When you schedule your first appointment, you may see that we have a few forms we need completed. There are several reasons for this but to shorten that answer- it's important!
For one thing, it tells you what your rights are as a client. You need to be aware of the laws that protect you such as HIPAA or HITECH. You need to know what my obligations as a counselor are to you and what you should expect. This can be found in several places but it's best summarized in the Privacy Policies document. That is also a document for you to keep for your records!
Secondly, paperwork is necessary because it's a concise and cohesive way to get information about you so together we can form a Treatment Plan. I am a very client-centered therapist which means I want you to be involved in the treatment goals we set. I want the goals to be obtainable but also things that are important to you. The information we go over in the intake evaluation helps us do this better!
I also tell clients, don't judge therapy by the first session. We do have paperwork to go over, insurance cards to see and forms to sign. This is not a typical session. In fact, it's even billed differently to insurance! So hang in there! Let's get through the paperwork and get started on those treatment goals!
~Tiffany
