Frequently Asked Questions
Please reach us at shawnmichaeladams@gmail.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.
A standard session is 55 minutes.
Fee per session: $140
I believe therapy should be accessible to everyone and I reserve time for clients who cannot afford full fees. Please contact me for more information regarding sliding scale availability.
Payment is due at the time of service. I take cash, check, or credit card payment via your secure client portal.
The frequency of counseling sessions with Birch Counseling will depend on your individual needs and goals. Some clients may benefit from weekly sessions, while others may attend bi-weekly or monthly.
I currently do not take insurance. I will provide a superbill for reimbursement as an out-of-network provider if you wish. Some insurance companies will cover a portion of my services as an out-of-network provider. Please verify with your insurance company prior to our first visit if you wish to seek partial reimbursement.
Some clients prefer to work with a therapist outside of their insurance plan for the following reasons:
- You enjoy a greater degree of privacy and confidentiality, as I am not required to share your personal information and medical history/diagnosis.
- You are not limited to a certain number of sessions or certain treatment protocols that are often determined by insurance companies.
- Because you are working directly and privately with me, we can decide together on the methods we will use and the length of time we will work together, rather than having these decisions made by a third party.
A trusting therapeutic relationship is necessary to foster growth and change. The degree to which you feel safe greatly impacts your experience in therapy. I offer a brief initial phone consult to help you determine fit and decide if you would like to work with me. I am always happy to provide referrals to local therapists if needed.
What is EMDR?
Please reach us at shawnmichaeladams@gmail.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.
EMDR is a structured therapy that encourages the patient to focus briefly on the trauma memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements), which is associated with a reduction in the vividness and emotion associated with the trauma memories. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an extensively researched, effective psychotherapy method proven to help people recover from trauma and PTSD symptoms. Ongoing research supports positive clinical outcomes, showing EMDR therapy as a helpful treatment for disorders such as anxiety, depression, OCD, chronic pain, addictions, and other distressing life experiences
EMDR therapy does not require talking in detail about the distressing issue or
completing homework between sessions. EMDR therapy, rather than focusing on changing the emotions, thoughts, or behaviors resulting from the distressing issue, allows the brain to resume its natural healing process.
EMDR therapy is designed to resolve unprocessed traumatic memories in the brain. For
many clients, EMDR therapy can be completed in fewer sessions than other
psychotherapies.
Our brains have a natural way to recover from traumatic memories and events. This process involves communication between the amygdala (the alarm signal for stressful events), the hippocampus (which assists with learning, including memories about safety and danger), and the prefrontal cortex (which analyzes and controls behavior and emotion). While many times traumatic experiences can be managed and resolved spontaneously, they may not be processed without help.
Stress responses are part of our natural fight, flight, or freeze instincts. When distress from a disturbing event remains, the upsetting images, thoughts, and emotions may create an overwhelming feeling of being back in that moment, or of being “frozen in time.” EMDR therapy helps the brain process these memories, and allows normal healing to resume. The experience is still remembered, but the fight, flight, or freeze response from the original event is resolved.
EMDR therapy helps children and adults of all ages. Therapists use EMDR therapy to address a wide range of challenges:
Anxiety, panic attacks, and phobias
Chronic Illness and medical issues
Depression and bipolar disorders
Dissociative disorders
Eating disorders
Grief and loss
Pain
Performance anxiety
Personality disorders
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other trauma and stress-related issues
Sexual assault
Sleep disturbance
Substance abuse and addiction
Violence and abuse
Organizations I Work With And Support
