Getting Started

This practice uses Simple Practice Software, which enables us to be eco-friendly in that we are as paperless as possible. When you schedule your first visit, we will collect your email address and you will be given access to our secure, mobile friendly Client Portal where all paperwork can be completed prior to your first visit. You will be able to upload your insurance card, electronically sign intake paperwork, and complete assessments to help us understand what brings you into therapy. The Client Portal will also allow you to send secure messages to your provider

If you don’t see the email to the Client Portal right away, check your junk folder.
If you encounter any difficulties with the Client Portal, no worries, we understand technology can be tricky. Simply give us a call at 878-884-7158, and we are happy to navigate you through the process.
For clients who prefer not to use the electronic portal, we are happy to accommodate you. Just let us know, and paper forms can be provided in the office for signature during the first visit, and we can make copies of your insurance card at that time.

What to Expect During the First Visit:

The first session will be conducted differently than subsequent therapy visits. It is important to understand that psychotherapy often requires follow up visits, and solutions or skills training are not typically provided during the initial session.

During the first session, be expected to be asked what brought you into therapy, how your symptoms are affecting your day-to-day functioning, and what you hope to gain as a result of psychotherapy. A family, social, educational, medical, and psychiatric history will also be gathered. Your therapist will lead the session by asking questions, so if you aren’t sure what to say, we will guide the process.
Your therapist will also orient you to the therapeutic process by reviewing policies, limits to confidentiality, and their treatment approach. Goals and a treatment plan will be discussed towards the end of the initial session.
You should plan to be at the initial visit for 55-60 minutes.
Subsequent therapy visits last from 45-50 minutes in duration.
The frequency of follow up appointments is determined on a case-by-case basis; however, the ultimate goal is to create sustainable change so that therapy sessions can be discontinued.

About our Location:

We are located at 121 N. Main St. Suite 200 Greensburg, PA 15601. Our office suite is on the second floor of the Park Building, which is a historic brick building in the heart of downtown Greensburg. There are many local shops and restaurants located nearby.

Parking

There is metered street parking and a metered lot located directly across from our building. Meters take quarters, dimes, or nickels, or you can download an app that allows you to pay for parking. Please note that parking is free after 5:00 pm
Pay for Parking (meterfeeder.com) Once you download the app, set up your account by putting in your license plate, vehicle type and credit or debit card for payment.
Parking in downtown Greensburg is allowed for a maximum of two hours.

Finding our Office:

You may enter through the front of the building, which requires that you take a few steps to access the main entrance. After you enter the building, an elevator and staircase are located on the left side of the hall, which will take you to the second floor. Once you exit the stairs or elevator, our office suite is located to the right.
For stairless entry, you can enter through the lower floor of the building, which is accessed through the courtyard located on the right side of the building. After you enter, walk down the hall to the elevator, and select the second floor.

Settling in at our Office:

Once you arrive for your first appointment, please have a seat in the waiting area by the windows.
While you are waiting, please help yourself to coffee, tea, water, or a snack while you wait for your appointment to begin.
We have created a welcoming and calming waiting area to promote reflection and tranquility as you wait for your appointment to begin. It is important to reflect on what you hope to gain out of each session so that we can stay focused on goal achievement.

Telehealth Visits:

Counseling services provided at this office are offered both in person and through telehealth. When scheduling your initial appointment, please indicate if you prefer telehealth. If you prefer to use telehealth, you will receive an email or text message with a link to the video visit. Included below are some tips to maximize the benefits of your telehealth appointment:

If you plan on using a smartphone or tablet, you will need to download Telehealth by Simple Practice from the app store. If you are using a desktop or laptop, there is nothing to download.
About 10 minutes before your appointment, you'll receive an email or text appointment reminder with the link to join the session. The link will also be sent at the time you make the appointment. If you cannot find the link, simply call the office to request that it be resent: 878-884-7158. We are happy to help you get acclimated to this process.
Have your device set up and ready. It is best to have your device placed on a stationery table or device holder.
Ensure that you have reliable internet connection, and have back up communication devices, such as a phone, ready if the internet fails.
Ensure that you are in a private, distraction-free location for the duration of the appointment.
The use of headphones or a white noise machine can help ensure that others do not hear the session.
If you are in your car for the session, ensure that your windows are up so that others cannot hear you. Do not operate your vehicle during the session.
If we lose connection, we will call you to discuss a plan so that the session can be continued.
We will never record sessions, and we ask that you do not record sessions. This is to help ensure confidentiality.
Virtual sessions should be treated the same way as an in-office session. Just like a face-to-face appointment, your telehealth visit will be private and confidential. Your provider will always be alone in an office with four walls and closed door.
Allow yourself some time to get comfortable with the virtual setting. If it turns out that you do not prefer virtual sessions, it is entirely valid to request in-office visits

Things that Successful Therapy Clients do

They come to treatment with motivation, will ingness to change, and an awareness of the things that they want to change.
They are willing to implement therapeutic recommendations, focus on growing in between sessions, and are receptive to feedback.
They are willing to tolerate short-term discomfort to reach their goals. In the context of therapy, we often must face things that we have been avoiding for a long time. Learning to experience emotions rather than react to them takes time and patience, and sometimes in therapy we have to talk about painful past experiences in order to release ourselves from pain.
They are open and honest.
We understand that therapy takes courage, time, willingness, and dedication. We will empathetically meet you where you are, will work to develop trust, and can adjust the pacing of sessions so that the process is not overwhelming and fosters the development of strengths and resilience as work through what you need to work through.