Anna Mayer, MA, LPC, R-DMT
Therapy FAQs
Starting therapy can feel vulnerable, and it helps to have answers to many of the unknowns - especially if you're new to therapy (or just new to me as a therapist). Here are some common questions folx have when beginning therapy, and my take on them. If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact me!
What is therapy?
-
What is therapy like?
-
How long does therapy take?
-
Does Somatic Sex Therapy include touch?
Do I need therapy?
-
How do I know if therapy is right for me?
-
I don’t feel like I have a major problem. Can I still benefit from therapy?
-
How can I tell if a therapist is a good match for me?
How do I pay for therapy sessions?
-
What is your fee?
-
Will my insurance cover our sessions? How does that work?
-
Do I pay every session? Do you offer packages?
-
Do you offer a sliding scale?
-
What if I cannot make it to a session?
When and where can we have sessions?
-
Where are you located? Can we do in-person sessions?
-
Do you have evening or weekend availability?
-
How do I schedule my appointments?
-
How often should we meet?
What is therapy?
What is therapy like?
Therapy with me is a collaborative process, so it's unique to everyone I work with. You can expect to start sessions with some kind of check-in, including options for a guided somatic mindfulness process as an intentional transition (if you have no idea what I'm talking about - that's okay! I do a lot of explaining as we go). Some people opt out of this and choose to jump right in - you always get to choose with me. After that, we typically start by deciding where to focus that day; that may mean bringing up a challenge you want to focus on, giving me an update from the time between sessions and building on that, or a request that I guide the session when you aren't sure where to start.
The middle of our sessions will be a collaborative process, likely including talking about your current challenges and strengths, pausing to feel emotions and sensations as you go (see my Somatic Therapy page for more info on this!). I may teach you about new tools and skills you can use, or facilitate a practice for you (and your partner, if it's couple's therapy) - the specifics of this would fully depend on what your goals are. Sometimes we may get up off the couch, if you are up for it. Again, it's always up to you - I just give suggestions, and I always want to respect the pace you need.
At the end of our sessions, I use the last 5-10 minutes to integrate what came up during the session. I may ask you to reflect on what felt important to you, and you may discuss your takeaways (including anything you want to try or practice before our next session). This is to give you tangible action items &/or clear concepts to remember and take with you. We'll typically check in on these at the beginning of our following session, as well.
How long does therapy take?
This really depends on you and what your goals are. If you're looking for short-term therapy, with limited and specific goals, you would likely see some good results within 3-6 months, if you're doing weekly or every-other-week sessions. If you're looking for long-term therapy, to move through multiple layers of healing and across multiple areas of your life (it's all connected!), you may choose to stay in therapy for several years. Regardless of your goals, we'll be in conversation as we go about how therapy is serving you, and adjust your timeline together.
Does Somatic Sex Therapy include touch?
Great question - the short answer is no, I will not be touching you during our therapy sessions. We can discuss whether you want to hug hello and goodbye though, if you like! Fist bumps and high-fives are always welcome.
You may choose to explore clothed, non-sexual self-touch, or touching your partner in clothed, non-sexual ways as a part of sex therapy, to learn different body-based and mindfulness-based touch practices, or to explore relationship dynamics through movement. There's sometimes confusion around this because of the similar names between Somatic Sex Therapy (which I practice, as a Licensed Professional Counselor, governed by specific codes of therapeutic ethics around touch) and Somatic Sexology (which is a totally separate approach, related to Sexological Bodywork, that can include touch).
Do I need therapy?
How do I know if therapy is right for me?
Therapy is an intensely personal process, and sometimes we can't tell if it's right for us (or if a therapist is right for us) until we try it. That being said, therapy may be helpful for you if you need a private place to discuss very personal, confusing, embarrassing, complicated situations or emotions - sometimes, confiding in our friends and family backfires on us. Perhaps you don't feel comfortable sharing challenging aspects of your relationship and sex life with anyone in your life, from fear that they would judge you or your partner, or give unhelpful advice.
Therapy may be helpful for you if you have been stuck on the same problem again and again, whether it's a relationship challenge or sexual concern that you just can't seem to move past, or a personal issue that keeps coming up again and again, even when you thought you'd dealt with it.
I could go on, as therapy can have many wide-ranging benefits. The short answer is: You may not know until you try; and if you're considering therapy as an option, it may be worth following your intuition to find out.
