About Us

How can therapy help me?

At FXBG Couples Therapy, we offer a safe and supportive environment where you can explore your thoughts and emotions, and work towards the life you truly want.  Individualized care is tailored to your unique needs and situation. We offer a range of services addressing the needs of those facing depression and anxiety; divorce recovery; trauma; grief and loss as well as those individuals and families facing terminal illness.

The benefits you obtain from therapy depend on how well you use the process and put into practice what you learn. Some of the benefits available from therapy include:

• Attaining a better understanding of yourself, your goals and values
• Developing skills for improving your relationships
• Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy
• Learning new ways to cope with stress and anxiety
• Managing anger, grief, depression, and other emotional pressures
• Improving communications and listening skills
• Changing old behavior patterns and developing new ones
• Discovering new ways to solve problems in your family or marriage
• Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence

Do I really need therapy? I can usually handle my problems.
Everyone goes through challenging situations in life, and while you may have successfully navigated through other difficulties you've faced, there's nothing wrong with seeking out extra support when you need it. In fact, therapy is for people who have enough self-awareness to realize they need a helping hand, and that is something to be admired. You are taking responsibility by accepting where you're at in life and making a commitment to change the situation by seeking therapy. Therapy provides long-lasting benefits and support, giving you the tools you need to avoid triggers, re-direct damaging patterns, and overcome whatever challenges you face.

Why do people go to therapy and how do I know if it is right for me?

People have many different motivations for coming to psychotherapy. Some may be going through a major life transition (unemployment, divorce, new job, etc.), or are not handling stressful circumstances well. Some people need assistance managing a range of other issues such as low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, addictions, relationship problems, spiritual conflicts and grief and loss. Therapy can help provide some  needed encouragement and help with skills to get them through these periods. Others may be at a point where they are ready to learn more about themselves or want to be more effective with their goals in life. In short, people seeking psychotherapy are ready to meet the challenges in their lives and ready to make changes in their lives.

What is therapy like?
Because each person has different issues and goals for therapy, therapy will be different depending on the individual. In general, you can expect to discuss the current events happening in your life, your personal history relevant to your issue, and report progress (or any new insights gained) from the previous therapy session. Depending on your specific needs, therapy can be short-term, for a specific issue, or longer-term, to deal with more difficult patterns or your desire for more personal development. Either way, it is most common to schedule regular sessions with your therapist.
It is important to understand that you will get more results from therapy if you actively participate in the process. The ultimate purpose of therapy is to help you bring what you learn in session back into your life. Therefore, beyond the work you do in therapy sessions, your therapist may suggest some things you can do outside of therapy to support your process - such as reading a pertinent book, journaling on specific topics, noting particular behaviors or taking action on your goals. People seeking psychotherapy are ready to make positive changes in their lives, are open to new perspectives and take responsibility for their lives.
What about medication vs. psychotherapy?
It is well established that the long-term solution to mental and emotional problems and the pain they cause cannot be solved solely by medication. Instead of just treating the symptom, therapy addresses the cause of our distress and the behavior patterns that curb our progress. You can best achieve sustainable growth and a greater sense of well-being with an integrative approach to wellness. Working with your medical doctor you can determine what's best for you, and in some cases a combination of medication and therapy is the right course of action.
Do you take insurance, and how does that work?
As a fee for service provider, I do not bill any insurance companies directly. However, upon request, I am happy to provide my clients a detailed receipt of services to be submitted for reimbursement to their insurance company as their policy may allow.
Does what we talk about in therapy remain confidential?
Confidentiality is one of the most important components between a client and psychotherapist. Successful therapy requires a high degree of trust with highly sensitive subject matter that is usually not discussed anywhere but the therapist's office. Every therapist should provide a written copy of their confidential disclosure agreement, and you can expect that what you discuss in session will not be shared with anyone. This is called “Informed Consent”. Sometimes, however, you may want your therapist to share information or give an update to someone on your healthcare team (you’re your Physician, Naturopath, Attorney), but by law your therapist cannot release this information without obtaining your written permission.
However, state law and professional ethics require therapists to maintain confidentiality except for the following situations:
* Suspected past or present abuse or neglect of children, adults, and elders to the authorities, including Child Protection and law enforcement, based on information provided by the client or collateral sources. If the therapist has reason to suspect the client is seriously in danger of harming him/herself or has threatened to harm another person. 

The following guidelines are necessary to ensure professional and therapeutic care. Please read the following carefully and ask for specifications about any element you do not fully understand.

Confidentiality
The laws and standards of the counseling profession require that I keep treatment records. All information disclosed within sessions and the written records pertaining to those sessions are confidential and may not be revealed to anyone without your written permission, except where law requires disclosure. Law, in the following circumstances, may require disclosure:

1. Where there is reasonable suspicion of child or elder abuse or neglect
2. Where a client presents a danger to him/herself or to another person
3. A client is gravely disabled

Availability and Emergency Procedures
    If you need to contact me between sessions, please leave a message on my voicemail. I check my messages several times a day and will return your call as soon as I am available. Calls received after 5 pm on Friday may not be returned until Monday. If you need to talk to someone right away, you can call the RACSB Emergency Services at (540) 373-6876, the police at 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. 

Payment
Couples therapy is $225/hr. and individual therapy is $185/hr. I do not bill any insurance companies directly but do provide a detailed receipt of services for clients to submit on their own for reimbursement as their policy may allow. Cash, check, Health Saving Account cards, and all major credit cards accepted for payment.

Cancellation
Since the scheduling of an appointment involves the reservation of time especially for you, the full session fee will be charged for sessions missed without 24-business hour notice of cancellation. Payment information kept on file will be used unless otherwise indicated.