Counseling FAQ

Q: How do I know if I'm ready for therapy?
A: You may not know. That's why we offer a free 20-30 minutes phone or in-person consultation, to help you determine that.

Q: What is therapy/counseling like? 
A: Every therapist, and every therapy session is unique and caters to each individual and their specific goals. During session, we will sit down and talk about concerns and issues in your life. A session last 55-60 minutes. Sessions are typically weekly or biweekly. Therapy can be short-term, focusing on a specific issue, or longer-term, addressing more complex issues or ongoing personal growth. Often, you will be asked to take certain actions outside of the therapy session, such as reading a relevant book or keeping records to track certain behaviors. It is important to process what has been discussed and integrate it into your life between sessions. For therapy to be most effective, you must be an active participant, both during and between, the sessions. Active participation, both in and outside of the therapy sessions, facilitates growth and change. Here are some things you can expect out of therapy:

• Compassion, respect and understanding
• Feedback designed to highlight persistent patterns and negative feelings
• Real strategies for enacting positive change
• Effective and proven techniques along with practical guidance

Q: Do I really need therapy?  I can usually handle my problems.
A: Everyone goes through challenging situations in life, and while you may have successfully navigated through other difficulties you have faced, there is nothing wrong with seeking out extra support when you need it. In fact, therapy is for people who have enough self-awareness to realize they need a helping hand, and that is something to be admired. You are taking responsibility by accepting where you are at in life and making a commitment to change the situation by seeking therapy. Therapy provides long-lasting benefits and support, giving you the tools you need to avoid triggers, re-direct damaging patterns, and overcome whatever challenges you face.

Q: How can therapy help me?
A: A number of benefits are available from participating in therapy. Often it is helpful just to know that someone understands. Many people find that counselors can be a tremendous asset to managing personal growth, interpersonal relationships, family concerns, marriage issues, and the hassles of daily life by providing support, problem-solving skills and enhanced coping strategies. Therapists can provide a fresh perspective on a difficult problem or assist you in finding a solution that fits with your values and goals. The benefits you obtain from therapy depend on how well you use the process and put into practice what you learn. Some of the benefits available from therapy include:

• Attaining a better understanding of yourself as well as your values and goals
• Developing skills for improving your relationships
• Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy
• Learning new ways to cope with stress and anxiety
• Managing anger, grief, depression, and other emotional pressures
• Improving communication and listening skills
• Changing old behavior patterns and developing new ones
• Discovering new ways to solve problems in your family or marriage
• Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence

Q: Is counseling confidential?
A: We treat with great care all of the information that you share with us.  It is your legal right that our sessions and our records about you are kept private.  That is why I ask you to sign a 'release of records' form before I can talk about you or send my records about you to anyone else.  In general, We will tell no one what you tell your therapist.  We will not even reveal that you are receiving treatment from us.  There are limits to confidentiality that arise very rarely.  These limits are: if you make a threat to harm yourself or someone else; if you disclose knowledge of abuse or neglect of a child or elderly person; if your records are subpoenaed by the court.

Q: How long will I be in counseling?
A: That’s a great question, and we wish I had a clear cut answer for you. Therapy is a process, and since each person’s life experience and circumstance is different, the answer could be different too. Some takes longer, and some a shorter period of time. After we meet, we’ll have a better sense of that, and of course open to discussing that any time during our counseling sessions.By the end of our second session, I will tell you how I see your case at this point and how I think we should proceed. I expect us to plan our work together.  In our treatment plan we will list the areas to work on, our goals, the methods we will use. I expect us to agree on a plan that we will both work hard to follow.  From time to time, we will look together at our progress and goals. Due to each person's unique needs the time spent in counseling varies. I use a strengths based, brief therapy approach that enables you to reach your full potential at a faster rate.  The average person spends 6-12 sessions in therapy with me. Counselling is often worth the short term investment, because of its life long benefits.

Q: I need help now. How long will I have to wait?
A: You will not be put on a waiting list. Either myself or another therapist will book you for an appointment within a week of you calling in. Contact us today at 314-445-5678 or e-mail us at [email protected] to set up a free consultation.

Q: How do I know you are the right therapist for me?
A: All relationships, even a therapeutic one, needs a good fit. Of course you want the right therapist for you! That’s also what the initial consultation is for, so you can decide that for yourself.

Q: Do I need to take medications?
A: As Licensed Clinical Social Workers and Professional Counselors we are not legally allowed to prescribe medications. However, based on a joint assessment of problems you are facing, it may be advisable to consult with a psychiatrist to determine whether medication is warranted. In some cases a combination of medication and therapy is the right course of action. Typically, clients see someone under their health insurance coverage or we can refer you to a psychiatrist.

Q: So where do I go from here?
A:  Feel free to give us a call at: 314-445-5678 or e-mail us at [email protected] to set up a free 20-30 minute consultation. We look forward to hearing from you, and hearing your story.


English/ESL Lessons

Q: What are the advantages of having a private English tutor/ ESL Teacher?
A: When you learn from an individual teacher, the lesson is created to meet your own goals. You will tell the teacher what you want to learn, so you won’t waste time learning things that don’t interest you. Consider the following:
• Problem with school:
   Your class is too big. You don’t have an opportunity to speak.
•  Our solution:
   Our meetings are “English Only,” and we encourage lots of speaking.
•   Problem with school:
   The class doesn’t teach everything you want to learn. You learn things that do not interest you.
•  Our solution:
   You tell teacher what you want to learn. We will only practice topics that interest you.
•  Problem with school:
   Sometimes you don’t like the teacher.
•  Our solution:
   The first time we meet, there is no cost. If you don’t like the teacher, you can choose to meet with another teacher. You don’t 
   have to continue tutoring and you can stop at any time!
•  Problem with school:
   Sometimes, the teacher is not a native American English speaker.
•  Our solution:
   ESL Instructors are native American English speakers.  They speak standard American English, which means we do not have 
   a local accent.

