San Francisco Bay Area Marriage and Family Therapist Intern
Registration #IMF 42021
Supervised by Kim Ives Bailey, MFT
License #MFC 32076
What might you expect in therapy?
While the process of therapy is unique to each therapist and client (and to each time a therapist and client meet), there are some things that happen often enough to mention here.
I believe life is lived to its fullest when we know as certainly as possible who we are and what’s important to us. Therapy can be a useful tool to help us re-connect with our true selves and live in a way that’s consistent with the person we really are.
The process of understanding ourselves more fully can be very freeing. By gaining a clearer understanding of ourselves and our circumstances, we can make choices we might not otherwise make, resulting in a better chance of getting what we want and need.
What if you don’t get what you need from your therapist?
Sometimes therapy can feel as though it’s not working. This may be due to any number of factors, including the natural impatience we feel when we’re looking forward to something we want or need, needing time for new ideas and approaches to develop and make sense, and countless other reasons worth exploring. Sometimes the reason therapy doesn’t work has to do with the “fit” between client and therapist. And, unfortunately, sometimes the reason therapy doesn’t work has to do with the therapist not doing his or her job very well.
What a therapist does is very personal and requires confidentiality, tact, and a high degree of professionalism. These important factors can contribute to a culture in which therapists may be reluctant to acknowledge less-than-helpful conduct on the part of themselves or peers. People who have a negative experience with a therapist can be left feeling misunderstood, isolated, angry, confused, and wondering if it might have somehow been their own fault.
The following are some potential warning signs that might indicate a possible poor fit between you and a therapist:
- Feeling like you have to justify yourself to your therapist
- Not feeling listened to and understood
- Not feeling that your therapist is supportive of you
- Feeling like your therapist takes things personally
- Being confronted in a manner that leaves you feeling criticized or blamed
- Feeling like your therapist doesn’t “get” you
- Feeling like you need to take care of your therapist
It is every therapist’s responsibility to act in the best interests of his or her clients. If you aren’t comfortable with what a therapist does or says, the first thing you might consider doing is letting that therapist know how you feel. By bringing your concerns to your therapist, you allow for a lot of potential good to happen. I believe that a therapist who is a good fit for you will respectfully honor your feedback. If you’re able to express yourself, and your concerns are addressed in a manner that leaves you knowing you were heard and understood, that allows for a deeper and stronger connection with your therapist. However, if you just don’t feel satisfied with what’s happening between you and your therapist, there is absolutely nothing wrong with looking for a better experience with someone else.
Information about the styles and scope of therapy
There are many schools and styles of therapy; with some you may be familiar, with others you may not. Among the varieties are art therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, EMDR therapy, existential and/or existential humanistic therapy, family systems therapy, gestalt therapy, object relations therapy, and psychoanalytic therapy.
Therapy can take place in many ways, such as couples counseling, family counseling, group counseling, or individual work.
The issues that can be addressed in therapy are vast, and include subjects such as academic problems, adoption issues, anger management, support for those with anorexia nervosa, Asperger’s disorder, Attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder, behavior problems, burnout, business coaching, career issues, child therapy, communication issues, conduct disorder, couples issues, depression, disruptive behavior, domestic violence, eating disorders, financial problems, forgiveness issues, grief and loss, growth, happiness, incest, intimacy, learning disorders, life purpose, marital problems, mid-life transitions, money issues, mood disorders, motivation issues, panic attacks, parent/teen issues, parenting in general, personal development and responsibility, pre-marital counseling, productivity improvement, professional coaching, prosperity issues, relationship issues, school problems, self esteem, separation anxiety, sex therapy, sexual addiction, shyness, spiritual concerns, and stress-related problems.
Whatever your concerns or desires regarding therapy, it is important to know you are not alone. Working with someone who acknowledges you, and is interested in understanding your experience, can be a very helpful and rewarding endeavor.
What is a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist Intern?
A Registered Marriage and Family Therapist Intern is a person who has completed a qualifying master’s or doctorate degree. Interns work under the supervision of a licensed therapist, licensed clinical social worker, licensed psychologist, or a psychiatrist. Interns are required to work a minimum of two years and complete 3,000 hours before applying for licensure, and are registered with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. After completing the 3,000 hours of supervised work and passing two examinations, an intern is eligible for licensure as a licensed marriage and family therapist.
I believe that the most important factors contributing to productive and satisfying therapy are the relationship you have with your therapist and your desire to see positive change in your life. While the label “intern” might make a therapist appear less able to help than someone who has been licensed, that’s far from certain. Interns fall into a range of experience. Working with a registered intern doesn’t have to mean you’d be seeing someone whose competency is lacking. Some interns have had a number of years working in the field by the time they are registered, and have the benefit of that experience. My own experience of working in this field goes back to June of 2000, and prior to that I had 13 years of experience in the business world.
Working with any therapist is about who that therapist is and how he or she helps clients. The power of healing in therapy begins with the relationship between therapist and client, and that is no less true when working with an intern. I’d like to have the chance to introduce myself to you and let you see how I work. If you’d like to set up a consultation session, I would be happy to meet with you at a reduced rate of $20.00 for the first session. If you’d like to do so, please make sure to mention that you saw my Web site, and would like to have a reduced fee consultation.
Besides giving you a chance to meet me and decide whether I can help, I can also offer my services at rates less than many licensed therapists charge. While the cost of therapy may not be the most important factor in choosing a therapist, it may still be an important consideration.
Please contact me here for more information >>>
The information provided in this Web site is offered for informational purposes only; it is not offered as and does not constitute professional advice. Replies to e-mail messages, if any, will be general in nature and will not form a therapist-client relationship. Be aware that the confidentiality of information sent over the Internet, including e-mail, may not be legally or otherwise protected or secure.
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