FAQ

What clients do you see?

I work with clients aged 16+ for individual therapy.

Most potential clients see me for:

• Trauma
• Grief and Loss
• Chronic Illness
• Stress
• Life transitions
• Difficult relationships with others
• The challenges of being a Highly Sensitive Person
• Work or school concerns
• Depression
• Anxiety

With that, I work with those that are a good fit for my therapy style and whose concerns fall within my levels of training.

How long will therapy take me to complete?

Therapy is a highly individualized process. The duration of therapy is dependent upon the person in therapy, the relationship between that person and the therapist and the issues that the person wishes to address in therapy. It can also be dependent upon the severity of those issues. Some problems are resolved in a relatively short period of time, whereas others will need longer therapy. Presenting with a brief problem, such as inability to interact with a co-worker productively, can frequently bring up unresolved past issues that will need to be addressed in order to adequately help clients prevent future problems in that area. Presenting with an issue such as lack of focus or feelings of sadness, which are more generalized, may take longer periods of time to address. Therapy is hard work, but the benefits of therapy can outweigh the risks for many people. Therapy may be considered to be an investment in the future self.

What can I expect in my first session of therapy?

The first few therapy sessions allow me to learn about clients and their situations as well as for them to learn about my therapeutic style. Because it is important to me that clients feel comfortable working with me, at the end of each session I ask clients to communicate their feelings about that session, their progress in therapy, and any questions or concerns they have about their treatment. The first session will be an intake session.  This allows me to get a more comprehensive understanding of your history as we focus on goals for therapy and options for treatment.

Working with a therapist is much like working with any other professional in that it is a reciprocal relationship. If, at any time, you feel as if I am not the best fit for you, it is important to communicate so I may attempt to correct the problems or, if that is not possible, refer you to another therapist. If at any time I feel like I am not the best fit for you, ethically, or when dealing with competence issues such as having proper training, I may offer to refer you to another professional who would be better suited for you.

How long are therapy sessions?

A typical session lasts 45 to 50 minutes and is usually scheduled once a week. However, based upon the feelings of the client and the therapist, they may agree to meet more frequently or less frequently or for longer or shorter sessions.

If a client uses insurance, the amount of time that insurance will cover may be fixed.  With clients who are self-pay, meeting times have more flexibility for session length and number of sessions.

Will you prescribe me medications?

In the State of Tennessee, psychologists do not have prescribing privileges.

The therapeutic model is holistic in that I will view you as a whole person as opposed to a set of symptoms to be treated.  We may discuss your sleeping habits, your appetite, your exercise regimen, your work/home/school environments and other factors that may be affecting your mental and physical health.

My feelings on medication are that some people need them all of the time, some people need them some of the time and some people need them not at all.  If, after an initial evaluation, or, at any time during therapy, you and I agree that medication is something that might be beneficial for you, I will refer you to a psychiatrist or medical doctor for evaluation.

Do you take insurance?  

I do accept some Aetna.  With that, most insurance companies have multiple plans within their network which means that I may not be paneled with all of the network plans.  Please check with me and your insurance company to be sure I’m in-network for your plan.

Some insurance companies have a restricted time limit on how long a client is able to wait for a session once it is requested.  I may refer you to another in-network provider if my first available appointment time is extended more than your insurance plan allows.

One thing of note is that some insurances require a referral prior to treatment.  As such, please contact your insurance company prior to scheduling an appointment.

Other questions?

If you have questions not covered elsewhere on this site or in the FAQ, I would be glad to answer them. You may email me at jillian@drjillianwolf.com or call me at (615) 663-2805.