I don’t feel like I have a major problem. Can I still benefit from therapy?
Yes! Absolutely yes. I wish more people knew this. You do not need to be suffering severely in order to benefit from the perspective, understanding, tools, and important relationship that a professional therapist can provide. If you're not sure, but think you might benefit from therapy, you're welcome to set up a no-charge initial consultation with me to talk more about your situation.
How can I tell if a therapist is a good match for me?
In some ways, this is one of the most important questions! Research repeatedly shows that the quality of therapeutic relationships - in other words, how comfortable you are and how much you like your therapist - is one of the biggest predictors of feeling real change and healing through therapy. It's more important than what kind of therapy methods are used, and the relationship quality transcends all the various therapy techniques.
With that in mind, I offer a no-charge video consultation call so that you and I can connect before committing to work together. It's a great idea to pay attention to how you feel when we talk, or when you meet with any other therapist. You'll probably be nervous no matter what, but you may notice feeling more comfortable, more understood, or that you simply like the therapist. These things do grow over time, like with any first connection, but you should feel there is potential to eventually relax, be yourself, and share more of your deeper world with this person.
It's also helpful to talk a bit about your main concerns and reasons for seeking therapy, so you can get a sense for how well the therapist is understanding you and how they talk about exploring it with you. You will hopefully feel broadly understood (it's a brief call, after all), and may get the sense that the therapist is familiar with the topic and enjoys working with it!
How do I pay for therapy sessions?
What is your fee?
My fee for a 60-minute session is $215 for couples and $205 for individuals. If you prefer a longer session (such as 2 hours), that would be prorated at the same rate.
Will my insurance cover our sessions? How does that work?
I am not in-network with any insurance provider, meaning you would pay the session fee at the time of the appointment and later seek reimbursement from your insurance company. If you have insurance, you can see if you have out-of-network coverage by logging into the insurance company's website or by calling the number on the back of your card. Here is a step-by-step guide with a list of questions to ask them: http://bit.ly/2y0Uvb0. I can also accept HSA & FSA cards as payment.
Do I pay every session? Do you offer session packages?
Yes, you pay at the end of each session, either by card or cash, if we are meeting in person. I don't ask anyone to pay for session packages or bundles, to protect your choice to continue or stop therapy at any point.
Do you offer a sliding scale?
Yes, I have a limited number of sliding scale options to provide for more equitable access to therapy. Depending on when we connect, my sliding scale spots may or may not be full. Please ask me about this option when we speak, if it's something you'd like to learn more about!
What if I cannot make it to a session?
If you can't make one of our sessions, please let me know at least 48 hours in advance. Sessions canceled or rescheduled within 48 hours of the session time are subject to significant cancellation fees, to respect the time we are both putting aside for our therapy session together.
When and where can we have sessions?
Where are you located? Can we do in-person sessions?
I am located and licensed to practice in Colorado, and I can see clients from anywhere in Colorado through video sessions, and those are available Tuesdays through Fridays. My physical office is in Lafayette, CO (in Old Towne), and I have limited in-person session options available on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. You're welcome to do a mix of both virtual therapy and in-person sessions, whatever works best for you!
Do you have evening or weekend availability?
I do not have any weekend availability, but I do offer 5:15-6:15pm MST appointments on Tuesdays through Fridays. As you may imagine, these times tend to book up quickly, so please let me know if this is one of the only times that works for you, and I can tell you if there are evening openings available soon.
How do I schedule my appointments?
The first step is an initial consultation over video call, where we'll talk for 20-30 minutes about what you're looking for in therapy and how I may be able to help you. If we decide to work together after that, I'll set you up in my system and you can directly schedule and cancel appointments through your client portal account.
How often should we meet?
Typical therapist answer: It depends. We can talk more about what's right for you, and my boilerplate answer is either once a week or once every two weeks, at least for our first 2-3 months working together. I can give you more tailored recommendations if we speak further, and we can always discuss changing therapy frequency at any point.
More questions? Let's talk!
Let's set up a free 20-minute consultation to connect and explore how I can help you.
You can book instantly, or reach me by phone at (720)-707-1297.
I am available for in-state video sessions with Colorado residents.
Please feel free to contact me with any other inquiries or questions!