
A previous experience with therapy does not necessarily predict what a future experience will be like. The fit between therapist and client, treatment approach, timing, goals and readiness for change can all influence the experience. If previous therapy was not helpful, tell us what did and did not work so we can consider that when helping you find a clinician.
How do you decide which Evolve therapist is the best fit for me?
Our intake team considers the concerns bringing you to therapy, your age, treatment goals, clinician expertise, scheduling needs and other relevant preferences. Because Evolve is a multidisciplinary group practice, we can consider which member of the team may best align with what you are looking for rather than simply assigning the next available appointment.
What happens if my therapist and I realize I need a different type of service?
Needs sometimes become clearer after therapy begins. A therapist may recognize that additional assessment, specialized treatment, coaching or another service could be helpful. Because Evolve provides psychotherapy, psychological and neuropsychological evaluations, ADHD and autism evaluations, and coaching services, your clinician can discuss appropriate options and referrals when needed.
Can therapy and psychological testing be done at the same time?
Sometimes. Therapy and psychological testing serve different purposes and may be appropriate concurrently depending on the circumstances. For example, someone may continue therapy while completing an ADHD or neuropsychological evaluation for diagnostic clarification. Your providers can discuss whether this makes sense for your individual situation.
Are children/teens seen alone or is the family included?
We see children and teens as part of a larger and very important system, the family. We start off by seeing the parents/guardians alone for the first session to gather information about the main concerns and background history. This sometimes may take more than one visit. Then, depending on the age of the child, we will spend a few sessions individually with the child and then have a parent-child or family session. This pattern of individual and family sessions will continue throughout therapy. Depending on the presenting problems, some children and teens are seen with their families more frequently.
How does therapy work with infants, toddlers or preschool children?
We work with infants, toddlers and preschool children in individual play therapy and parent-child therapy to address the various concerns such as tantrums, aggression, oppositionality/defiance, fears and separation anxiety. Parent Child Interaction Therapy is a commonly used approach when working with disruptive behaviors in young children.
What is the difference between parent coaching and psychotherapy?
Parent coaching focuses specifically on your role as a parent/caregiver and what tools can help you be successful in improving your comfort and confidence in that role. Psychotherapy varies in that you and your lived experiences are the focus on treatment, parenting and your feelings regarding that role in your life can be discussed and touched on, however psychotherapy is not for the sole purpose of improving dynamics within your family or helping to intervene and change your child’s challenging behaviors.
How long will it take to “fix” me or my child?
It is important to first identify that you and your child do not need to be ‘fixed.’ In working with your therapist, the language you use to speak to yourself – and therefore others – will be redirected to be more empathetic and supportive. The length of time is not something that can be identified objectively as everyone and every household is different; you should discuss your goals for length of treatment with your therapist as well as the practicality of those goals.
How is therapy different from talking to friends or family?
Supportive relationships are valuable, but psychotherapy offers something different. Therapy provides a confidential professional relationship focused specifically on understanding your concerns, recognizing patterns, developing skills and working toward defined goals. A therapist can also draw from clinical training and evidence-based approaches that friends and family are not expected to provide.
How will I know whether therapy is actually working?
Progress can look different depending on why you entered therapy. You may notice changes in symptoms, coping, relationships, communication, emotional regulation, decision-making or how you respond to situations that previously felt overwhelming. Your therapist can help establish treatment goals and periodically evaluate progress with you.
What if I don’t feel like my therapist is the right fit?
A strong therapeutic relationship is important. If something does not feel right, you can discuss it directly with your therapist or contact our intake team. Sometimes concerns can be addressed within the therapeutic relationship; in other situations, a different clinician or treatment approach may be more appropriate.
Do you accept insurance or offer private pay therapy in NJ?
We are a private pay therapy practice in NJ and are out-of-network with all insurance plans. Many of our clients receive reimbursement for a portion of their sessions through out-of-network benefits. As a courtesy, we can even verify your benefits for you before you begin.
How long are the sessions?
Sessions are typically 45 minutes in length but can be coordinated to be longer when working with couples or families depending on the issues at hand. EMDR sessions can be coordinated to last 45 or 90 minutes, depending on individual needs.
How frequent are the sessions?
All new clients begin with weekly sessions, and sometimes more often if needed. Early in treatment, you and your therapist will set goals together. Once those goals are met and progress feels steady, sessions can move to every other week. Over time, as gains hold, they may taper further to monthly or as-needed check-ins. Session frequency is always decided together, and it can increase again whenever extra support would help.
What is PsyPact?
PsyPact is an interstate compact designed to allow licensed psychologists to practice telepsychology with individuals across state boundaries (clients who reside in other states other than New Jersey) legally and ethically without necessitating that the psychologist become licensed in every state where the client lives to practice.
To learn if your state is participating in PsyPact, please check the map below: