Psychotherapy, also referred to as “talk therapy,” or simply therapy, is a procedure through which psychological issues are approached by interaction between an individual and a skilled clinician (Herkov, 2016). Therapy sessions are focused, time-limited, and take place weekly for 45-50 minutes for each session.

Psychotherapy consists of more than just discussing one’s problems, even though most forms of therapy center on the discourse between the therapist and the patient. Although family members and friends can listen and try to help an individual feel better by giving astute guidance, that is not considered psychotherapy. Rather, it involves a professional rapport between a clinician and a patient that rests on therapeutic procedures and precepts (Herkov, 2016). Put simply, the sole purpose of the therapeutic relationship is for the clinician to help the patient and that relationship requires nothing except payment for the services rendered. This is a key point, as it allows the patient the comfort of revealing anything without the concern that the information is going to be divulged outside of the office.

Therapy can take place in many forms. The clinician can conduct individual counseling, couples counseling, or family counseling. The patient decides what he/she wants to accomplish and treatment goals are established with the clinician’s guidance. So, with an abundant number of therapists in private practice, how is one to choose the right clinician for one’s psychological needs? If one was thinking of buying a new car, obviously one would take into consideration his/her needs, the budget, specifications of the car, what reviews have said about the performance of the car, etc. When looking for a therapist, it is just as important to apply the same manner of inquiry.

As a psychotherapist, one of the first requirements I would recommend when searching for a therapist is that the clinician is registered with local and state agencies that provide legal and ethical guidelines for the licensure of the therapist. It is very important that when selecting a therapist for your psychological needs, to make sure that he/she is in good standing with the license-issuing organization. This means that the license is up to date.

At San Jose Counseling, Invia A. Betjoseph, LMFT, CSAT is a specialized couple’s counselor. He is well known and respected in the Bay Area, including Sunnyvale, CA. He specializes in marriage and couples counseling and has a gift for helping those where addictions, affairs, or other serious issues plague the relationship. Don’t let these or any other issues get the best of your relationship. It’s time to take the first step for couples counseling or marriage counseling.  Let us help you take your relationship and make it great.

If you would like to know more about how our couples counseling Sunnyvale and marriage counseling Sunnyvale services can help you contact us for more information.