Frequently Asked Questions about Mental Health Counseling at Calm Pathway

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It can feel so overwhelming to begin counseling. Different emotions like fear or shame can come up, making it hard to even begin the process. You might be thinking: “Is this therapist going to understand me?” “Can they really help me?” “Are they going to secretly judge what I tell them?” “I don’t want to be a burden.” These thoughts and feelings are completely normal—it’s hard to open up to a complete stranger you know little to nothing about!

I have a deep admiration for anyone who chooses to commit to counseling because I know how hard it can be. That being said, the process doesn’t have to be so scary and overwhelming, and I think knowing what to expect can help to alleviate some stress.

In general, you should be aware that your therapist has undergone extensive training in how to be nonjudgmental, accepting, and compassionate. Therapists have been trained to have something called “unconditional positive regard,” which just means that above all else, we approach our clients with deep empathy and hold them in a positive light regardless of anything they do or say. We’ve basically done empathy pushups in our brains. Furthermore, we have specifically chosen a career in which we listen to people’s deepest, darkest thoughts—we want to hear it all!

During your first counseling session, you can expect to be asked questions about what brings you to therapy right now, what you’ve tried in the past to help, what (if any) symptoms you are having, and what your goals are for counseling. If you have worked with a therapist in the past, I might ask about what your experience was like and what you found to be most helpful. I will review confidentiality with you and will make space to answer any questions you have. 

I use an eclectic approach, meaning I pull from my training in different types of therapy to provide an individualized, custom treatment based on your unique needs. Some types of mental health counseling I use include: eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), psychodynamic therapy, talk therapy, motivational interviewing (MI), internal family systems therapy (IFS), trauma informed/ trauma focused therapy, strengths-based therapy, and solution-focused therapy. I would say that I most often use EMDR and DBT frameworks.

My rate is $175 per 50 minute session. I offer a limited number of sliding scale slots for people undergoing financial hardship and use the green bottle method (read more about it here: https://www.wortsandcunning.com/blog/sliding-scale). Depending on your financial situation, I may offer a reduced rate of $125 or $75 during our initial phone conversation. 

I’m not currently in-network with any insurance panels, however, I offer a “superbill” that you can submit to your insurance for reimbursement if you have out-of-network benefits. I always recommend that you check with your insurance company to see if you have out-of-network benefits and whether you are eligible for reimbursement.

Yes. I use an easy-to-use HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform for virtual sessions. 

No problem! I have a convenient office located in Bala Cynwyd, PA (the Main Line suburbs of Philadelphia) where I hold in-person therapy sessions. 

There are pros and cons to meeting for in-person therapy versus online therapy, and in my opinion, your decision comes down to personal preference. I’ll break it down further below:

Pros of online counseling:

• Convenience
• Improved accessibility for those in-need (closed captions, volume control, being in your own space, etc.)
• You don’t need to commute to your therapist’s office in bad weather
• You can wear your pajamas (if you want)
• You can do therapy on-the-go, such as between running errands or on your lunch break from your car (not that I necessarily recommend this, but it does happen)

Cons of online counseling:

• You may lose that feeling of connection to your therapist that you might feel with in-person therapy
• Technical glitches: unfortunately these happen all the time and are a pain-in-the-you-know-what and can significantly disrupt the therapeutic process
• Maybe you don’t have a private area where you live and others may overhear your therapy session

Pros of in-person therapy:

• Increased feelings of connection to your therapist in-real-time
• No technical glitches to worry about
• Meeting in your therapist’s private office means household members won’t overhear your therapy session
• You may feel an increased sense of commitment to the therapy process

Cons of in-person therapy:

• Extra time needed to factor in the commute, parking, etc. 
• You have to get dressed (although I have no judgment whatsoever about what you wear to therapy. If you want to be comfy and come in pajamas, that’s alright too. You do you!)
• Because you might feel more connected to your therapist, you might feel more vulnerable and tender, which could bring up intense and unpleasant emotions

A lot of people choose to do a hybrid of meeting for both in-person therapy and hybrid therapy depending on what's convenient. I recommend taking time to consider what are the most important factors that you want to get out of therapy when considering whether to meet in-person or online. For example, consider whether you are super busy all the time and need the convenience of online therapy, or if you tend to have a lot of walls up and need to be more vulnerable with in-person therapy. As the saying goes, "to thine own self be true." 

Yes, Calm Pathway is a LGBTQIA+ friendly practice. I aim to provide a safe and welcoming environment for individuals of all gender identities and sexual orientations.

In general, I offer therapy sessions Monday through Thursday 9am-4pm (3pm being the last appointment time), and I may have some limited availability in the evenings. Email me at stella@calmpathway.com for more information.