Q: What happens in a typical lesson? 
A:  All lessons are different, but most regular students will combine conversation with some grammar/vocabulary work and some skills practice (reading, writing, speaking, listening). How much we focus on any of these depends on the student’s needs and what they want. The only thing typical about all lessons is that they are tailored to you.

Q: What is your teaching method? 
A:  We teach using the communicative method and focus on integrated skills. That means you will be doing lots of speaking, combined with other skills such as reading, writing, and listening. Of course, all lessons are personalized according to what you want and need from your English course.

Q: How often/long do I need to study English?
A:  Most students choose to study for 1.5 Hours a week because they realize the one hour time goes by very fast.  Other students have a busy schedule and are only able to meet for 1 hour a week. Students are welcome to change the time length to 1.5 hours if they feel 1 hour is not enough and we will try to accommodate the change depending on the availability and schedule. You can take a 60, 90, or 120 minute lesson. We often meet with students for a little as a few months to as long as a year.  For some students, we are the only place they feel comfortable speaking English and they enjoy the opportunity they have each week to speak English with us. For other students, they may be seeking to improve their TOEFL scores, prepare for an upcoming job interview or presentation, or citizenship exam, we generally meet with them a few times or as often as they wish until they feel comfortable on their own.  Our goal is to help individuals achieve results quickly with emphasis on speaking and pronunciation.

Q: Do I need to sign a contract or pay registration fees?
A: There is no contract you need to sign for English lessons.  There is also no registration fees required. 

Q: Do you offer a FREE English lesson?
A:  Yes, everyone can have a FREE level check, trial lesson, and private consultation before making a commitment to study.  We are so confident that you will PROFIT from our private English tutoring that we are offering one hour free lesson. We hope this will help you in determining if our center and teacher is a good fit for you.

Q: Do long will it take me to be fluent in English?
A:   Learning a language is a long process and every student is different. How long it takes depends on many things: at what age you first studied a foreign language, your natural ability, your commitment to lessons, studying, and homework, and what level you would like your English to be. Do you just want to be able to communicate day-to-day, or do you want to be able to pass the TOEFL? Do you want to sound like a native-speaker? English may be something you continue to develop for the rest of your life, even after you are considered ‘fluent’. We will develop a course for you starting with your most important needs, and keep adding to that until you are where you want to be.You can expect to begin to see steady progress within three months after the start of tutoring.  It is common to first see a change in attitude and self-confidence followed by a steady improvement.

Q: Do you offer lessons to a group of two or more people? 
A:  Yes, we offer small groups (Maximum of three).  We charge a modest additional rate. 

Q: What is your cancellation policy? 
A:  Your lesson time is reserved for you. If you need to cancel a lesson, you must give 24 hours advance notice by email. Your teacher will arrange a make-up class or the next lesson. Lessons not canceled within 24 hours will not be made-up, and you will be charged for the lesson. Of course, we understand that sometimes there may be an emergency situation and you will be unable to give 24 hours advance notice. In that case, please be sure to make contact as soon as you are able. In the event of an emergency, a make-up class may be offered at the instructor's discretion.

Q: Do you have a guarantee? 
A: Yes, we guarantee our English and ESL Services., if you are not satisfied for whatever reason, your first hour will be free!  We are committed to providing you with the best tutoring possible.

Q: How do I get started? 
A:  Please contact us at [email protected] so that we may discuss your specific needs and schedule a free consultation.


Research

Q: Why do I need a Program Evalutator
A:  Most funders expect that your project will include an evaluation component because they want to be assured they are investing their money wisely. However, for project directors, a program evaluator can help determine if goals are being met (outcome evaluation) and how to improve a program (formative evaluation). A good evaluator works with program staff in planning and shaping a program to maximize effectiveness.

Q: Why not just evaluate the program myself?
 A:  It is an evaluator's job to design and implement program evaluation, create assessment instruments, write logic models, collect, analyze and interpret data and write reports. S/he can usually complete these tasks quickly and efficiently. Moreover, an evaluator who is independent from the program provides objectivity, or the ability to view the program from an unbiased perspective.
    Although using an outside evaluator can be costly, it aids in refining the program to be more effective and sustainable. For example, if your original funding source is no longer available, an evaluator may be able to assist you in locating new funding sources and provide data to support your application.

Q: When is the best time to hire an evaluator?
A: The best time to find a program evaluator is when you are writing your grant. At the start of a project, an evaluator can assist with goal/objective clarification and the development of evaluation criteria. This will help you design goals and objectives that are measurable as well as develop ways to generate data. It is a hassle to find out (after you have been funded) that you wrote objectives that cannot be measured. Involving the evaluator from the start will provide a better, more thorough evaluation and save you money. However, many organizations cannot afford to hire an evaluator before they are funded and evaluators are accustomed to being called in after the fact and working with a challenging evaluation or assisting you in modifying your objectives so they are measurable.

Q:  What can I expect from an evaluator?
A: By nature, program evaluation is a dynamic process. You should expect that your evaluator can be flexible, can act as a consultant to you, and can explain everything in understandable non-research terminology. In most instances you will work with an evaluator for a long time. You should have a good, honest, respectful working relationship (and a sense of humor always helps). Expect that in the beginning, you will meet with your evaluator frequently. There is a lot of "front-end loading" in evaluation. One key to a successful relationship is involving the evaluator as a collaborator while allowing an independent relationship to co-exist.