FAQs about Sex therapy, counseling, psychotherapy, and coaching in San Antonio

San Antonio has so many beautiful and varied locations and services in one city. The service area of health and wellness centers such as yoga, martial arts, acupuncture, and many other types of alternative medicine specialties are growing. In addition to wellness centers, you might be looking for opportunities to improve mental health and peak performance. If you decide that you’re ready to explore mental health and are looking for positive results, how would you know who to pick and what to expect during a session?

I have to say that I am a careful “buyer” because I study all aspects of something new so that I can get the best thing to meet my need. If it’s a new kitchen appliance, a pair of shoes, or a new car, I want to have exactly what I need and what to expect.

I have been on both sides of therapy- the therapist and the client. Through my experience, this is what I and many others have wanted to know!

Questions About Therapy

Some of the various questions that a person may have include:

1. Do you need to do anything before you have a session? It could be helpful to write out a few questions before you go to the session so you know where you are starting.
2. Is there going to be paperwork? Yes, signed paperwork regarding privacy, telehealth, basic identifying information, sometimes a credit card on file, the no-show or late cancellation policy, and an intake form with some questions regarding your problem area, support system, mood, thinking process, etc. Some have forms online or can email the paperwork. People have also shown up to the appointment 20 minutes early to complete the paperwork before the session.
3. How do you pick the right therapist? Having multiple consultation calls with various therapists could be beneficial for you. You should look for someone that has the degree of empathy and sense of safety you feel comfortable with. If you need another therapist, communicate what you need and hopefully work to locate a good fit.
4. What happens in a therapy session?  Ask any questions you have about counseling. An assessment is completed in the first couple of sessions. A plan of action is developed (aka treatment plan). The issue is discussed to help establish what information, education, processing, skills, support, and types of therapy are needed.
5. How will you know if you are getting better? There should be check-ins every few sessions to determine if the issue is slowly resolving and to determine if there are any blocks to improving.
6. Who finds out what you have said in sessions? The information remains confidential between both parties. There is the exception of being a danger to self or others (suicidal or homicidal). If a person has a severe illness that prevents them from caring for themselves and is at risk, then this also requires a report.
   • If a person uses medical insurance, the company can have access to records- including a diagnosis and details to support the diagnosis and the need for ongoing treatment.

7. What types of experience does the therapist have?Ask about the years of experience because experience levels can reveal 2 things. Recent grads have access to the newest research and training as part of their education. Experienced therapists may have more years and many hours of training in specific areas. The therapist can specialize and seek extra training and certifications. The experienced therapist will also seek the most recent research to stay on top of the best treatment methods.

1. What do I look for in a specialty area? Finding therapists that have decided to specialize in specific issues can be a positive. Just search for the issue and your location. Such as “therapy in San Antonio” and “counseling in San Antonio” You can then look up the therapist’s website for information on your problem area or discuss it during a consultation.
2. What is your success rate? This question can be difficult. For many, treatment has no specific number of sessions or length of time in counseling. Factors that affect healing include the length of time for the problem, whether the issue happened once, a few times, or a lot. Expectations for what is better vary for people. Understanding, problem-solving, support system, effort in actively making changes, the rapport between the client and the therapist, and working to get better while in a toxic environment are some of the many factors that impact change.
   •  It is important to note that: everybody heals at different rates.

Questions About Sex Therapy

What about specific questions for sex addiction, pornography addiction, sex therapy for couples, functioning difficulties such as achieving orgasm, erectile dysfunction, and issues regarding sexuality questions?

1. Ask what type of training the therapist has in your issue. Seek a therapist in training or who has completed certification in the area you need help. An example would be looking through some of the certification programs out there. For me, I have sought two intense 2-year training and certification programs for sex therapy and sexual addiction with 30 to 50 hours of supervision to monitor skill development.
2. Would you like to have or not have a spiritual-based treatment focus? Discussing this can help you find the best method that works with your preferences.
3. Is there a way to have your partner participate in your therapy, too? Sometimes people will want their partner to join or have a solo session depending on what is available and your issues.
4. What type of couple counseling is going to be used? The counselor might say Gottman Method, Imago, Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFT), and others. Research the therapy type online or ask others what helped in their sessions.
   

Questions for Trauma and Sexual Abuse

What about specific questions regarding trauma and sexual abuse therapy?

1. What type of trauma training have you had? Various styles of working through trauma exist. Some popular and effective treatments include Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), Somatic Experiencing, Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), Prolonged Exposure (PE), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
2. How do I talk about these bad things from the past? The best way is for you to go at your own pace. You will learn some techniques to calm yourself in and outside of sessions that you should practice frequently. Feeling safe and keeping the nervous system calm are important. If things get too stressful, stay in communication with your therapist so that adjustments in how much and what is discussed can be made. Never feel that you are disappointing anybody by sharing what you need.

I hope this helps you find the right therapist in San Antonio. If you are feeling stuck or confused, feel free to call me at (210)262-5056 for a free 15-minute phone consultation. I’d be happy to hear about what is happening and help direct you to the right person. If you are looking for help with trauma, sex therapy, or sexual addiction, you can read more about how I can help on my website, www.cherylcamarillo.com.