Counseling and Therapy FAQ

Rational Living Therapy (RLT) is a form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), among other strands of it, and is based on research findings on perception, brain functioning, social learning, classical conditioning, and general semantics. The bottom line is that this treatment approach can help you learn how to base your thoughts on fact, insure that your thinking will help you achieve your goals, and feel the way you want to feel. Rational thinking habits create a rational lifestyle.

People have different reasons for visiting a psychotherapist. Some people pursue psychotherapy because they feel depressed, anxious, or angry for a long period of time. Others may want help coping with a chronic illness that is interfering with their emotional or physical well-being. Some people just have short-term problems they need help navigating.

Yes, your psychotherapy can be covered by insurance in some cases. If the etiology or cause of a physical illness is a mental disease, your insurer can’t refuse insurance coverage. For example, if anxiety and depression lead to hypertension, psychotherapy has to be covered by your insurer. At Independence Family Therapy Services, we are happy to work with your insurance company. We’ll handle the paperwork for you!

A psychotherapist is anyone who works as a psychiatrist, psychologist, or another mental health provider. A psychotherapist will help you learn about your condition and give you strategies to cope with your moods, feelings, thoughts, and behaviors.

The amount of time you spend in psychotherapy is unique to you. In general, the number of your sessions will vary by your condition and treatment. In general, most patients report feeling better after three months. Patients with depression and anxiety experience significant improvement anywhere between one month and four months.

In our culture, most people think that you are suffering a breakdown if you start to cry. However, in psychotherapy, we look at it differently. In therapy, tears can indicate that the person is giving up a struggle for the moment. At Independence Family Therapy Services, we like to think of this optimistically, which is why we call it a breakthrough.

Some clients may be familiar with the "3 C’s," which represent a structured approach to the techniques of Catch it, Check it, and Change it. If they are, encourage them to practice applying the 3 C's to address self-stigmatizing thoughts.