What is online counseling?

Online professional counseling has helped bridge the gap of accessibility to mental health services. For example, it can help with the burden or stress of not having access to a quality therapist in your community or trying to work around a busy schedule. Through online professional counseling you will meet with your therapist through video conferencing for your scheduled sessions. Substantial, reliable and current research has found that online professional counseling is as effective as in-person counseling.

Online professional counseling is ideal for clients who have easy access to stable internet and equipment (ie. tablet, smartphone, laptop computer) that provides audio and video capabilities. It also ideal for clients who are able to communicate effectively in therapy since we are not able to see all of your non-verbal behaviors. The quality of the experience is also dependent on the client having a private and quiet space. Online professional counseling is helpful in that it is compatible with busy schedules and removes the demand of community.

Online professional counseling, in our opinion, is not ideal for clients who have a hard time accessing stable internet and equipment with audio and video capabilities. It is also not ideal are non-verbal or have a hard time communicating effectively in therapy. For safety concerns, online professional counseling is not for clients with active psychotic symptoms or disorders, and/or have active suicidal/homicidal thoughts or ideations or have a chronic history of suicidal/homicidal ideation and/or attempts.

How does the therapeutic process look like at Guiding Lantern?

The outcome of your treatment depends largely on your willingness to engage in this process, which may, at times, result in discomfort. A natural part of processing unpleasant events and becoming aware of feelings attached to those events can bring on feelings of emotional distress and poses no harm. Therapy is often a gradual and ongoing process that requires commitment and effort. Acknowledging that there are no miracle cures helps us prepare for potential difficulties in the therapeutic journey. Committing to the process is shared commitment. As your therapist we commit to partnering with you to navigate the challenges that may arise during the therapeutic process. Our primary goal is to identify and understand repeating patterns of thoughts, behaviors, or relationships while ensuring your agency and autonomy are respected. This is a key aspect of our therapeutic approach.

 Our leading objective is to empower you to make the changes or take the actions to create a life of wellness by facilitating self-discovery and -reflection. We are dedicated to creating a space where you can feel safe to be honest, vulnerable, and open to feedback. We trust you to set the pace of healing while also gently encouraging you to reach higher expectations when we see appropriate. Your well-being is our priority, and we support you in expressing when you need a slower pace or a break.

 To help us we rely on a client-informed therapeutic process collaboratively we will participate in the key components; intake, assessment, treatment planning, techniques and interventions.

Do you accept insurance?

No. Guiding Lantern is a self-pay practice and accepts all major debit and credit cards, including most HSA's. Upon enrollment your card will securely be on file and payment will automatically occur after every session, stress and hassle free. After each payment is processed you will receive an invoice with the details of payment.

What should I expect during my first session?

Your first session is foundational and is the first step of the therapeutic process. During intake we ensure you understand; your rights, the therapeutic process, our professional relationship; fees and payments. Our first session is a critical part of the therapeutic process as it helps us gain insight into your presenting problem, identify factors that exacerbate your presenting problem, serves as a basis for your planning interventions, gather information to form a diagnosis and bring your strengths to the forefront. As you evolve in the therapeutic process we will pause and assess your progress and wellbeing.