What’s New this New Year- A New Office and In-Person Sessions

It’s a new year. This can mean a new start. At least, we can think of it that way. Change, big and small, is part of life, and it happens continuously, not just with the start of January. Still, it’s a chance to reflect on your life and think about what you want to do moving forward.

As for me, here are some nuts-and-bolts things that I’m tweaking:

I’m still offering remote/online sessions, but I’m adding limited in-person sessions. This means that I am holding some sessions in my physical office. To do this, I will be taking into account current COVID and flu transmission rates in the area, my own personal situation (I have an immunocompromised relative that I see periodically, so I am mitigating risk of infection to them before visits), a client’s personal situation, and then deciding whether we will proceed in-person or online. If you need therapy but your home or workspace is not conducive for some reason - say, it’s hard to speak freely because of other people in your space or you don’t have a private area, or maybe a poor internet connection - then we may decide that coming to the office is better. I also want to make sure that you are willing to take mitigating measures with me. I may ask you to mask, or I may do so myself. But I’d much prefer for us to be able to see each other’s faces. I ask that you please refrain from coming if you feel ill. We’d hold off on shaking hands or other physical contact. And I’d likely run my air purifier during session. It’s not loud, but it’s there. All of this is to maximize the benefit of us meeting in person while minimizing infection risk.

Here’s an exciting update: I’ve moved into a new office in my suite. I’m very excited with this new space. It’s cozier. It has a great window, hence, good natural light. But the blinds can be drawn if we prefer. I mainly work with people one-on-one, so there’s no need for a huge group room. The space is perfect.

What will be the same: If you see me remotely, we will still meet via my confidential, encrypted therapy portal. The pros of online therapy are that you can see me from wherever you are, as long as you are in Virginia. (This is due to the requirements of my professional board. As of this time, their is no interstate licensure agreement with other states, so until that changes, that’s the rule.) You can be in your office, your home, a car, a closet, a basement, as long as it’s in Virginia.

And I will still be listening to you, working with you on your issues and “pain points” that brought you to see me in the first place, regardless of how we are meeting. We will start, and continue, with where you are in your life with the things that are challenging. Whether you are stressed about a loved one, a work issue, a traumatic incident or series of them, my goal is to help your stress go down and your daily functioning and mood go up. So, if your are just starting with me, welcome! And if I’ve seen you for awhile, glad to have you onboard! May things keep changing for the better.