What Happens in a Therapy Session?

How does Therapy Work? 

The decision to see a therapist is a very personal one. People realize that therapy can involve looking closely at yourself, your situation and the people around you. For some people, this can be very difficult at first, but the rewards are immeasurable. Having an expert psychologist to work with you in this process is an invaluable asset. This work helps people to enhance and maintain their physical and mental health, promote honest, intimacy and fulfillment in their lives.

It is important to understand that counselling and therapy differ from friendship. As a highly trained clinical psychologist, I work to guide you to find insight and soluations to the problems that are keeping you from reaching your full potential. During a session you and I together will do the hard work that will lead you to the answers that are already inside of you. My clinical training enables me to challenge and support you in ways that your friends cannot. Often just telling someone who is not otherwise involved in your life about your goals and the pain or challenges you have can be very liberating, especially in the context of a supportive therapeutic relationship.

Everything you say in our sessions will be kept confidential. The only exceptions are when there is a danger that you may harm yourself or someone else, or in active cases of abuse. If you are involved in the abuse of someone in your care, or if you are being abused by a health professional, I am obligated by law to disclose that information to the appropriate authorities. However, those types of situations are rare. Most find it a great relief to have a safe space where they are able to share whatever they like without being judged and rest assured that it will remain confidential.

What Happens in a Typical Therapy Session?

What happens in your session will be shaped by your particular needs. There are two main ways to approach: structured or open-ended. Amy Moroz, Clinical Psychologist will work with you to determine the best approach fo your situation. The structured approach below generally is best for coaching, and some combination of the two approaches often works best for therapy.

Open-ended Sessions: Some people work towards the solutions best by having a weekly appointment and sharing whatever is on their mind in an open-ended way. This facilitates awareness and personal growth. Amy Moroz, Clinical Psychologist will provide space to explore whatever you are experiencing in the moment, and provide guidance to consider your thoughts and feelings in ways that foster insight.

Structured Sessions: Some people find the solution lies in highly structured sessions. In structured sessions, a clear plan is always in place and you will know exactly what is going to happen at every session. You might be guided to practice particular skills or review certain types of interactions with specific, targeted goals for improvement.

Amy Moroz, Clinical Psychologist has training and experience in both open-ended and structured approaches. She is also skilled at combining them or toggling back and forth between them. In your initial sessions, Amy Moroz, Clinical Psychologist will work with you to determine the best approach for your needs.

When, Where and How Often Do Visits Happen?

When: Amy Moroz, Clinical Psychologist is able to see you at a variety of times, including evenings and weekends. Because sessions are a manageable amount of time (45-50 minutes), she is usually able to find a time that works in your schedule.

Where: Amy Moroz, Clinical Psychologist will be happy to see you in her offices in Guelph, through Skype, or over the phone. Amy Moroz, Clinical Psychologist recognizes that many clients lead busy lives and are not always able to come to the office due to travel or other issues, and she will work to fit with your needs.

How Often: The frequency of your sessions will depend upon your particular needs. Some clients prefer to come more frequently while they are addressng a problem in the early stages and then schedule less frequent appointments to maintain gains or even just have an occasional "booster" sessions. Amy Moroz, Clinical Psychologist supports clients and is happy to accommodate clients who can benefit from short-term therapy which is generally about 8-10 sessions, as clients who benefit from ongoing standing appointments on a weekly basis. There are also some clients who occasionally want to be seen more often when they want additional support. Amy Moroz, Clinical Psychologist will offer her professional opinion about what frequency is best for you, and she will always respect your right to decide about how often feels best for you.

What Types of Issues are Helped by Therapy?

Amy Moroz, Clinical Psychologist works successfully with issues related to relationships, stress management, anxiety, trauma, self-esteem, communication skills depression and goal attainment for personal, professional and academic goals. Often times, these issues overlap: for example, a person might want therapy to learn stress management techniques but then need coaching to help them to stay on track with using those techniques regularly: or a person might have goals to attain academically although the need to develop communication skills will help them to achieve those goals. For this reason, a combination of therapy and coaching tends to work well in helping people to gain clarity about what will help them to feel better and then supporting them as they work towards it. To learn more, click "Specialities" tab at the top of this page or contact Amy Moroz for a complimentay 15 minute phone consultation.

Contact Amy Moroz, Clinical Psychologist

If you would like to learn more about what happens in a visit, or to schedule an appointment and experience it firsthand, contact Amy Moroz, Clinical Psychologist.