FAQs
Questions we hear often
Frequently Asked Questions
Teen Counseling FAQs
Teenagers open up when they trust that their counseling space is their own. So while we keep you informed about the big picture and how you can support your teen, we protect the privacy of the specific things they share. The exception is safety. If we are ever concerned that your teen is at risk, we will involve you. We talk through exactly how this works at the start, so everyone knows what to expect.
While working with your teen, we might suggest family sessions in order to communicate, problem-solve, and create a better connection. We will mediate any conflict and encourage vulnerability in order to be heard and understood. We may also suggest parent coaching sessions using the information we've gathered from your teen to give you more ideas on parenting them. Lydia answers this question more thoroughly in the video.
A “clinical hour” is 50 minutes.
Research has shown that teen mental health counseling can be highly effective in managing mental health concerns such as anxiety and depression. It can improve the teenager's quality of life, relationships, and academic performance.
Young Adult Counseling FAQs
Counseling for young adults is a type of therapy that helps individuals between the ages of 18 and 25 navigate various challenges and transitions in life. This can include mental health issues, academic or career concerns, relationship difficulties, and more.
During your first counseling session, your counselor will likely ask questions about your background, current concerns, and goals for therapy. They may also discuss their approach to therapy and answer any questions you have about the process.
Yes, counseling sessions are confidential. This means that anything you share in counseling will be kept private and not shared with anyone else without your permission, except in cases where your safety or the safety of others may be at risk.
Yes, counseling for young adults can be highly effective in addressing mental health concerns, relationship issues, and other personal challenges. Research has shown that young adults who participate in counseling are more likely to achieve their goals and experience improved mental health and wellbeing.
Individual Counseling FAQs
During an individual counseling session, the client and counselor will engage in a conversation focused on the client's goals and concerns. The therapist will provide guidance, support, and feedback to help the client gain insight into their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and to develop coping strategies to address their challenges.
It depends on what you are working through and what you want out of it. Some people come for a focused stretch around a specific challenge, and others stay longer for deeper work. Rather than leave it open-ended, we use measurement-based care to track your progress and build a written plan with you, usually by around the third session, so you always know where you are and where you are headed.
Yes, individual counseling is confidential. Your counselor is bound by ethical and legal obligations to protect your privacy and keep your information confidential, with some exceptions as mandated by law (such as in the case of suspected child abuse or neglect, or when a client poses a risk of harm to themselves or others).
Couples Counseling FAQs
During couples counseling, you and your partner will work with counselor to explore the issues that are affecting your relationship. You'll learn new communication and problem-solving skills, gain insight into your patterns of behavior, and develop a greater understanding and empathy for each other. The goal of couples counseling is to improve your relationship and strengthen your connection with your partner.
Couples counseling can be helpful for couples who are struggling with communication, intimacy, trust, and other issues in their relationship. If you're feeling disconnected from your partner and are having difficulty resolving conflicts on your own, couples counseling may be a good option.
Yes, couples counseling is available to all couples, regardless of their marital status. Whether you're dating, engaged, or in a long-term committed relationship, couples counseling can help you work through your issues and strengthen your bond.
We warmly welcome same-sex couples seeking counseling. Our counselors are trained to work with diverse couples and use evidence-based techniques to help build stronger communication and enhance intimacy. We provide a safe and supportive environment where you can feel seen, heard, and supported as you work to strengthen your relationship.
If your partner is hesitant to attend counseling, it's important to communicate openly and respectfully about your desire to work on your relationship. You may want to suggest individual counseling for each of you to start, or explore other ways to improve your relationship, such as self-help books or workshops.
If you've tried couples counseling before and it didn't work, it may be worth trying again with a different counselor or approach. It's important to communicate openly with your counselor about what worked and didn't work in previous counseling experiences, and to explore new strategies and techniques for improving your relationship.
Child Counseling FAQs
Kids do not always have the words for what they are feeling, so they show it through play instead. Play therapy gives a child a safe, structured way to express what is going on and to practice new ways of coping. Over time it helps them feel calmer, more confident, and better understood at home and at school.
No. Play therapy is one of the tools we use, and we choose the approach based on your child's age and what they are working through. Depending on the child, that might include talk-based work, parent coaching, or a mix. Children's counseling at Concord is provided by Halle Brandt, a graduate counseling intern, under the direct supervision of Lydia Thompson, LPC-MHSP.
With younger children, parents stay closely involved, and we will keep you informed about how things are going and how you can help at home. We also protect your child's sense of trust in the room, so some of the details of what they share stay between them and their counselor. We will always tell you if we have a concern about your child's safety.
Trust your gut. If your child seems more anxious, withdrawn, angry, or shut down than usual, if something has changed at home or school, or if the two of you keep getting stuck in the same hard patterns, it is worth a conversation. You do not need to wait for a crisis. Reaching out early often makes the work shorter and easier.
Family Counseling FAQs
Family counseling is a type of therapy that focuses on improving communication, resolving conflicts, and strengthening relationships among family members. Family counseling can involve various family configurations, such as parents and children, siblings, or extended family members.
Family counseling can address a wide range of issues, including communication problems, behavioral issues in children, conflicts related to divorce or separation, mental health issues, and more.
If your family is experiencing conflict or communication problems, struggling with a major life change, or experiencing difficulties related to mental health, family counseling may be helpful. Family counseling can also be beneficial in improving overall family dynamics and strengthening relationships.
Family counseling can help improve communication and problem-solving skills, reduce conflict and tension, increase understanding and empathy, and promote healthier family relationships. Family counseling can also help improve overall family functioning and reduce stress and anxiety for individual family members.
Individual counseling focuses on individual issues and personal growth, while family counseling focuses on improving family relationships and communication. Family counseling typically involves all or most family members and may include joint sessions as well as individual sessions.