Experienced Therapists Counseling People through Active Partnerships
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I have a list of psychotherapists' names given to me by my friends, family and insurance company.I want to see one of the top therapists in the field. How do I decide which therapist is right for me? Make sure that your prospective therapist is licensed, experienced and qualified to help you. We put together this web site, in part, to give prospective clients a chance to get to know each of us and the ways we work with clients. You may want to call us with a few questions or contract for one session only, in order to get a sense of who would be the best therapist for you. Choose a therapist who makes you feel comfortable and seems able to help you achieve your goals.
How is talking to you different than talking to my friends and family? Hopefully, your friends and family are rooting for your happiness, but their lives may be significantly affected by your actions. Other people’s unresolved issues may cloud their understanding of you. A trained, experienced psychotherapist can provide a neutral, objective environment where your best interests are the primary focus.
How does therapy work? Clinical social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists establish confidential (per both our code of ethics and Illinois law), professional relationships with clear and specific ethical boundaries. We gather significant information and facts regarding our clients’ current situation and life history. We help our clients develop new way of understanding their issues within the context of their family of origin and their history of behavioral patterns. We provide feedback and supportively confront and challenge our clients to experiment with new behaviors. We assist our clients in developing new perspectives, tactics and strategies that lead to improved quality of life and an evolving sense of themselves as competent, assertive adults who have both the right and the capacity to make good life choices.
My previous therapist never confronted me about my problems. Will my therapist tell me what to do? A good therapist listens carefully, develops a clear understanding of your situation, and helps you evaluate a variety of options. Ultimately, it is your responsibility to choose “what to do”. Our job is to challenge you to understand your life more clearly, become more empowered, and make behavioral choices that are consistent with who you want to be. When there are behaviors and patterns that we are concerned about, we will certainly provide feedback. Our job is to be smart, objective, supportive, challenging allies. Do you conduct therapy sessions over the telephone? Yes. Over the years, we have had many clients who prefer to conduct some or most of their psychotherapy sessions over the telephone. Sometimes clients travel, get “stuck” in their offices, have children at home who need childcare, or even reside in other areas, making telephone therapy a necessary alternative to office sessions. However, we must establish an in-office, face-to-face relationship with a client, and determine that he or she is an appropriate candidate, before we will agree to conduct telephone sessions. We are located in downtown Chicago, in zip code 60602, near 60601, 60603 and 60604 for the maximum convenience of our clients. Do you put all your clients on medication? Some of our clients take psychotropic medication [usually anti-depressants or anxiety reducing drugs] as an adjunct to psychotherapy. Many of our clients take no medication at all. If your therapist thinks medication might benefit you, he or she will recommend that you have a medication evaluation with a qualified physician who is responsible for prescribing the medication. I have Blue Cross PPO, Cigna, United Healthcare, Humana, Aetna Insurance. Will Partners for Change accept my insurance? The therapists at Partners for Change are experienced and competent in helping our clients understand how to access their benefits and how to access their mental health insurance. We are approved providers for some insurance plans. While we actively assist our clients in dealing with their insurance company, it is important that you contact your company to review your specific benefits.
Partners for Change, LLC 55 E. Washington Suite 2700 Chicago, Illinois 60602 312 782-3888
Partners for Change, LLC is conveniently located in the downtown Chicago loop, within a few blocks of zip codes 60601, 60602, 60603, 60604, 60611.